Taking A Look At The History Of St Pete Beach
The city of St Pete Beach was established when the towns of Don CeSar, Pass-a-Grille, Bella Vista and St. Petersburg were incorporated in 1957. Initially, the area was known as St. Petersburg Beach. However, residents decided to shorten the name to St. Pete Beach in 1994 as result of a popular vote. This was aimed at preventing confusion with the City of St. Petersburg that is situated on the mainland.
St. Pete Beach was co-founded by Peter Demens and a former Detroit resident, John C. Williams. Demens is credited for contributing to the introduction of a railroad terminus in 1888 after bringing the Orange Belt Railway to the area. On the other hand, Williams co-founded the area after purchasing land in 1876. Since then, the population continued to grow. The community thrived economically and socially. Local attractions, beautiful weather, and great entertainment contributed to the progress.
Demens coined the name St. Petersburg in honor of the famous Russian city of Saint Petersburg where he grew up. Meanwhile, Williams named St. Pete Beach’s first hotel after his birthplace, Detroit. The hotel is still operational in the downtown area. The co-founder reportedly envisioned a bustling metropolis with broad streets and great parks. His vision has since become one of the city’s defining characteristics.
The 1920s
The 1920s were boom years, and they helped change the landscape through magnificent architecture. The changes resembled a Mediterranean Revival motif thanks in part to the Perry Snell. He created the Snell Isle, a 275-acre subdivision. The boom also attracted multitudes of tourists who came to the city by yacht, railroad and car. The opening of the Gandy Bridge helped cut travel time to the metropolis by over half.
The city’s revival was defined by the designs of some buildings like the Snell Arcade, the Jungle Country Club Hotel, The Vinoy Hotel and Princess Martha. The same applies to homes along Coffee Pot Bayou and Spanish Castles.
The 1950 and beyond
In the 1950s, commercial activity was being drawn to the Tyrone Gardens Shopping Center. Many businesses moved from the downtown area. On another level, the municipality removed street car tracks to accommodate a growing vehicle population. Meanwhile, the local communities grew to a peak of above 200,000 inhabitants.
Some of the notable developments that changed the city include the main library, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Marina and the Bayfront Center. Around the 70s, the metropolis invested in the largest reclaimed water system in America. The system was designed to recycle water for essential uses like irrigation. The initiative continues to set the area apart from the region when it comes to water conservation.
The era also witnessed the instigation of a primary campaign for a Major League Baseball franchise. The efforts bore fruit almost two decades later when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays made St. Petersburg their permanent home. The team used Tropicana Field located in the downtown area as its official home. The 70s also saw the building of a multi-purpose domed stadium as the city raised its profile.