St. Petersburg (almost always referred to by locals as St. Pete) is a city in Pinellas County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 248,232. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 249,090 , making it the fourth largest city in the state of Florida. St. Petersburg is the second largest city in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area, which is composed of roughly 2.6 million residents, making it the second largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in the state behind Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, and the third largest in the southeast.
The city is located on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. It is connected to the mainland to the north, connected with the city of Tampa, Florida to the east by causeways and bridges across Tampa Bay, and to Bradenton, Florida in the south by the Sunshine Skyway Bridge ( Interstate 275), which transverses the mouth of the bay. It is also served by Interstates 175 and 375.
With a purported average of some 360 days of sunshine each year, it is nicknamed "The Sunshine City." For that reason, the city is a popular tourist and retirement destination, especially for those in the United States from colder Northern climates.
St. Petersburg is located at 27°46'56" North, 82°40'3" West (27.782254, -82.667619).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 344.7 km2 (133.1 mi2). 154.4 km2 (59.6 mi2) of it is land and 190.2 km2 (73.4 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 55.19% water.
As of the census of 2000, there are 248,232 people, 109,663 households, and 61,630 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,607.3/km2 (4,163.1/mi2). There are 124,618 housing units at an average density of 806.9/km2 (2,090.0/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 71.36% White, 22.36% African American, 0.31% Native American, 2.67% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.07% from other races, and 2.17% from two or more races. 4.23% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 109,663 households out of which 24.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% are married couples living together, 13.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 43.8% are non-families. 35.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.20 and the average family size is 2.88.
In the city the population is spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $34,597, and the median income for a family is $43,198. Males have a median income of $30,794 versus $25,860 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,107. 13.3% of the population and 9.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.1% of those under the age of 18 and 10.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The city was founded by John C. Williams, formerly of Detroit, Michigan, who purchased the land in 1876 and, with the help of Peter Demens, was instrumental in bringing the terminus of a railroad there in 1888. St. Petersburg was incorporated on February 29, 1892, when it had a population of only some 300 people.
It was named after Saint Petersburg, Russia, the birthplace of Peter Demens. A local legend says that John C. Williams and Peter Demens flipped a coin to see who would have the honor of naming the city. Peter Demens won and named the city after his birthplace, while John C. Williams named the first hotel after his birthplace, Detroit. The Detroit Hotel still exists downtown.
Dredging of a deeper shipping channel from 1906 to 1908 opened St. Petersburg to larger shipping. Further dredging improved the port facilities through the 1910s. By then the city's population had quadrupled to 4,127.
In 1914, airplane service across Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg to Tampa and back was initiated, generally considered the first commercial airline. The company name was the "Airboat Line" and the pilot was Tony Jannus. Air service was discontinued in 1924 with the opening of Gandy Bridge, the first across Tampa Bay, which allowed automobile traffic between the two cities. The Tony Janus award is presented annually for prestigious work in the airline industry.
The city population continued to multiply during the twentieth century through the 1970s as the town became a popular retirement destination for Americans from midwestern cities, reaching 238,647 in the 1980 census. By the 1980s, however, the population had levelled off, and has grown by only 10,000 since then.
Source:
SaintPetersburgFlorida.com
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