Timeline of St. Petersburg, Florida

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

• 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 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.