St. Petersburg and the Florida Dream,
1888-1950
by
Raymond Arsenault
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this Book now
St. Petersburg and
the Florida Dream, 1888-1950
chronicles the early
history of St. Petersburg and the lower Pinellas
Peninsula. From the precolumbian culture of the Tocobaga
mound-builders to the arrival of the railroad, from the
St. Petersburg-Havana yacht races to the tin-can tourists
to the first stirrings of the Sunbelt phenomenon
following World War II, Raymond Arsenault's history
presents a rich tapestry of the area.
A forerunner of the modern Sunbelt city, early St.
Petersburg successfully mixed southern and northern
cultures and used vigorous public relations and
advertising to promote itself. By the mid-20th century,
the "Sunshine City" had developed into one of
the most important resort communities in the United
States, a self-styled subtropical playground that stood
tantalizingly apart from the mainstream of urban America.
Before the age of expressways, heat pumps, fast-food
restaurants, and suburban shopping malls, local life
revolved around institutions and traditions long
associated with the Florida Dream--the centuries-old
promise of perpetual warmth, health, comfort, and
leisure. Arsenault describes these institutions and many
of the personalities that enlivened them--Doc Webb,
William Straub, Al Lang, Frank Davis, Handsome Jack
Taylor, Katherine Bell Tippetts, and others, whose
activities contributed to the distinctive and colorful
history of St. Petersburg.
Raymond Arsenault is professor of history at the
University of South Florida. He is the author of The
Wild Ass of the Ozarks: Jeff Davis and the Social Bases
of Southern Politics and the editor of Crucible
of Liberty: 200 Years of the Bill of Rights.
1999. 360pp. 7 X 9.
ISBN 0-8130-1442-5 Cloth, $39.95
ISBN 0-8130-1667-3 Paper, $24.95
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"Arsenault's
new history of St. Petersburg is not only the best and
most professional effort so far, it is also a good book
in its own right . . . a book from which to take both
pleasure and instruction."--
St.
Petersburg Times
"The real gift that Mr. Arsenault brings to us is a perspective of the attitudes which built the foundation of this community. As a good historian, he develops a story of relationships and possibilities." --
Florida Frontier Gazette
"A marvelous exploration . . . both a visual treat
and a pleasure to read. At the same time, it makes a very
important contribution to modern Florida history."-- Raymond
Mohl, Florida Atlantic University
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