The island itself eventually came to be called Anna Maria, a name that some attribute to Spanish explorers in honor of the Virgin Mary and her mother, Saint Anne (Ana y Maria in Spanish). Others believe the name was bestowed later in the 19th century by land developers or early settlers with Catholic roots. Regardless of its precise origin, the name reflects a long tradition of religious and cultural influence tied to Spanish Florida.
For centuries after Spanish colonization, Anna Maria remained largely untouched, serving as a navigational landmark for sailors entering Tampa Bay but hosting little permanent European settlement.
The 19th Century: A Remote Frontier
During the early 19th century, Florida’s Gulf Coast was still a frontier. Seminole groups, descended from Creek migrants and other Indigenous peoples, used the mainland near Anna Maria for fishing and farming. The Seminole Wars (1817–1858) brought military conflict to the wider region, but the barrier island remained largely uninhabited.
After Florida became a U.S. territory in 1821 and then a state in 1845, settlement expanded in Manatee County, especially along the mainland. Cattle ranching, fishing, and small-scale farming sustained pioneer families. Anna Maria Island, however, was considered too remote for most settlers. The lack of bridges, roads, or easy transportation limited access.
By the late 19th century, only a few fishing shacks dotted the island’s shores, used by hardy pioneers and fishermen who braved the elements to harvest mullet, snapper, and other Gulf species. shutdown123