@@viewmastertravels5114 saying this with kindness, I think it falls into a respect for the place category. If you don't know its proper nickname, it should be called by its proper name. I think it's a lot like when people call New Orleans Nola, only because they've heard it be called that. Or giving someone a nickname when you don't know them like that.
@@viewmastertravels5114 oops! It seems I mistakenly misled you! Webb's City, billed as the "World's Most Unusual Drug Store," closed down decades ago. It would still be fun to look back on it. It was a really big deal in its day.
Thank you. You immediately know who just moved into town when you hear the added "s". Drives ya up the wall, doesn't it.. Now move on back home now, ya hear..🤞👋
I've been to that Chik fil A a million times and never knew about that green bench. Surprised you didn't have anything about The Vinoy Hotel, very old and beautiful.
I was thinking the same thing while watching the video. My wife and I actually had a tour around 79 or 80, before the restored it, when it was just a big abandoned building. It was all fenced in but the Historical Society of St Pete was doing a walk-through, and we asked if we could come along (we lived pretty much across the street to the north) and they said yes. It was pretty cool and there is a story of a Haunting as well.
The green benches and hexagon sidewalk tiles and brick streets were a major feature of St. Petersburg of that era. As a native of that city. Much of that was gone by the time I was born in the early 1960's. St. Petersburg was known as "God's Waiting Room". The benches went away after the 1964 Civil Rights laws. The old Pier went away to be replaced by the early 1970's inverted Pyramid which itself has been replaced. Snell Isle, which isn't really an island at all, is THE neighborhood to live in St. Petersburg, especially if you own a home on Brightwaters Blvd. You have arrived. There may be newer places, fancier places but Snell Isle was old money. Most of the old places have been replaced by ugly modern boxes. We love vintage Vue Master reels and appreciate your research.
Modern Ugly Boxes, what a perfect phrase if I ever heard one. I hate what they've done to our city. Grew up there in the 70s, south St. Pete, Pinellas Point Lakewood Estates area. We used to call it, "home of the newly wed and the nearly dead", (and now I are one...).
The hexagon sidewalks were still in my grandparents neighborhood in the 1980s. I remember taking walks with my grandpa when I was a kid going to Kiwanas park and we would walk on the hexagon sidewalks. They were in pretty bad shape in a lot of spots and we nicknamed it “the crappy sidewalk” lol.
I moved to St. Pete from St. Louis with my parents in 1956, when I was 7 years old, and have lived here ever since. I wouldn't move to another city for anything (mainly, because it's taken me almost 70 years to find everything.) I've been to every site you visited but I still learned many new facts about their origins and history. Thanks for a wonderful tour and video. Cheers from The Sunshine City!
Thanks for another great video. Whether I have been to one of these locations or not, your appreciation of history and commentary are enjoyable. Keep up the good work!
Great video with really accurate info on my hometown. The only issue is you calling the place St. Petes... it's either Pete or Petersburg. Did you go on Crystal River when you were there in Weeki Wachi?
@@viewmastertravels5114 Crystal River is so clear and cold all year round. Manatees seem to frequent the area. When I was 13 canoeing down, a manatee bumped into my canoe.
I used to go to St Pete a lot in the late 80s. They had some great venues for new wave and punk rock bands! Come to think of it the “Sea Vamps” would be a great name for an punk/alt rock band! 🤔
I grew up in South St Pete (Wrinkle City, home of the Newly Wed and the Nearly Dead) and it seems like Central Avenue was pretty much unchanged until the early 90's, most of the buildings were still there. I left St. Pete, before the changes and the view master images were the images still in my head. Seeing that they're all completely gone really broke my heart. Snell Isle was south of the city, not north, it's just east of Pinellas Point (not to be confused with Pinellas Park in N. St. Pete. My heart feels really sad seeing my past completely gone. I also did some schooling right on the edge of Mirror Lake, I hope they don't destroy that school that's there. I'll do a google map later to see. I can't believe how much this has made this 65 year old man sad today.
