Historically St. Pete

Filter by Category

Clear
Photo of a black woman smiling with a wide brimmed hat
CoolHistory

Built by Freedom

On August 15, 1887, Eatonville was incorporated as an all-Black municipality, making it the first all-Black incorporated town in Florida and…

Read more
Old photo of a woman signing a guest book at a counter with a male clerk assisting
CoolHistory

A Warm Welcome

In the early 1900s, one of the first stops for many visitors was the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce. There, guests…

Read more
Black and white drawing from a 1949 newspaper of Mr Sun, a round sunshine head on a man's body - text reads
CoolHistory

Meet Mr. Sun

When photographer Jack Swenningsen arrived in St. Petersburg in 1948, he quickly discovered that promoting the Sunshine City required more than…

Read more
1920s black-and-white photo of women in bathing suits line up as small waves lap at their ankles
CoolHistory

Lodwick’s Legacy

When publicity expert John Lodwick arrived in St. Petersburg in 1918, he believed attracting visitors required more than traditional advertising. It…

Read more