Headlines through the years

By CHRISTINE GRAEF

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 29, 2001

A look back at the events, people and places that made North Pinellas the unique place that it is. The information is compiled from past editions of the St. Petersburg Times.

Pinellas leads state in fishing industry

(Jan. 1, 1937) Because of revenue derived from the sponge industry in Tarpon Springs, the largest in the world, Pinellas County has the distinction of being the largest fishing center in Florida.

Last year, Pinellas County fishermen took 3,651,000 pounds of fish valued at $813,399. The industry employs 874 regular fishermen and 162 casual fishermen.

Winter visitors who enjoy fishing find the gulf and bay waters provide many game fish that may be hooked by trolling, casting and still fishing.

The traveler arriving with a jaded taste for foods will find a quick pickup in the dozens of varieties of fresh, delicious seafood on sale the year 'round.

Barge is christened for Epiphany rites

(Jan. 1, 1961) TARPON SPRINGS -- A simple christening ceremony was held at Stamas Boat Works last week of a platform barge for the Greek community.

The barge was christened St. Nicholas by 31/2-year-old Charles N. Stamas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Stamas, with some assistance from his father.

The barge was built to be used in the Epiphany celebration of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Jan. 6. The Greek community has never owned a barge and each year it was necessary to rent or borrow one for the annual celebration.

Each year the Greek church here celebrates Epiphany or the Baptism of Christ, with church services and later cross diving ceremonies at Spring Bayou. At the latter, a golden cross is thrown into the water of the bayou and young boys of the church dive to retrieve it to receive special blessings of the church.

A number of years ago it was customary for the chief celebrant of the Epiphany celebration to conduct the services and throw the cross into the water of Spring Bayou from the city dock. In order that the crowds that attend the ceremonies might have a better view of the proceedings, for the past several years a barge has been used for this purpose.

The barge was constructed at no cost to the Greek community by volunteer workers using donated materials. It is 16-by-34-feet and will hold 60 persons. It was under construction 21/2 months with workers working mostly weekends.

Revived Largo swings into action

(Jan. 1, 1961) LARGO -- This town, Rip Van Winkle of the Suncoast, awoke this year.

Nearly destroyed by bankruptcy during the Depression, Largo has become one of the most active of west coast towns with a facelifting town improvement project larger than any in neighboring towns.

Like any large municipal program, the $2,325,000 town improvement program is controversial. But everyone agrees that the city needs the new library, police station, fire house, and expanded water and sewer system the project will provide.

Also included in the program are plans for a new town hall to replace the present 50-year-old building, which houses Town Hall and the library. A recreation building will also be constructed to house the newly developed recreation program.

The improvement project will fulfill a long-recognized need for a modern sanitary sewer system to replace the old and decaying system presently in use.

George McCall, associate sanitarian of the Pinellas County Health Department, pointed out that the present system, a combination of privately owned septic tanks and a 30-year-old network of concrete pipes, is a hazard to the town.

Largo's most modern building, the new post office, is an architectural preview of the buildings to be constructed under the town's improvement program. The post office, dedicated in October, was begun in January.

One big disappointment during the year was the failure to capture the location for the proposed expansion branch of St. Petersburg Junior College. Despite the work of the Chamber of Commerce, the Largo offer of a 30-acre tract on East Bay Drive was rejected in favor of a Clearwater site.

The town also saw one political change effective in the election scheduled for June 6, 1961. According to state law the position of mayor will be elective. Formerly the post was filled by a commissioner, chosen by the commissioners.

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