ST PETERSBURG FLORIDA 1954 PROMO FILM FAMILY VACATION TRAVELOGUE BEACHES AND RESORTS 92314
105,896
Published 2022-12-30
youtube.com/channel/UCddem5RlB3bQe99wyY49g0g/join
Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm
Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com
This short, color travelogue film by Atlantic Pictures of Richmond, Virginia dates to 1954, and seeks to highlight the scenic and touristic wonders to be enjoyed during a vacation to the holiday isles of St. Petersburg, Florida. Located along the Gulf of Mexico, St. Petersburg’s beaches are known for their white sand and crystal clear waters. Narrated by Arch Harrison, this film follows the story of a family from choosing their holiday destination to all of the places on their vacation itinerary. This is a Jo Frohock Picture that was made especially for television and was shot using Kodak’s Kodachrome film technology. The film features visuals that depict typical 1950s fashion and architecture and includes scenes of hotels that are no longer in business but that were cultural relics for the St. Petersburg area at the time.
Opening credits (0:19). Camera comes into focus on a toy-size replica automobile from 1903 (1:01). Toy-size replica of 1950s orange convertible pulls up (1:10). Cars buzz by on highway enclosed by a forest (1:13). Middle-aged couple sits in their parlor, look at vacation brochures: Colonial Williamsburg, New Orleans, St. Petersburg, Florida (1:27). Camera pans exterior of Tides Hotel & Bath Club (1:44). Woman in a 1950s retro swimsuit pretends to throw around a beach ball while standing in front of a map of Florida (1:55). Woman’s manicured finger points to Belleair Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Redington Beach, Madeira Beach, Sunshine Beach, Treasure Island Beach, Boca Ciega Beach, Sunset Beach, St. Petersburg Beach, Bennett Beach, Belle Vista Beach, Don CeSar Beach, Pass-a-Grille Beach (2:06). Family stops at an outdoor produce stand at Indian Rocks Beach, piles of citrus fruit (2:40). Outdoor courtyard of diners shaded by palm trees (2:52). Gulf Winds Resort (3:03). Family sets up lounge chairs and umbrellas along white sands of St. Petersburg Beach (3:10). Young kids run towards the clear waters (3:17). Woman throws bread crumbs to seagulls on the beach (3:35). Young boy wears a snorkel mask (3:44). Young girl and mother collect wildlife on the shore: baby horseshoe crab, shells, and starfish (3:55). Little girl builds a sandcastle (4:02). Men fish off of a small bridge (4:25). Father and son board chartered deep-sea fishing boat (4:45). Perhaps 1954 Chrysler Windsor Sedan pulls into parking lot (5:02). Sunken Gardens Botanical Gardens, camera pans tropical foliage, close-ups of vibrantly colored tropical flora and fauna (5:04). Fiery tropical iris (6:22). Bird of paradise flower (6:31). Charter boat returns - fish hang from side panels of the boat (6:59). Father and son proudly hold up their catch (7:16). Poolside at Hotel Rellim in Pass-a-Grille (7:23). Young boy and girl run into freshwater pool (7:29). Family sits for lunch of sandwiches and iced teas on outdoor patio (7:50). Kids jump from diving boards (8:02). The Florida Wild Animal and Reptile Ranch (8:17). Close-ups of different animals at the ranch (8:28). Flamingos bathe themselves (8:52). Onlookers gather around alligator pen during feed time (9:02). St. Petersburg’s Festival of States parade: decorative floats and marching bands glide down historical costume glides down parade route lined with flags and onlookers (9:48). Afternoon cocktail social hour for hotel guests by the pool (10:54). Kids play shuffleboard (11:19). Sign for the Water Carnival at Pass-a-Grille Beach (11:38). Aquamaniacs water-ski stunt group performance (11:45). Exterior of church in St. Petersburg (12:41). Adults play game of shuffleboard (13:00). Family time back on the beach (13:35). Family photo from the beach in a photo album (14:12). Emblem for St. Petersburg, Florida (14:24).
We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: "01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference."
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com/
All Comments (21)
-
I'm 45 years old and I'm born and raised on Cocoa Beach and to watch the complete destruction of what made Florida such an amazing place to be born and raised. It has lost its charming, friendly, and fun loving communities and has turned into just another place to overpopulate and destroy. My goodness I miss my old Florida...... ☹️☹️
-
Someone asked where these people are now. I, for one, am still here. I was a member of theAquamaniacs and rode on many Festival floats representing numerous states. Also marched in one parade with the St Paul’s Catholic High School band. Those were calmer, eqsyGoing times.
