Building the Sunshine City
First inhabited by native Florida Indians, claimed by Spanish explorers, and settled by pioneer farmers and fishermen, for centuries dreamers and schemers have made their way to St. Petersburg.
The arrival of the Orange Belt Railway in 1888 opened the quaint fishing village to unprecedented growth. Many savvy real estate investors found riches turning liquid into land, while nearly all were able to sell our northern visitors on owning a piece of the Florida Dream. The initial boom of the 1920s followed by post-World War II urbanization have made St. Petersburg and Pinellas County the most densely populated and intensely developed area in Florida.
Building the Sunshine City was a pictorial exhibit which highlights our dramatic growth from swampy pine forests to a vibrant arts and culture tourist destination. We hope you enjoy exploring these selected images and artifacts from our Archives and Collections.