St. Petersburg in America. Past and present

The United States is the birthplace of migrants. Leaving the forsaken places for the sake of the illusory prospects of the New World, they took with them all the best that was somehow connected with their home. A vivid example is the name of the settlements. To think, in America there are several dozens of Paris, Manchester and Dublin. There are as many as seventeen cities, proudly called Moscow.

St. Peter

Not without its own St. Petersberg. It does not rise on the granite banks of the river. St. Petersburg in America does not breathe the dank air of the Baltic. But at his disposal is the sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. And it is located in the state of Florida. On the territory of the southern "twin" registered about 245 thousand inhabitants. His age is one and half century less than that of the Russian twin. The founding fathers of both Peter were called Petras. On this, perhaps, the similarities end, and again striking contrasts begin.

There are no bridges in St. Petersburg in America. But there is only one ferry. She connects the city with the pier. And a cable-stayed colossus, which meets and escorts travelers. On the central square there is a monument of Peter the Great that was not familiar to us from childhood, but the figure of Christopher Columbus. However, the person who gave the name to this cozy American town, still called Peter by the name of Dementiev.

In the annals of St. Petersburg in America, he appears as Peter Dement. His origin was admirable, and he himself was a brave and ambitious officer. He was promised a brilliant military career, but early marriage made its own adjustments. After leaving the Northern Palmyra, he settled with his family in the central part of Russia. After a while, civilian life bored him, and he went to wander.

How it all began

During the wanderings, he visited the most secluded corners of the planet, but he liked only Florida. At that time, the state was not yet settled, and land allotments were given cheaply. The enterprising landlord did not lose his head and acquired about 30 hectares in his own use. Possessing a business vein, he immediately overgrew the economy and began to lead a prosperous, by local standards, life. His settlement grew and developed, and once Peter Dements became mayor.

Among the benefits that he gave to the townspeople was a separate railway branch. Its length exceeded three miles. But Peter's aspirations attracted him farther to the south, to the white sandy coast of the Gulf of Mexico. In 1888, he landed in Tampa Bay, establishing a tiny settlement and giving it the name St. Petersburg. This is the story of the birth of this unusual and distant twin city of the Northern capital.

Life and Life of North American Peter

The modern city of St. Petersburg in America almost completely lost its historical heritage, which indicated its European origin. Today it is a typical southern town, drowning in greenery and flower beds. Its center is divided by wide motor arteries.

On the sidewalks are broken street cafes and verandas of restaurants. Everywhere souvenir shops, the range of which echoes with the arsenal of merchants on the Palace Square. Many shops in St. Petersburg in America belong to immigrants from Russia. They regularly visit the city on the Neva River to replenish supplies.

Spa traditions

Thanks to its mild and warm climate, open terraces are open all year round. Since the town is not so popular with stars and world celebrities, the most ordinary Americans from the north of the US come to rest on the coast here. The prices for accommodation and entertainment in these parts are one third lower than in nearby Miami. St. Petersburg in America is included in the federal program aimed at the development of local tourism. "Get America moving!" - its official slogan.

The settlement serves a large port, capable of taking multi-storey yachts and liners. At its moorings private sailboats are crowded, which go out into the open water only on weekends. The most common inhabitant of the depths in the water area is not a small fish, but manatees.

There is a historical museum, and in parks and squares there are practically hand-held squirrels. In St. Petersburg in America there is a whole high-rise quarter. From the balconies of the houses you can see a picturesque view of the bay. In addition to local residents, pelicans are in charge in the city. These birds are so spoiled that they are not afraid of absolutely anyone!

In the footsteps of Tom Sawyer

Everyone who read books from the writer Mark Twain probably wondered more than once about where exactly St. Petersburg is located in America. On which river, in which part? Contrary to the famous song, it does not extend along the banks of the Mississippi. Alas, the town that appeared in stories about the adventures of a barefoot boy, alas, is fictional.

The real Peter is not shrouded in the damp fog of the Missouri forests. He is caressed by the warm waves of Tampa. There are not audible long whistles of steamers. The silence of these places is broken by sharp screams of pelicans, incendiary Latin rhythms and hubbub of tourists.