The Florida Heritage Project

"          One of the most colorful resort communities in Florida's Beach area, St. Petersburg is located in the Pinellas County peninsula on Florida's west coast, bordered on the east by Tampa Bay, and on the west by the sparkling Gulf of Mexico's aquamarine waters. Pinellas, "punta pinal" or "point of pines," was the name given the area by the Spanish explorers who sailed the surrounding waters in the early 1500's.

          By 1936 Tarpon Springs was recognized as the largest sponge center in the world. More than 2,000 Greeks had relocated to Tarpon Springs from the Dodecanese Islands of Kalymnos, Halki, Sumi, Hydra, Spetse, Aegena. In the 1940's a marine bacteria destroyed most of the sponge beds, but today the sponge docks are alive once again and sponge boats operate from its scenic docks. Charismatic George Billiris, once a diver himself, is the elder statesman of the Tarpon sponge industry. He still occupies a vintage 1920's warehouse that is on the Register of Historic Places. The community's Greek influence extends beyond the sponge docks.

          St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral on North Pinellas Avenue is an outstanding example of Neo-Byzantine architecture. It is patterned after St. Sophia's in Istanbul. The cathedral features Grecian marble, icons, and stainedglass windows. The marble was originally part of the Greek pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair.          "

Source:
Greenberg, Mel & Greenberg, Ronnie. (2001) "The Greek Flavor of Tarpon Springs and Florida's Beach"; Greek-American review, 2001, Vol.52 (646), p.5.
Publisher: New York: Estiator Magazine


*Aleck Alissandratos holding the cross following a dive during the Greek Epiphany Day Celebration in Tarpon Springs, Florida*	*Archbishop Iakovos during Epiphany services - Tarpon Springs, Florida.*	*Anna "Mrs. John" Cocoris, the first Greek woman to come to Tarpon Springs.*
*1977*	*1990*	*1905*
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*Epiphany cross divers parading through the streets - Tarpon Springs, Florida*	*Antonios Lerios in his machine shop where he makes Greek sponge diving helmets - Tarpon Springs, Florida*	*Anna King with display of Greek embroidery at the 1988 Florida Folk Festival - White Springs, Florida*
*1990*	*1985*	*1988*
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The Greek Flavor of Tarpon Springs and Florida's Beach
" One of the most colorful resort communities in Florida's Beach area, St. Petersburg is located in the Pinellas County peninsula on Florida's west coast, bordered on the east by Tampa Bay, and on the west by the sparkling Gulf of Mexico's aquamarine waters. Pinellas, "punta pinal" or "point of pines," was the name given the area by the Spanish explorers who sailed the surrounding waters in the early 1500's. By 1936 Tarpon Springs was recognized as the largest sponge center in the world. More than 2,000 Greeks had relocated to Tarpon Springs from the Dodecanese Islands of Kalymnos, Halki, Sumi, Hydra, Spetse, Aegena. In the 1940's a marine bacteria destroyed most of the sponge beds, but today the sponge docks are alive once again and sponge boats operate from its scenic docks. Charismatic George Billiris, once a diver himself, is the elder statesman of the Tarpon sponge industry. He still occupies a vintage 1920's warehouse that is on the Register of Historic Places. The community's Greek influence extends beyond the sponge docks. St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral on North Pinellas Avenue is an outstanding example of Neo-Byzantine architecture. It is patterned after St. Sophia's in Istanbul. The cathedral features Grecian marble, icons, and stainedglass windows. The marble was originally part of the Greek pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair. " Source: Greenberg, Mel & Greenberg, Ronnie. (2001) "The Greek Flavor of Tarpon Springs and Florida's Beach"; Greek-American review, 2001, Vol.52 (646), p.5. Publisher: New York: Estiator Magazine

Greek Heritage

The Greek Flavor of Tarpon Springs and Florida's Beach