During the mid-1920's St Petersburg shared in the general Florida land and real estate boom of the period. Florida vacations became the...
During the mid-1920's St Petersburg shared in the general Florida land and real estate boom of the period. Florida vacations became the aspiration of cold northerners. It was during this period that such local landmarks as the Vinoy Park Hotel (now the beautifully restored Renaissance Vinoy) downtown and the luxury resort Don Ce Sar hotel in St. Pete Beach were built. It was also during this period that C. Perry Snell, a lover of art and beauty, developed Snell Isle. St. Petersburg was no longer a "cracker" town and began to have established elegance especially in its Northeast area. St. Petersburg would suffer greatly economically during the Great Depression, but federal moneys in the late 1930's including the establishment of the Bay Pines VA Hospital (now renamed for the late Congressman Bill Young) helped propped up the local economy..
With the general prosperity after World War II and the common usage of residential air conditioners, Pinellas County became a more desirable retirement destination for year around living. It had an especially huge population growth during the 1950's and 1960's. The influx of retirees was especially great , especially (in those days) well paid retired manufacturing workers from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, etc. with union based pensions in hand. By the mid1980's Pinellas County was largely build out. Fortunately, the County governing officials had enough foresight to set aside considerable green space for parks, hiking/biking trails etc. Nonetheless, because Pinellas County occupies a relatively small coastal strip, it became and remains the most densely populated county in Florida on a per square mile basis.
With the general prosperity after World War II and the common usage of residential air conditioners, Pinellas County became a more desirable retirement destination for year around living. It had an especially huge population growth during the 1950's and 1960's. The influx of retirees was especially great , especially (in those days) well paid retired manufacturing workers from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, etc. with union based pensions in hand. By the mid1980's Pinellas County was largely build out. Fortunately, the County governing officials had enough foresight to set aside considerable green space for parks, hiking/biking trails etc. Nonetheless, because Pinellas County occupies a relatively small coastal strip, it became and remains the most densely populated county in Florida on a per square mile basis.