-
1954 I was living in Clearwater. Florida's population was 3.5 million now its 22 million people..Those were "The Good Old Days"
-
St. Pete, born and raised. This is surreal to watch!
-
My grandmother moved to st.Pete Back in the mid 50’s, and I lived there for about 25 years. I remember seeing old photos from those times and how it looked. Places like the vinnoy and don cesar, Webb city and sunken gardens. It’s cool to see an old travel film.
-
Born & raised in St. Petersburg. I was born at Bayfront Medical Center in the 70's. I attended Shore Acres Elementary, Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School & Northeast High school. As someone else commented below, it pains me to see how much my hometown & certain neighborhoods have DRASTICALLY changed or are gone altogether. For example, the homes that were razed in order to build the Tropicana Stadium. I remember when there used to be an actual pirate ship at the pier. And speaking of the pier, it was going to be torn down but was saved from deconstruction & was remodeled to its current state now. Let me stop talking about my beloved hometown because all I do is get sad reminiscing about days/places of the past.🤷🏾♀️
-
My family moved to St Petersburg in 1976 when I was 13. It was a great place to grow up. As kids we would ride our bikes from the center of town to the beach. It was a different time back then.
-
We moved to Titusville in 1956 when I was 6, my dad worked at the space center. Florida lost it's innocence by 1970. Paradise was lost forever.
-
Before the internet and cellphone - what a beautiful time
-
Love this! I'm in St Pete, just left Pass A Grille. I've been here my whole life, and hope to never leave.
-
I was born in 1948 at Orlando AFB and, by 1954, my family was living in Japan. My Dad was transferred to Harlingen AFB in Texas by 1956 so we were able to travel to the Plant City, FL area often to visit my mother's side of the family. By 1958, we were transferred to Homestead AFB in Florida where we lived for two years before being transferred to Kincheloe AFB in Michigan close to Sault Ste. Marie. All of that to say that I know what Florida used to be like. My Dad finally retired from the Air Force to live in Orange Springs, FL not far from Gainesville, FL. I was 15 at the time of his retirement. Florida was still old Florida at that time. It is so sad to see what has become of my state. I am 74 years old and still live in Florida (Gainesville, FL) but do not recognize the place. It is a tragedy that old Florida and old values are gone.
-
I'm surprised they didn't mention Webb's City. Webb's City was a one-stop department store of sorts that was located in St. Petersburg, Florida and was touted as "the World's Most Unusual Drug Store". It was founded in 1926 by James Earl "Doc" Webb. At its peak Webb's City had 77 departments and measured about ten city blocks.[1] The lyrics to its radio ad were "There'll be no more hoppin' around the town a-shoppin', Webb's City is your one-stop shopping store". It was considered a forerunner to the shopping center. As shopping centers became popular, business dwindled at Webb's City. It was eventually closed in 1979.[2] Doc Webb's philosophy regarding to Webb City was "stack it high and sell it cheap."
-
old florida which is gone forever
-
St Petersburg…. Even now ! What a place💯❤️
-
This is the most beautiful city in the USA 🇺🇸😍😍😍
-
I really can’t say much more than what has been said, I cried, I thank you, I remembered, I related, this was so wonderful and generous of you to share and create thank you thank you!
-
When my parents brought us each summer to the southern tip of St Petersburg, the only thing left from this video was the small motel, shuffleboard and some shells were fun. We loved it. The last two years we went, around 1979, they were building huge concrete hotels a mile or two north of where we were staying. When my kids were old enough, I tried to give them the same experience. But those new hotels were run down and kind of nasty. We had a good time anyway, but it will never be the same pleasant start as when I was a kid.
-
Ahhhhhhhhhh....those were the good ole' days !
-
Amazing video! Born and raised here in the bay area in East Hillsborough County. I have always been a beach boy and get out to Treasure Island about about every 3-4 months to decompress for the weekend. I hate the growth and the loss of "old Florida."
-
I was born and raised there, I'm 71 :) born 51 graduating in 69 ! Great place to grow up but it got too big :(