Great, informative video! I've lived in the St. Pete area for over 40 years, and never knew half of this. I'd forgotten about the hexagonal green and white sidewalks, its been many years since I've seen any if they still exist
Just discovered your channel thanks to a posting on FB. What a pleasure! I'm a ViewMaster collector (modest, compared to what I saw from your intro!). I also really love research of all kinds, including historical research. Your assemblage facts and stories, plus your very engaging presentation style are really outstanding. Your earned a new subscriber within the first two minutes. Cheers from Canada!
I moved to St. Pete in early 2003. Bought a home very cheaply. Loved downtown St. Pete! Moved from Atlanta. Now St Pete has exploded! I like that! My house shot up in value! I feel very safe here as opposed to Atlanta where so much crime happened to me. St. Petersburg also loves dogs very much. Great decision to move here.
Stop saying "St.Petes".
Point taken, it’s tough for visitors to know these things.
Yes! Came here to say the exact same thing! It's St. PETE, not St. Pete's, except in cases of using it as a possessive.
@@viewmastertravels5114 saying this with kindness, I think it falls into a respect for the place category. If you don't know its proper nickname, it should be called by its proper name. I think it's a lot like when people call New Orleans Nola, only because they've heard it be called that. Or giving someone a nickname when you don't know them like that.
@NiceDonkey3417 Thanks for the considered feedback, I’ll keep it in mind for future videos.
That's what's known as a "shibboleth" - something known or done only by the local folks, so you can instantly tell someone's from out of town.
I grew up there in the 1950's and 60's and remember a whole bunch of those landmarks. Too bad you missed Webb's City!
That would be neat to see, I’ll have to go back!
@@viewmastertravels5114 oops! It seems I mistakenly misled you! Webb's City, billed as the "World's Most Unusual Drug Store," closed down decades ago. It would still be fun to look back on it. It was a really big deal in its day.
@IMBrute-ir7gz Oh well, that’s too bad. Didn’t realize it’d closed either.
The Arcade building with the Mariam Kings on it (across from the palace post office 😂) downtown has levels under the sidewalk.
Like secret tunnels?
St. Pete! NOT St. Pete's!!!
Thank you. You immediately know who just moved into town when you hear the added "s".
Drives ya up the wall, doesn't it..
Now move on back home now, ya hear..🤞👋
I've been to that Chik fil A a million times and never knew about that green bench. Surprised you didn't have anything about The Vinoy Hotel, very old and beautiful.
There was a picture of a hotel on the reel, but it was of the old Soreno Hotel, which I looked for but I guess it was demolished in the early 90s.
Reality doesnt spell Chik Fil A like that anymore, although that is how I remember it also. its "Chick Fil A" now.
I was thinking the same thing while watching the video. My wife and I actually had a tour around 79 or 80, before the restored it, when it was just a big abandoned building. It was all fenced in but the Historical Society of St Pete was doing a walk-through, and we asked if we could come along (we lived pretty much across the street to the north) and they said yes. It was pretty cool and there is a story of a Haunting as well.
Just a little side note. The inverted pyramid pier was demolished in 2015, not 2004.
Thanks for the correction 😊
The green benches and hexagon sidewalk tiles and brick streets were a major feature of St. Petersburg of that era. As a native of that city. Much of that was gone by the time I was born in the early 1960's. St. Petersburg was known as "God's Waiting Room". The benches went away after the 1964 Civil Rights laws. The old Pier went away to be replaced by the early 1970's inverted Pyramid which itself has been replaced. Snell Isle, which isn't really an island at all, is THE neighborhood to live in St. Petersburg, especially if you own a home on Brightwaters Blvd. You have arrived. There may be newer places, fancier places but Snell Isle was old money. Most of the old places have been replaced by ugly modern boxes. We love vintage Vue Master reels and appreciate your research.
Great comment! Thanks!
Modern Ugly Boxes, what a perfect phrase if I ever heard one. I hate what they've done to our city. Grew up there in the 70s, south St. Pete, Pinellas Point Lakewood Estates area. We used to call it, "home of the newly wed and the nearly dead", (and now I are one...).
The hexagon sidewalks were still in my grandparents neighborhood in the 1980s. I remember taking walks with my grandpa when I was a kid going to Kiwanas park and we would walk on the hexagon sidewalks. They were in pretty bad shape in a lot of spots and we nicknamed it “the crappy sidewalk” lol.
