National Register of Historic Places listings in Pinellas County, Florida facts for kids
Welcome to Pinellas County, Florida! This sunny area is home to many amazing places that are super important to American history. These special spots are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The National Register is like a special list of buildings, sites, and areas across the United States. These places are chosen because they tell important stories about our past. They might be old homes, famous buildings, or even ancient Native American sites. When a place is on this list, it means it's worth protecting and preserving for future generations.
In Pinellas County, there are 75 different places on this list. One of them is even more special: it's a National Historic Landmark. This means it's super important to the history of the entire country! A few other places were once on the list but have since been removed.
What is the National Register of Historic Places?
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of places in the United States that are important for their history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture. It's managed by the National Park Service. Being on the Register helps protect these places and often makes them eligible for special grants or tax breaks.
When a place is added to the Register, it means it has a unique story to tell. It could be where something big happened, or it might be a great example of a certain building style. It could also be a place connected to important people or events.
Why are these places important?
These historic places help us understand where we came from. They show us how people lived, worked, and built things in the past. By protecting them, we keep history alive. It's like having real-life history books that you can visit and explore!
Cool Historic Places in Pinellas County
Pinellas County has many interesting places on the National Register. Let's look at a few examples that show the county's rich history.
Historic Buildings and Homes
Many old buildings in Pinellas County have been saved because of their unique stories or beautiful designs.
Alexander Hotel
The Alexander Hotel in St. Petersburg was added to the Register in 1984. It's a cool old building that shows the style of architecture from its time.
Belleview-Biltmore Hotel
The Belleview-Biltmore Hotel in Clearwater was once a grand hotel. It was built a long time ago and was known for its fancy style. It became part of the Register in 1979.
Don CeSar Hotel
The Don CeSar Hotel, often called the "Pink Palace," is a famous landmark in St. Pete Beach. This beautiful hotel was built in the 1920s and has a very unique look. It was added to the Register in 1975.
Vinoy Park Hotel
Another grand hotel in St. Petersburg is the Vinoy Park Hotel. It's a stunning building right on the waterfront. It was added to the Register in 1978 and is still a very popular place today.
Old Pinellas County Courthouse
The Old Pinellas County Courthouse in Clearwater is an important building. It served as the center of local government for many years. It was listed in 1992.
St. Petersburg High School
The building now part of St. Petersburg High School was originally called Central High School. It's an important part of the city's educational history. It was added to the Register in 1984.
Historic Districts
Sometimes, a whole area or neighborhood is considered historic. These are called "historic districts." They have many old buildings that together tell a story.
Downtown St. Petersburg Historic District
The Downtown St. Petersburg Historic District includes many old buildings in the heart of St. Petersburg. This area shows how the city grew over time. It was listed in 2004.
Tarpon Springs Greektown Historic District
The Tarpon Springs Greektown Historic District in Tarpon Springs is a vibrant area. It's famous for its Greek heritage and sponge diving industry. This district was added to the Register in 2014.
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Pass-a-Grille Historic District
The Pass-a-Grille Historic District in St. Pete Beach is a charming old beach town area. It has a relaxed, historic feel. This district was listed in 1989.
Archaeological Sites
Some places on the Register are not buildings but ancient sites. These often tell us about the people who lived in Florida long, long ago.
Safety Harbor Site
The Safety Harbor Site in Safety Harbor is a very important archaeological site. It's so special that it's a National Historic Landmark! This site helps us learn about early Native American cultures in Florida. It was listed in 1966.
Weedon Island Preserve
The Weedon Island Preserve in St. Petersburg is another significant archaeological site. It provides clues about ancient communities that lived along the coast. It was added to the Register in 1972.
Other Unique Historic Places
Pinellas County also has some very unique historic listings.
Anclote Key Lighthouse
The Anclote Key Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located on Anclote Key Island. Lighthouses are important for guiding ships and often have interesting histories. This one was listed in 1999.
