Pass-A-Grille Beach History

The town of Pass-A-Grille Beach has a rich and interesting history. Inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years before marveling Spanish explorers in 1528, Pass-A-Grille Beach was hidden gem in the Gulf of Mexico; and still is today.

A rumored legend states that it was named from the French phrase Passe Aux Grilleurs (the passageway of the grillers) in honor of the fisherman who used this pristine land as a camp ground. John Gomez was one on the first entrepreneurs to utilize Pass-A-Grille Beach as a vacation area, inviting travelers from St. Petersburg and Tampa to stay at his resort-like structure, in 1857. Some of the first major businessmen in the area were Roy S. Hanna and Selwyn Morey, who began developing plots of land for the many eventual homes and lodgings for Pass-A-Grille Beach. By 1901, Frenchman and Travel Agent, George Henri Lizotte, opened the first Pass-A-Grille hotel, named Bonhomie.

It wouldn’t be until 1957 when Pass-A-Grille became a part of the city of St Pete Beach. In 1989 (nearly 100 years after the town had been established) Pass-A-Grille was recognized as a National Historic District. Today, this beachfront beauty still astonishes both visitors and locals alike with its awe-inspiring views of the beach.