What a great memory 😊
I moved to St. Pete from St. Louis with my parents in 1956, when I was 7 years old, and have lived here ever since. I wouldn't move to another city for anything (mainly, because it's taken me almost 70 years to find everything.) I've been to every site you visited but I still learned many new facts about their origins and history. Thanks for a wonderful tour and video. Cheers from The Sunshine City!
That’s awesome. I also did a video on St Louis as well 😊
@@viewmastertravels5114 I will look for it! Thanks!
Your videos have gone through the roof in terms of presentation and research. Bravo!
Thanks! Always trying to improve 😊
An amazing historical build from a VM reel. I applaud your incorporation of multiple sources to create a very engaging journey.
Thanks!
I don't know how I 1st got directed to your videos but I'm glad I did. So well done and very informative.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for another great video. Whether I have been to one of these locations or not, your appreciation of history and commentary are enjoyable. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for watching 😊
This series is great. The research that is do is first class. You really deserve to have more viewers.
Thank you
Thanks 😊. Tough to find an audience I guess. Do share if you can.
Great video with really accurate info on my hometown. The only issue is you calling the place St. Petes... it's either Pete or Petersburg. Did you go on Crystal River when you were there in Weeki Wachi?
Thanks! I didn’t get to Crystal River, what’s it like?
@@viewmastertravels5114 Crystal River is so clear and cold all year round. Manatees seem to frequent the area. When I was 13 canoeing down, a manatee bumped into my canoe.
@VideosJacked Sounds nice. Hopefully I could see that some time.
LOL Did your ears itch after hearing it too?
We still have the sidewalk stones made out of concrete even out front of my house 30 blocks away from downtown
1:11 is at 3rd St and Central Avenue. There was a department store on the right side at the time callex Willson-Chase.
I used to go to St Pete a lot in the late 80s. They had some great venues for new wave and punk rock bands! Come to think of it the “Sea Vamps” would be a great name for an punk/alt rock band! 🤔
Love it! With a local connection even 😊
I grew up in South St Pete (Wrinkle City, home of the Newly Wed and the Nearly Dead) and it seems like Central Avenue was pretty much unchanged until the early 90's, most of the buildings were still there. I left St. Pete, before the changes and the view master images were the images still in my head. Seeing that they're all completely gone really broke my heart. Snell Isle was south of the city, not north, it's just east of Pinellas Point (not to be confused with Pinellas Park in N. St. Pete. My heart feels really sad seeing my past completely gone. I also did some schooling right on the edge of Mirror Lake, I hope they don't destroy that school that's there. I'll do a google map later to see. I can't believe how much this has made this 65 year old man sad today.
Thanks for the memories, sorry it made you so sad though.
Wonderful video! Please continue making these. They are treasures and remembrances of bygone times. A tremendous Thank You for all of your efforts!
Thank you very much, I’ll keep making them! Hope you can keep watching 😊
Great, informative video! I've lived in the St. Pete area for over 40 years, and never knew half of this. I'd forgotten about the hexagonal green and white sidewalks, its been many years since I've seen any if they still exist
Thanks! Someone else commented that there were still some hexagonal sidewalks near where they lived. So, I guess some still exist.
Should have called me. I live in St Petersburg and could have made it easy for ya.
Will do next time 😊
Rutland Bank. Hubert Rutland lived on Snell Isle.
Interesting connection.
Just discovered your channel thanks to a posting on FB. What a pleasure! I'm a ViewMaster collector (modest, compared to what I saw from your intro!). I also really love research of all kinds, including historical research. Your assemblage facts and stories, plus your very engaging presentation style are really outstanding. Your earned a new subscriber within the first two minutes. Cheers from Canada!
Thanks! Glad you enjoy the videos!
Dave, you surpass yourself with each new video. Wonderful detective work and the story is well told. Fantastic.
Many thanks!
I moved to St. Pete in early 2003. Bought a home very cheaply.
Loved downtown St. Pete! Moved from Atlanta. Now St Pete has exploded! I like that! My house shot up in value! I feel very safe here as opposed to Atlanta where so much crime happened to me. St. Petersburg also loves dogs very much. Great decision to move here.
Sounds ideal!