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