Longboat natives share what it was like to grow up on the Key

The year was 1974 and the Dolan girls were enjoying a sunny day in their hometown of Longboat Key. Sharon Dolan (now Meier), 10 years old at the time, and her little sister Mimi Dolan, 5 years old, had to be at the beach on such a beautiful day with the Gulf of Mexico right in their backyard.

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Being regulars at the Longboat Key Youth Center, a photographer pulled them aside that day along with his

son to be on the cover of that year’s Key Notes phonebook. 

This year, the iconic photo turns 50, which prompted Meier to reminisce about growing up in paradise. 

“We would ride our bikes and walk the beach to go to school thinking our parents were torturing us,” said Meier. “But now that is so weird for someone to be from Longboat, I think we had it so lucky. We would see this beautiful beach every day when people pay so much just to spend a couple months here.”

Everyone knew everyone

Longboat Key in the 1970s was much different than the island today. Australian pines, covered most of the island and hid the beach. Meier has vivid memories of running into her house when she got off the school bus to avoid the rattlesnakes that inhabited the island.

Gulf of Mexico Drive had a speed limit of 55 mph with no sidewalks, making it hard to cross the road to explore spots on the bay side. Meier recalled staying in her house during hurricane season, emphasizing how hard it was to get six women out of the house in a timely manner.

Everyone on the Key knew the Dolan girls, the six sisters that were at all the parties. The island was a community of close-knit families which meant everyone knew everyone. The Youth Center and the Longboat Key Art Center kept them busy throughout the year so it was hard to spend it elsewhere.

The center hosted the children of Longboat Key and surrounding areas throughout the summer. Meier said there were about 50 children who lived on the island who attended classes at the center when she was there. 

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The children could take dance classes, tennis, sailing lessons, karate and more. Meier became a second-degree black belt from the karate lessons at the center. 

“We were constantly being active through the many things at the Youth Center,” said Meier. “That impacted me a lot actually because I do prioritize health and fitness which is one of my passions in life. I was 13 in the Youth Center with no air conditioning doing 100 knuckle push-ups. I mean, where do you go from there? It just sends an intensity.”

The counselors would take them on trips throughout the year to go roller skating, bowling, the theater, etc. The center provided the perfect opportunity for children from the North and South end to get to know each other and make quality friendships.

Meier said that the atmosphere started to change when the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort put Longboat on the map. Her first job was working at the Colony Resort restaurant.

Back to her roots

Meier’s father sold her childhood home in 1986 when she was 23. After living in Orlando for 12 years, Meier knew that Longboat Key was her true home. She moved back in 2022 and is a Realtor for Premier Sotheby’s International Realty.

“You can take the girl off the island but can’t take the island out of the girl,” said Meier.

In 2014, Meier shared the photo on Facebook and connected with many of her childhood friends who grew up on the island. She hopes to make a reunion with all the Longboat natives in the future to share more about the distinct experiences they had growing up on the island.

Photo by Petra Rivera

Meier and Dolan recently contacted the current owners of the land that they grew up on and recreated the photo. She said it was a surreal experience to meet the people on the lot and get to share the love of the land with them. She hopes to connect with them soon to share common stories of where they live.

Since moving back, Meier has noticed a big difference in the demographics and atmosphere of the island. She was sad to hear about the decrease of children and families on the Key. Meier hopes that more families will move back out on the Key so that they share the priceless memories such as she had growing up on Longboat.

“It wasn’t until later in life that I appreciated what I had,” said Meier. “When I was in Orlando, I got so homesick. The only thing that would calm me down was to close my eyes and envision driving over that Longboat bridge. It makes me sad to think that these memories that I have of Longboat Key, people won’t have them anymore. So, I try my hardest to keep that spirit of community alive.”