She May Miss Me; I Hope She Does

Postmarked 24 January 1957
Saint Petersburg, Florida

Message:

Dear Ruth, / I remembered you like scenery post cards so here is one. / Try to see Mina, she may miss me, I hope she does. We have been gone only 1 week. We are at Clearwater Florida. / Vic and Jennie Harold and Elsie / We are sitting on this pier.

The building depicted on the postcard opened in 1926 to great fanfare, but by 1967, the building was so badly deteriorated it was demolished. An inverted pyramid structure took its place in the early 1970s. Currently, the city is in a planning process envisioning the future of the pier, since construction on the pilings must be undertaken by 2014.

St. Peter Pier Website

Famous Green Benches

Uncirculated
Published by Tichnor Bros., Inc.

According to St. Petersburg, Florida: A Visual History by A. Wynelle Deese, St. Petersburg's green benches contributed to the popularity of the city. Deese explains, "folks would take to the green benches as they lined the sidewalks along Central Avenue and the downtown streets. This gave an air of hospitality, cordiality, and sometimes led to budding romances," (p. 36). Deese estimates that by 1950, seven to eight thousand green benches adorned the sidewalks. However, in the late 1960s, city leaders worried about the image perpetuated by the benches. They first painted them in other colors, and then removed them all together. The allure of the green benches remained, though, and in 1991, November 10 through 17 was designated "Green Bench Week." Since then, some green benches have been added to the town. Green Benches and More now makes replicas of the famous benches for home use.

It's Really for the Old Folks

Postmarked 20 January 1955
Saint Petersburg, Florida

Message:

1-19 / Got in here to-day - it's really for the old folks! so many of them here. Art is taking a nap as the highways were realy rough. and so many bends. no help from me. / Love, Marie and Art