A warm breeze blows onto its beaches and into its city as it is located right off of Tampa Bay. The city of St. Petersburg owes its existence and founding to two men: John C. Williams, who purchased the land in 1876, and Peter Demens, who helped put St. Petersburg on the map by bringing the railroad there in 1888.
On this day February 29th, in 1892, the city of St. Petersburg, Florida is incorporated. The city at this point had a tiny population of 300 people. Myth has it that Demens and Williams flipped a coin for who would be able to name the city. Demens, winning the coin toss, decided to name it after the town where he was born in Russia, St. Petersburg.
St. Petersburg, Florida is a conundrum. It has an average of 360 days of sunshine a year, that’s over 98% sunshine, and yet according to Men’s Health November 2011, it is also one of the saddest places in the U.S. This assertion is made from data concerning suicides, anti-depressant use, and surveys. Still, the Sunshine City with its 2.7 million residents attracts tourists from around the world on a yearly basis.