The following is a timeline of the history of the city of St. Petersburg in Pinellas County, Florida, United States.
Late 19th century
1875 – John C. Williams purchases land. 1884 – The St. Petersburg Times was established. 1888 Peter Demens brings railroad into St. Petersburg. The first hotel is built, named the Detroit Hotel. 1892 Town of St. Petersburg incorporated. David Moffett becomes first mayor of St. Petersburg. 1897 – Electrical service established. 1899 Orange Belt Railway constructs the Railroad Pier. Henry W. Hibbs introduces major fishing business. 1900 – Population: 1,575
20th century 1903 – City of St. Petersburg incorporated. 1904 – Trolley services enter St. Petersburg by F. A. Davis. 1906 The Electric Pier is built, replacing the Railroad Pier. Shipping channel dredging begins. 1910 – Population: 4,127 1913 – The Municipal Pier is built, replacing the Electric Pier. 1914 St. Louis Browns invited to use St. Petersburg for spring training at Coffee Pot Park. The St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line perform the first commercial flight with a Benoist XIV flying boat. 1915 – Mirror Lake Library opens. 1916 – Al Lang becomes mayor.
St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line A Benoist XIV was used for flights.
1920 – Population: 14,237 1921 St. Petersburg Museum of History is founded. 1921 Tampa Bay hurricane. 1924 The United States Coast Guard opens base. Gandy Bridge opens. 1925 – The Vinoy Park Hotel is built. 1926 – Millions Dollar Pier is constructed, replacing the Municipal Pier. 1928 – WSUN radio begins broadcasting. 1930 – Population: 40,425 1940 – Population: 60,812 1942 – St. Petersburg used a training facility for the Army Air Force. 1947 – Original Al Lang Stadium is built. 1950 – Population: 96,738 1953 – WSUN-TV (television) begins broadcasting. 1954 – The original Sunshine Skyway Bridge opens. 1960 Population: 181,298. Howard Frankland Bridge is constructed. 1965 Museum of Fine Arts is established. Bayfront Center is constructed. 1968 – Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg established. 1970 – Population: 216,159. 1973 – The St. Petersburg Pier is built. 1976 – Al Lang Stadium is rebuilt. 1980 Population: 238,647. The south bound span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapses due to the MV Summit Venture striking a pier. 1982 – Salvador Dalí Museum is established. 1987 – The new Sunshine Skyway Bridge is constructed. 1990 Population: 238,629. Tropicana Field is constructed. One Progress Plaza is constructed. 1992 – Florida Holocaust Museum is established. 1993 Original Sunshine Skyway Bridge is demolished. Mazzaro Italian Market opened 1998 – Tampa Bay Rays established as Tampa Bay Devil Rays. 2000 – Population: 248,232
21st century 2001 – Rick Baker becomes mayor. 2003 Wikimedia Foundation established. First ever St. Pete Pride celebration and declaration of June being Pride month 2004 – Bayfront Center is demolished. 2009 – Signature Place is constructed. 2010 Population: 244,769 Bill Foster becomes mayor. 2011 – Salvador Dalí Museum is established in current building. 2014 – Rick Kriseman becomes mayor. 2015 The St. Petersburg Pier is demolished. The History Council of St. Petersburg is formed. 2017 – Rick Kriseman is re-elected as mayor. 2020 – St. Pete Pier opens.
See also List of mayors of St. Petersburg, Florida History of St. Petersburg, Florida National Register of Historic Places listings in Pinellas County, Florida Timelines of other cities in the Central Florida area of Florida: Clearwater, Lakeland, Largo, Orlando, Tampa
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