| For aging baby boomers, the decision on
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| | other areas of the state, the real estate
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| where to retire is made difficult by so
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| | boom crashed during The Great Depression.
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| many beautiful North American venues.
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| | But, St. Petersburg recovered, with the
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| Historically, many have chosen to buy
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| | help of large Public Works Administration
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| Florida property, particularly in the
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| | projects in the 1930s, bringing $10
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| Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg
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| | million in new investment. St.
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| Florida marketplace because of the warm
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| | Petersburg's City Hall was built with New
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| climate, beautiful beaches, friendly
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| | Deal federal funds in 1939.
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| people, fine health care, no personal
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| | The city experienced phenomenal growth
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| income tax and a variety of other
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| | throughout the 1940s. St. Pete was home
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| reasons.
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| | to the U.S. Coast Guard Station on
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| Yes, the City of St. Petersburg has
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| | Bayboro Harbor as a training base for
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| experienced periods of glory, disrepair
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| | World War II troops. Anti-submarine air
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| and now, revitalization. In 1875, Detroit
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| | patrols were made over the Gulf of Mexico
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| resident General John Williams purchased
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| | during WWII. The War Department later
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| 2,500 acres of land on Tampa Bay. The
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| | selected St. Petersburg as a major
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| General had visions of a grand and
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| | training center for the Army Air Corps.
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| vibrant city with elegant parks and broad
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| | More than 100,000 pilots and trainees
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| streets, which today are the trademark of
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| | occupied every hotel in the city. As a
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| St. Petersburg's cityscape.
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| | result, the population grew fast and
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| Within a dozen years, the Russian
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| | created a housing shortage with families
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| aristocrat Peter Demens brought the
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| | of military men looking for a place to
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| Orange Belt Railway to St. Petersburg.
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| | live. Post war, many of the soldiers
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| The first train arrived on June 8, 1888.
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| | stationed in the Tampa Bay area returned
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| Shortly thereafter Demens named the city
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| | to live with their families or to visit
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| after his birthplace, St. Petersburg,
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| | as tourists until their retirement.
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| Russia.
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| | The 1950s and 60s were notable for the
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| Florida's love affair with baseball soon
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| | wide spread use of air conditioning,
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| brought professional baseball's spring
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| | which resulted in a considerable amount
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| training to St. Petersburg, Florida in
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| | of housing for retirees. Mirroring
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| 1914. Al Lang, the city's former mayor,
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| | national trends, the Central Plaza and
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| convinced Branch Rickey to move his St.
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| | Tyrone Gardens shopping centers attracted
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| Louis Browns to the Sunshine City for
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| | local businesses to relocate from the
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| spring training.
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| | downtown area. The population grew beyond
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| The state's first big growth boom in the
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| | 200,000. As the automobile became the
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| 1920's resulted in an invasion of
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| | prime mode of transport, streetcar tracks
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| tourists arriving by auto, railroad, and
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| | were removed to make way for better
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| yacht. The Gandy Bridge opened in 1924,
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| | roads. The 1960s experienced building of
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| reducing travel time to Tampa by more
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| | the municipal marina, the main library,
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| than half and positioning St. Petersburg
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| | the Bayfront Center and the Museum of
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| to become Pinellas County's largest city.
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| | Fine Arts.
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| The 1920s also brought beautiful
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| | St. Petersburg's quest for a Major League
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| architecture to downtown St. Petersburg
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| | Baseball franchise began in the 1970s. It
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| and adjoining neighborhoods. The city's
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| | was not until 20 years later that the
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| architecture reflected a Mediterranean
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| | arrival of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in
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| Revival motif. Snell Isle, a 275 acre
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| | 1998 saw the team move their permanent
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| subdivision was the result of Perry
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| | home to downtown's Tropicana Field.
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| Snell's love of the Tampa Bay area. Snell
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| | Today, the downtown core is experiencing
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| Isle owes its existence to Snell first
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| | a period revitalization with municipal
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| visiting St. Petersburg on his wedding
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| | projects that include retail shops,
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| trip in 1898. Upon returning the
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| | restaurants, and movie theaters. More
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| following year, his first purchase was
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| | than 900 community events bring millions
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| the waterfront property located at First
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| | of people each year to experience yacht
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| Street and Fourth Avenue North, now known
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| | races, triathlons, baseball, basketball,
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| as North Shore Park.
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| | cycling, cultural exhibits, motor racing
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| St. Petersburg's makeover is evident in
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| | and music. Seven museums in the downtown
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| several Mediterranean Revival buildings
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| | district attract tourists. A state
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| including The Vinoy Hotel, the Princess
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| | university, 10 marine institutes and more
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| Martha, the Snell Arcade, and the Jungle
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| | than two dozen galleries attest to the
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| Country Club Hotel. Others can be seen in
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| | city's commitment to education and health
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| the Spanish castles and homes along
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| | care. Much movement into the historic
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| Coffee Pot Bayou and in the Jungle Prada
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| | neighborhoods continues as residents
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| neighborhood.
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| | invest in their communities with a great
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| St. Petersburg continued to have strong
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| | source of pride.
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| tourist years through the 20s. Like many
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