Yesteryear I Lived in Paradise is a rare and beautiful first-person historical account written by the only child ever born at Caladesi Island:
Myrtle Scharrer Betz, 1895-1992. Her Swiss immigrant father, Henry Scharrer homesteaded 156 acres of what is now Caladesi Island State Park off the Gulf Coast of Pinellas County, Florida in 1888.
Myrtle's stories, told with honesty and humility, provide insight into pioneer living as it transitioned into the Progressive and then the Depression eras.
As you are captivated by the stories, you will be inspired by Myrtle's observations, her father's wisdom, and a family's caring respect for their island home and the sea surrounding it.
Historic photos, illustrations, a checklist of "Birds Seen On or Around Caladesi Island 1918-1935," and a "Timeline" addendum, complement and clarify the
history, extending to the years before and after the narrative itself.