{"product_id":"gulfport-florida-joseph-p-jr-garland-9798245363578","title":"Gulfport, Florida: A History (1867-2026): Urban Development, Community Memory, and Resilience Along Boca Ciega Bay","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGulfport, Florida: A Coastal City's Formation, Transformation, and Identity (1867-2026)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUrban Development, Community Memory, and Resilience Along Boca Ciega Bay\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten by Joseph P. Garland Jr.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow does a small coastal city survive boom, bust, storms, segregation, and rapid change-yet retain its identity?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGulfport, Florida offers a definitive, deeply researched history of one of Florida's most distinctive waterfront communities, tracing its evolution from a pre-urban shoreline along Boca Ciega Bay to a modern city navigating the challenges of the twenty-first century.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpanning more than 150 years, this book examines Gulfport's transformation through environmental constraint, civic experimentation, cultural reinvention, and resilience in the face of economic, social, and climatic pressure. Drawing on municipal records, archival newspapers, environmental studies, and regional history, author Joseph P. Garland Jr. presents a rigorous yet accessible narrative that situates Gulfport within the broader story of Florida's coastal development.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis volume explores: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIndigenous presence and the environmental foundations of Boca Ciega Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEarly settlement, failed speculative ventures, and the rise of permanent community\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncorporation, growth, and waterfront identity in the early twentieth century\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Great Depression and the creation of enduring civic spaces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWar, housing expansion, and postwar transformation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSegregation, civil rights, and changes in local governance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnvironmental conflicts, storms, and urban resilience\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRedevelopment, arts-driven identity, and contemporary challenges through 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore than a local chronicle, this book is a case study in how geography shapes governance, how communities negotiate change, and how memory and place remain central to civic life. It speaks to readers interested in Florida history, coastal cities, urban planning, environmental resilience, and the preservation of community identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten with academic rigor and narrative clarity, Gulfport, Florida serves as both a scholarly resource and a compelling account for residents, educators, historians, and anyone interested in the forces that shape small coastal cities.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Joseph P. Jr. Garland\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798245363578\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/24\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 94\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.28lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.24d","brand":"Joseph P. Jr. Garland","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48997428920575,"sku":"9798245363578","price":7.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/gulfport-florida-joseph-p-jr-garland-9798245363578","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}