Generator

[Oldman]

It's been a few years since I went out to the beaches. (To much traffic.) If remember correctly the T was added after the damage. The pier is not as long as it use to be.

Have you seen the ST. Petersburg pier? It has an interesting history. I fished off of it as a boy. It was called then the Million Dollar Pier. 

After the hurricane of 1921 wiped out most of the St. Petersburg waterfront, the city decided they needed a storm-proof pier. The city passed a $1-million bond issue and in 1925 work began on the "Million Dollar" Pier. Official dedication was on Thanksgiving Day, 1926 and 300 couples danced at the mayor's dedication ball. At the head of the 1400 foot concrete pier was a large two-story Mediterranean Revival Casino building. Street cars ran the length of the pier and entered the central atrium of the casino. The new pier immediately became the city's number one attraction and tourist destination.

.........Then in 1967 city council decided that the pier had deteriorated too far for repairs to be practical and the casino was demolished.

On January 15, 1973 the new pier was added.

Today fishing off of the pier is very limited to the front on what looks like a deck below the main level.

Of the two piers I liked the Million Dollar Pier the best. Perhaps because in those days it was a people's pier.  Today it is more a business.

Olds

[manxman]

No, never made it into St Pete's. The pier, amongst other things, was one of the things we had targeted on one our visits but I seem to remember there were some riots or civil unrest a few years ago when we holidaying in Clearwater so we stayed clear. (1996?)

Ended up exploring more south to Sarasota and beyond that year.

Later visits were made with young children so we tended to avoid exploring the cities and did things like aquariums and beaches when not in Orlando.

Been into Tampa several times including the aquarium. Thought parts of the promenade/waterfront were particularly nice.

Thanks for the pictures, got a soft spot for that part of the world. Had a few great holidays in the area.