Longboat Parkway was almost the Key's main road name

It wasn’t always Gulf of Mexico Drive. Records from historical reference books show a wide array of names for Longboat Key’s main road.

“The first reference to Gulf of Mexico Drive was Star Route 5. Then in the 20s, it was Gulf Beach Street. Then references to John Ringling Boulevard. In 1957 it was referenced as Gulf of Mexico Drive,” said Susan Phillips — whose ardent curiosity in Longboat Key history has led to hours of poring through old maps, documents and books.

At the beginning of 1957, the road was called John Ringling Boulevard Parkway, with Parkway commonly dropped from references. It was almost renamed Longboat Parkway.

According to the minutes from the Sept. 16, 1957, the then-called Town Council meeting, the town — just two years old at the time — voted to change several road names and switch to metropolitan delivery of mail.

 

The fruit theme was out. Avocado Avenue changed to Auburn Street; Mango Avenue to Hilburn Street; Banana and Guava Avenues became Bluefield and Waldorf Streets. But most notably, the town decided to rename John Ringling Boulevard Parkway to Gulf of Mexico Drive despite recommendation from the recently formed “committee on street names and postal house numbers” to name the road Longboat Parkway.

A typed page with the committee’s proposed street name designations shows the recommendation to change John Ringling Boulevard-Parkway to Longboat Parkway. That recommended name was crossed out by hand, and Gulf of Mexico Drive was written above it. The letter to council from the committee was signed by Joseph E. Hoffman, Cecil H. Scholfield and Louis M. Davis and dated Aug. 23, 1957.

Records are sparse from the committee’s meetings with nothing signifying why the name Longboat Parkway was snuffed out by pen other than a brief mention in the council minutes from Sept. 16.

“The Committee suggested that numbering start at zero from New Pass, a system of numbering side streets, and the suggestion the Ringling Boulevard be named Longboat Parkway. Several letters and suggestions have been received suggesting that this latter highway be named Gulf of Mexico Drive,” the minutes state. “Mr. (Wilfred) LePage made a motion to accept the committee report, which is attached and made a part of these minutes, with the following changes: that Ringling Boulevard be named Gulf of Mexico Drive, eliminate names suggested for several undedicated streets.”

Phillips shared another tidbit of interesting Longboat Key road name trivia. Did you know Longboat Key once had a Main Street?

“Up until 1925, (Broadway) was known as Main Street,” she said.