Introduction
The region which would eventually become Pinellas County was discovered by Spanish explorer, Panfilo de Narvaez, in 1528, who came to the Americas in a quest for gold and silver. Narvaez- and his 400 soldiers- were met instead by the Tocobagan Indians, an agricultural tribe of Native Americans. The Spanish troops pillaged their villages, desecrated their burial grounds and burned their huts. It would be at least another 300 years before other settlers would come to the region seeking their fortune.
In the 1830s, Odet Philippe established the St. Helena plantation, in what is now Safety Harbor. It is generally believed that he was responsible for planting the first citrus tree in Florida, and is thus credited with starting the state’s citrus industry.
The city of St. Petersburg was founded in 1876 by John C. Williams. Williams had purchased the land that year along with Peter Demens, who played a key role in bringing the railway to the area. St. Petersburg was incorporated on February 29, 1892 and named after St. Petersburg, Russia, the city in which Demens was born. Local legend claims that Williams and Demens flipped a coin to determine whose birthplace should be the new city’s namesake. The Detroit Hotel, which still stands in the downtown St. Petersburg, was named for the city of Williams’ birth.
In 1888, the first train arrived at the St. Petersburg station, carrying empty freight cars and one passenger. The early twentieth century brought with it changes for the St. Petersburg area. Baseball arrived in the city in 1914, when then mayor, Al Lang, successfully lobbied to have the St. Louis Browns moved from their home city to St. Petersburg for their spring training. That same year witnessed the birth of commercial aviation, when Tony Janus flew his Benoist airplane from Tampa to St. Petersburg. He made the flight in twenty-three minutes, flying just 50 feet above the water.
The development of the railroad and a nationwide network of roads during the twenties created a boom in the tourism and real estate markets in the Florida. Northerners, anxious to escape the cold, winter weather flocked to the state to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the warm, balmy breezes. The Gandy Bridge opened in 1924, making St. Petersburg even more accessible for visitors and potential residents. Unfortunately, during the Depression, the local economy suffered, but would eventually regroup itself during WWII, when the city was home to U.S. troops stationed in the city. The U.S. Army Air Corps chose St. Petersburg as its technical training center, bringing in over 1000 troops to the region.
When air conditioning was invented in the 1950s, Florida experienced an unparalleled population boom. Housing tracts and condominiums blossomed in the county, making St. Petersburg one of the most popular places to live along the gulf coast of Florida.
In the following decades, new development included a main library, municipal arena, a Museum of Fine Arts, and a Bayfront Center. The city finally had its own major league franchise, when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays moved to Tropicana Park in 1998. The downtown area has been revitalised, and includes retail shops, yachting marinas, and restaurants.
Since its incorporation, the city of St. Petersburg has developed into one of Florida’s most desirable places to live, and it is no wonder that cultural icons such as Jack Kerouac, “Hulk” Hogan, and Angela Bassett have been proud to call it home.
Fast Facts
- Population: 248, 232
- Area in Square Miles: 59.25
- Total Housing Units: 109, 663
- Median Family Income: $30,011
- Average Temperatures: July 90F/77F; January 69F/54F
- Average Precipitation: July 6.72 inches/ 2.76 January inches
- Based on 2000 Census
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