In the years following World War II, Tampa Bays barrier island beaches were transformed from a sparsely populated strip to a booming vacation destination. Following the wars end, fond memories of beachside training exercises amid sand and sea attracted thousands of former G.I.s and their families to the area for vacation. This sudden outbreak of tourism caught the attention of developers, who quickly converted the lonely stretches of beach into a vacationers paradise, complete with snazzy motels offering the latest amenities. Once home to fishermen and well-to-do winter vacationers, the areas...