# Timeline of St. Petersburg, Florida

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of St. Petersburg in Pinellas County, Florida, United States.

## Late 19th century

* 1875 – John C. Williams purchases land.
* 1884 – The St. Petersburg Times was established.
* 1888
** Peter Demens brings railroad into St. Petersburg.
** The first hotel is built, named the Detroit Hotel.
* 1892
** Town of St. Petersburg incorporated.
** David Moffett becomes first mayor of St. Petersburg.
* 1897 – Electrical service established.
* 1899
** Orange Belt Railway constructs the Railroad Pier.
** Henry W. Hibbs introduces major fishing business.
* 1900 – Population: 1,575

## 20th century

* 1903 – City of St. Petersburg incorporated.
* 1904 – Trolley services enter St. Petersburg by F. A. Davis.
* 1906
** The Electric Pier is built, replacing the Railroad Pier.
** Shipping channel dredging begins.
* 1910 – Population: 4,127
* 1913 – The Municipal Pier is built, replacing the Electric Pier.
* 1914
** St. Louis Browns invited to use St. Petersburg for spring training at Coffee Pot Park.
** The St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line perform the first commercial flight with a Benoist XIV flying boat.
* 1915 – Mirror Lake Library opens.
* 1916 – Al Lang becomes mayor.

## St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line

A Benoist XIV was used for flights.
* First takeoff run, January 1, 1914.
* Airplane over Tampa Bay in 1914
* 1920 – Population: 14,237
* 1921
** St. Petersburg Museum of History is founded.
** 1921 Tampa Bay hurricane.
* 1924
** The United States Coast Guard opens base.
** Gandy Bridge opens.
* 1925 – The Vinoy Park Hotel is built.
* 1926 – Millions Dollar Pier is constructed, replacing the Municipal Pier.
* 1928 – WSUN radio begins broadcasting.
* 1930 – Population: 40,425
* 1940 – Population: 60,812
* 1942 – St. Petersburg used a training facility for the Army Air Force.
* 1947 – Original Al Lang Stadium is built.
* 1950 – Population: 96,738
* 1953 – WSUN-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
* 1954 – The original Sunshine Skyway Bridge opens.
* 1960
** Population: 181,298.
** Howard Frankland Bridge is constructed.
* 1965
** Museum of Fine Arts is established.
** Bayfront Center is constructed.
* 1968 – Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg established.
* 1970 – Population: 216,159.
* 1973 – The St. Petersburg Pier is built.
* 1976 – Al Lang Stadium is rebuilt.
* 1980
** Population: 238,647.
** The south bound span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapses due to the MV Summit Venture striking a pier.
* 1982 – Salvador Dalí Museum is established.
* 1987 – The new Sunshine Skyway Bridge is constructed.
* 1990
** Population: 238,629.
** Tropicana Field is constructed.
** One Progress Plaza is constructed.
* 1992 – Florida Holocaust Museum is established.
* 1993
** Original Sunshine Skyway Bridge is demolished.
** Mazzaro Italian Market opened
* 1998 – Tampa Bay Rays established as Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
* 2000 – Population: 248,232

## 21st century

* 2001 – Rick Baker becomes mayor.
* 2003
** Wikimedia Foundation established.
** First ever St. Pete Pride celebration and declaration of June being Pride month
* 2004 – Bayfront Center is demolished.
* 2009 – Signature Place is constructed.
* 2010
** Population: 244,769
** Bill Foster becomes mayor.
* 2011 – Salvador Dalí Museum is established in current building.
* 2014 – Rick Kriseman becomes mayor.
* 2015
** The St. Petersburg Pier is demolished.
** The History Council of St. Petersburg is formed.
* 2017 – Rick Kriseman is re-elected as mayor.
* 2020 – St. Pete Pier opens.