| Historical Publications |
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| Historical Videos |
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“Pinellas by the Decades”– Pt. 4 |
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1932-1941: “Tough Times, but Citrus is at Its Prime”
The land boom stalled and stopped in Florida; the Great Depression had strangled the nation at the end of the 1920s. Local relief, recovery, and reform efforts did take place, along with a war declared on mosquitoes and plans for an international war also declared by the end of the 1930s. As developers reshaped the beach communities, agricultural development flourished in the largely rural areas north of St. Petersburg.
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“Pinellas by the Decades” – Pt. 3 |
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1922 – 1931: "The Land Boom and Distant Clouds on the Horizon"
Although much of the real estate boom took place in St. Petersburg, ripples of economic activity covered the entire county. Frenzied speculation brought many investors and seasonal residents to the area, and the opening of the Gandy Bridge connected lower Pinellas with industrial activities across Tampa Bay. The boom began to wither by 1926, with its demise hastened by hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 that devastated portions of Florida and served as knock-out punches long before the rest of America entered the global depression in October 1929.
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“Pinellas by the Decades” – Pt. 2 |
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In this second lecture of the “Pinellas by the Decades: A Centennial Celebration” series, historian James Schnur discusses the period between 1912 and 1921 in the presentation entitled, “Independence, New Challenges, and New Opportunities.”
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“Pinellas by the Decades” – Pt. 1 |
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First of the "Pinellas by the Decades: A Centennial Celebration" series of historical lectures. This lecture, "1842-1911...From Punta Pinal to Peerless Pinellas," examines this period of early settlement along the Pinellas Peninsula - including early communities, notable pioneer families, and the stirrings for separation from Hillsborough County.
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Growing Up in Rural Pinellas County |
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Pinellas native, Mr. Willie Tellis, describes what Pinellas County was like when growing citrus and cattle ranching were the mainstays of a family’s livelihood.
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Caladesi Memories |
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An illustrated presentation about pioneer life on Caladesi Island by Ms. Terry Fortner - a descendant of Henry Scharrer, who homesteaded Caladesi Island in the late 1800’s.
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The White Queen Goes To War: The Belleview Biltmore during World War II |
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Almost every hotel in Pinellas County was used as training barracks for U.S. servicemen headed for the war in Europe and the Pacific. This presentation discusses the impact the military’s presence had on Clearwater and the surrounding area.
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Pinellas Pioneers |
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The buildings at Heritage Village chronicle the history of Pinellas County. Now, get a look inside these structures, and hear their stories from the people who actually lived and worked in them…on Pinellas Pioneers.
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Heritage Village Tour |
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Step into yesteryear as this visual tour - set to music – takes you among our many restored historical structures in a tranquil pine and palmetto woodlands and sample the live events that bring our pioneer past to life.
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Heritage
Village |
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This is a fifteen minute video that gives you a tour of Pinellas County’s living history museum. Host Hank Shaw gives us a primer on what one can explore on a trip to the village.
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Life of a Sponger |
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The show is part of Heritage Village's Speaking of History lecture series. This one-hour program captures a recent presentation by Mr. Philip G. Fatolitis, one of Tarpon Springs’ few remaining original hard-hat sponge divers. Fatolitis talks about what life was like as a diver during the days when Tarpon was known as the “Sponge Capital of the World.” |
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Ancient Pinellas |
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Learn about the Pleistocene Epoch fossils found in Pinellas County and the ancient Native American presence here, local sites you can visit, and ongoing archaeological efforts - in which you can participate - to learn more about Pinellas County’s past.
Weedon Island Preserve website |
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