During the late 1930s, The Interbay peninsula (later a part of Tampa) was so over-run with the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake that a portion of town came to be known as Rattlesnake Florida.
In the area near Gandy Blvd and Westshore, Everett Street to the south, Fair Oaks to the north, Manhattan Avenue to the east and Old Tampa Bay to the west, was almost entirely comprised of pine and palmetto thickets, which was a perfect habitat for the once common Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, the most poisonous snake in the country, that hid out in old gopher holes and could be found as far east as Ballast Point.
Some of the snakes measured 6 1/2' in length and numbered in the thousands.
In 1937, a man from Arcadia Florida named George K End made an industry selling meat from rattlesnakes. He moved to the area on the south side of Gandy Blvd. Just West of Westshore Blvd near Bridge Street. He moved into an old abandoned gas station, the current location of West Shore Club Apartments, and the once Sales Office of New Port Tampa Condominiums and Yacht basin (that went bankrupt was to be built just west of Bridge St.) There he opened a canning plant for rattlesnake meat. His son Daan (Don) is credited with the catchy name "SnakeSnaks", thin slices of smoked and salted snake meat intended as appetizers. he later added a novelty shop and a bar.
Looking South East down Gandy Blvd.
In 1939, George talked the Federal Government into opening a post office at that location and on April 27th of that year, the Rattlesnake Florida Post Office was established.
George hired courageous souls to collect rattlesnakes for a $1 apiece ( good money back then ) from the thickets nearby for his canning business. Soldiers from MacDill Army Air Base came to Georges Bar during the early part of the Second World War.
In 1944, George died of a rattlesnake bite.
One year later, Ginnie sold the building to Earl D Avignon who converted the structure into an Imperial Gas Station and garage with a bar behind it.
Georges widow, Ginnie, married Grover White and built a one-story building housing the Rattlesnake Florida Post Office just west of the original location.
Ginnie remained the post mistress until her death in 1950.
Ginnie sold the canning operation and novelty shop to Georges good friend famed Florida reptile showman Ross Allen.
On June 1, 1954 the Rattlesnake Florida Post Office was renamed the Interbay post office.
That post office was relocated to 3630 Gandy Blvd. just east of Dale Mabry, It is now located at 4520 Oakeller Street.
The (Original) Rattlesnake Florida Post Office now a Imperial Gas Station, Garage and bar was removed in 1955 while constucting the four lanes needed for the second span of the Gandy Bridge.
