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Saint Petersburg, Florida From the sparkling blue waters of a modern downtown waterfront to sunsets on the Gulf beaches only a 10-minute ride from downtown, Saint Petersburg offers residents and visitors an exciting variety of things to do and places to go. We have a growing economy, a Major League Baseball team, and year-round sunshine. There are more than 100 lush green parks, boating, fishing, and sailing venues. These modern entertainment facilities make Saint Petersburg an excellent place to live, work and play. Saint Petersburg was explored by the Spanish adventurer, Juan Ponce de Leon. De Leon arrived here in 1521 while searching for the fountain of youth. He was followed by explorers Pantilo de Narvaez in 1528 and Hernando de Soto in 1539. The city was later explored by pioneers in the 1800s including General John Williams. General Williams bought 1700 acres here in 1875. Hamilton Disston also sparked Saint Pete's first great real estate promotion when he bought four million acres of land from the State in 1881. Disston also built the first hotel and stores in the area. Saint Petersburg was promoted by pioneer and railroad magnate Peter Demens who began successful efforts to bring a railroad system here in 1888. The town was called Saint Petersburg after Demens' own birthplace, Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Orange Belt Railroad brought tourist excursions to the new town, beginning in 1890 when the population was only 273 residents. One of the city's first industries was shipping huge quantities of mackerel and snapper to cities along the eastern seaboard using the Orange Belt railroad. By the 1890s, nearly three million pounds of fish were shipped annually, helping to build the new town's economy. On January 1, 1914, young aviator Tony Jannus made history when he flew the world's first scheduled passenger service airline flight from Saint Petersburg's downtown yacht basin to Tampa. Saint Petersburg is a great place, no matter what your interests!