A bell is a bell is a bell or so it would seem. But no, bells have a deep history going back as far as 2000 B.C. In ancient China as metallurgy began to take on a life of its own as the first bells worked their way into culture, religion and the lifestyles of the rich and powerful. Before Christianity, bells were popular in India and across to Japan as a method to carry the will of the Gods, provide peace, clear minds and help chase away evil spirits. [Click the picture to read more]

Traveling over the country one sees public building, parks, and other structure bearing someone's personal name. And, even if fleetingly, you wonder who was this person and what did he or she accomplish for his community or country? Most of the time even in our own area, we don't really know about the origin of the names.

Well, the Community Center at 1500 Pass-a-Grille Way that bears the name of Warren Webster is certainly no exception. Sometimes even local history buffs don't know the "real story!" [Click picture to read more]

The east side of Pass-a-Grille at 8th Street, since the late 1890's, has had a dock and fishing pier. It was the original “Merry Pier” owned by early pioneer Joseph Merry, who built the first grocery store on the pier in 1902. The senior Merry’s son, Kenneth (Capt. Merry) operated the “the 8th Street Pier” for many years until the 1940's, when it was leased to Wilson Hubbard and quickly became a headquarters for charter and party fishing boats, bait, tackle and any kind of fishing yarn one could conjure up on a lazy afternoon!

Around this area so close to the beach and warm Gulf waters, everyone is aware that April through August is turtle season. It has evolved into an almost sacred time when the huge sea turtles come on shore, dig a deep hole in the sand and lay a hundred or more tiny eggs. They cover the eggs and leave nature to take its course. Modern civilization has placed this species in danger, whose life expectancy is on the low side anyway.