Fort De Soto Park
Fort De Soto Park includes historic batteries, which are old military structures. These batteries were built to protect the coast. They are located on Mullet Key and were added to the Register in 1977.
Sponge Diving Boats
Several old sponge diving boats from Tarpon Springs are on the Register. These boats, like the Duchess, George N. Cretekos, N. K. Symi, St. Nicholas III, and St. Nicholas VI, tell the story of Tarpon Springs' famous sponge industry. They were all listed in 1990.
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Former Listings
Sometimes, a place is removed from the National Register. This can happen if the building is destroyed or changed so much that it loses its historic importance.
Louis Ducros House
The Louis Ducros House in Clearwater was once on the list. It was added in 1979 but later removed in 2009. This happened after the house was moved from its original spot.
Tarpon Springs Sponge Exchange
The Tarpon Springs Sponge Exchange was a very important place for the sponge industry in Tarpon Springs. It was listed in 1972 but removed in 1984.
Images for kids
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The Alexander Hotel in St. Petersburg.
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The Anclote Key Lighthouse.
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Andrews Memorial Chapel in Dunedin.
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The Arcade Hotel in Tarpon Springs.
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The N. G. Arfaras Sponge Packing House.
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The Bay Pines Site.
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The Bay Pines Veterans Administration Home and Hospital Historic District.
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The Belleview-Biltmore Hotel.
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The Willis S. Blatchley House in Dunedin.
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The Boone House in St. Petersburg.
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Casa Coe da Sol in St. Petersburg.
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Casa De Muchas Flores in St. Petersburg.
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St. Petersburg High School.
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The Cleveland Street Post Office in Clearwater.
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The Dennis Hotel in St. Petersburg.
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The Domestic Science and Manual Training School.
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The Don Ce Sar Hotel.
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The J. O. Douglas House in Dunedin.
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A building in the Downtown St. Petersburg Historic District.
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The Duchess sponge hooking boat.
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The First Methodist Church of St. Petersburg.
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Fort Desoto Batteries.
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The George N. Cretekos sponge diving boat.
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The Green-Richman Arcade in St. Petersburg.
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The Gulfport Casino.
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A home in the Harbor Oaks Residential District.
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The James Henry House in St. Petersburg.
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Ingleside in Safety Harbor.
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The Louis Johnson Building in Largo.
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The Jungle Prada Site.
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A home in the Kenwood Historic District.
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The S. H. Kress and Company Building.
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The John & Florence McKeage House.
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The E. R. Meres Sponge Packing House.
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Mount Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church.
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The N. K. Symi sponge diving boat.
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A building in the North Shore Historic District.
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The Old Belleair Town Hall.
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The Old Pinellas County Courthouse.
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The Old Tarpon Springs City Hall.
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The Old Tarpon Springs High School.
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A boat landing in the Pass-a-Grille Historic District.
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The site of the former Potter House.
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The Donald Roebling Estate.
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A home in the Roser Park Historic District.
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The Maurice and Thelma Rothman House.
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A home in the Round Lake Historic District.
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The Safety Harbor Site.
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The Safford House in Tarpon Springs.
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The St. Nicholas III sponge diving boat.
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The St. Nicholas VI sponge diving boat.
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The St. Petersburg Lawn Bowling Club.
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The St. Petersburg Public Library (Mirror Lake Library).
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The St. Petersburg Woman's Club.
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The Sanitary Public Market (Sunken Gardens).
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The Snell Arcade in St. Petersburg.
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The South Ward School in Clearwater.
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The Studebaker Building in St. Petersburg.
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The Sunset Hotel in St. Petersburg.
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A building in the Tarpon Springs Greektown Historic District.
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A street in the Tarpon Springs Historic District.
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The U.S. Post Office in St. Petersburg.
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The Veillard House in St. Petersburg.
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The Vinoy Park Hotel.
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Weedon Island Preserve.
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The John C. Williams House in St. Petersburg.
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The former Louis Ducros House.
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