History Of John's Pass On Madeira Beach

There seems to be a few different theories as to how John's Pass received it's name. Although the theories differ there seems to be one common thread among them, a man named John LeVeque. Some accounts have John sailing the Gulf of Mexico as a pirate collecting treasure. Other accounts say he was simply a land owner living on land offered by the government. No matter which version you believe to be true the next part of the story seems to be agreed upon by all.

On September 27, 1848 a hurricane passed through the area now known as Madiera Beach and destroyed much of the shoreline. John was sailing his ship homeward and looking for a way to pass through back to safe harbors. Theorists agree that he might have been looking for Blind Pass, or even Pass-a-Grille, but instead he found a more northerly opening never seen before. It was from this time that the new opening was to be called John's Pass in honor of John LeVeque's first passage.

Today John's Pass is home to incredible waterfront shops, fine dining, cruise ships, marinas, and entertainment of all types. There is always something to do at John's Pass and each year thousands of visitors, seasonal residents, and locals all converge here to spend their days enjoying the scenery and atmosphere. Each year people move into condominiums on John's Pass to spend their days in this waterfront community.