Timeline of St facts for kids

St. Petersburg, Florida, is a sunny city on the coast. This timeline will take you on a journey through its history, showing how it grew from a small piece of land into the vibrant city it is today. You'll discover key moments, important people, and amazing changes that shaped St. Petersburg over the years.

Quick facts for kids History of Florida
The seal of Florida reflects the state's Native American ancestry
Historical Periods
Pre-history	until 1497
Spanish Rule	1513–1763
British Rule	1763–1783
Spanish Rule	1783–1821
U.S. Territorial Period	1822–1845
Statehood	1845–present
Major Events
American Revolutionary War	1775–1783
War of 1812	1811–1814
First Seminole War	1817–1818
Capitol moved to Tallahassee	1824
Second Seminole War	1835–1842
Constitutional convention	1838
Third Seminole War	1855–1858
Ordinance of Secession	1861
Civil War	1861–1865
3rd Constitution	1865
Reconstruction	1865–1868
4th Constitution	1868
5th Constitution	1885
Great Migration	1910–1930
Land Boom	1925–1929
6th Constitution	1968
Gore v. Harris 2000 Presidential Election	2000
Timeline
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Early Days of St. Petersburg

How St. Petersburg Began

• 1875 – A man named John C. Williams bought a large area of land. This was the very beginning of what would become St. Petersburg.
• 1884 – The city's newspaper, the St. Petersburg Times, started. It's still around today!
• 1888
  • Peter Demens brought the first railroad to St. Petersburg. This made it much easier for people to visit and live here.
  • The first hotel, called the Detroit Hotel, opened its doors.
• 1892
  • St. Petersburg officially became a town.
  • David Moffett was chosen as the first mayor of St. Petersburg.
• 1897 – Electricity came to St. Petersburg, making life brighter and easier.
• 1899
  • The Orange Belt Railway built the first pier for trains, called the Railroad Pier.
  • Henry W. Hibbs helped fishing become a big and important business in the city.

Growing into a City: The 1900s

New Century, New Growth

• 1900 – The population of St. Petersburg was 1,575 people.
• 1903 – St. Petersburg officially became a city.
• 1904 – Trolley services, like old streetcars, started running in St. Petersburg, making it easier to get around.
• 1906
  • A new pier, the Electric Pier, was built. It replaced the old Railroad Pier.
  • Work began to make the shipping channel deeper, so bigger boats could come to the city.
• 1910 – The population grew to 4,127 people.
• 1913 – The Municipal Pier was built, replacing the Electric Pier.
• 1914
  • The St. Louis Browns baseball team came to St. Petersburg for spring training at Coffee Pot Park.
  • The St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line made history with the first commercial flight using a Benoist XIV flying boat. This was a huge step for air travel!
• 1915 – The Mirror Lake Library opened, giving people a place to read and learn.
• 1916 – Al Lang became the mayor of St. Petersburg.
• 1920 – The population reached 14,237 people.
• 1921
  • The St. Petersburg Museum of History was founded, helping to preserve the city's past.
  • A big hurricane hit Tampa Bay.
• 1924
  • The United States Coast Guard opened a base in the city.
  • The Gandy Bridge opened, connecting St. Petersburg to Tampa.
• 1925 – The beautiful Vinoy Park Hotel was built.
• 1926 – The Millions Dollar Pier was built, replacing the Municipal Pier.
• 1930 – The population grew to 40,425 people.
• 1940 – The population reached 60,812 people.
• 1942 – During World War II, St. Petersburg was used as a training facility for the Army Air Force.
• 1947 – The original Al Lang Stadium was built for baseball.
• 1950 – The population reached 96,738 people.
• 1954 – The first Sunshine Skyway Bridge opened, connecting St. Petersburg to Manatee County.
• 1960
  • The population grew to 181,298 people.
  • The Howard Frankland Bridge was built, adding another connection across Tampa Bay.
• 1965
  • The Museum of Fine Arts was established.
  • The Bayfront Center was built, a large venue for events.
• 1970 – The population reached 216,159 people.
• 1973 – The St. Petersburg Pier was built.
• 1976 – Al Lang Stadium was rebuilt.
• 1980
  • The population reached 238,647 people.
  • A ship hit a part of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, causing a section of the southbound span to collapse.
• 1982 – The Salvador Dalí Museum was established, showcasing amazing art.
• 1987 – A new, safer Sunshine Skyway Bridge was built.
• 1990
  • The population was 238,629 people.
  • Tropicana Field was built, which would become home to a major league baseball team.
  • One Progress Plaza was constructed.
• 1992 – The Florida Holocaust Museum was established.
• 1993 – The original Sunshine Skyway Bridge was taken down.
• 1998 – The Tampa Bay Rays baseball team was established as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

St. Petersburg in the 21st Century

Modern Times and New Changes

• 2000 – The population reached 248,232 people.
• 2001 – Rick Baker became mayor of St. Petersburg.
• 2003 – The Wikimedia Foundation, which runs Wikipedia, was established.
• 2004 – The Bayfront Center was taken down.
• 2009 – Signature Place, a tall building, was constructed.
• 2010
  • The population was 244,769 people.
  • Bill Foster became mayor.
• 2011 – The Salvador Dalí Museum moved into its current, amazing building.
• 2014 – Rick Kriseman became mayor.
• 2015 – The St. Petersburg Pier was taken down to make way for a new one.