Historic Gas Plant District and Methodist Town Walking Tour w/ Monica Kile

1310 1st Avenue South,St. Petersburg FL 33705

18 February, 2023

Description

With the recent announcement of the Mayor’s selection for a master developer, The Historic Gas Plant district is back in the news. But few people know the rich history of this once vibrant area; even fewer are familiar with the adjacent Methodist Town community. Both were historically African American neighborhoods developed during a time of strict segregation in St. Petersburg. Now you can get an “on-the-ground” perspective of these areas, and why their history matters today, with a walking tour led by local historian Monica Kile. While little of the built environment of the Gas Plant neighborhood remains, remnants of the original landscape still exist. Combined with location-specific histories of the bustling stores, busy churches, vibrant micro-neighborhoods, and displaced cemeteries that once existed on the grounds of today’s Tropicana Field and its parking lots, Monica will paint a picture of what has been lost. We will also visit the memorial marker at the site of the 1914 lynching of John Evans. The area known as Methodist Town still retains a number of landmarks that tell the story of this historic community. This small neighborhood, which gave rise to some of the city’s most prominent citizens, also offered a refuge for many of St. Pete’s Jewish merchants, whose businesses blossomed on nearby 9th Street (now MLK) and whose homes were nestled near Mirror Lake. Join historian Monica Kile as she reveals pieces of the past that survived “urban renewal” and which shed light on the cultural, social, and political legacies that still resonate in today’s civic life. The tour will cover approximately two miles in 90 minutes. Monica’s exhaustive knowledge of St. Pete history, paired with her passionate delivery, have made her a popular tour guide and speaker for more than 15 years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Florida Studies and the faded eyesight of someone who has spent far too many years examining old newspapers. Tour Details The tour begins at 10am and will last approximately 90 minutes and cover two miles of flat terrain. We’ll provide Agua Bucha (sparkling water) by Mother Kombucha. Tickets are $25 per person and limited to 30 attendees per tour. The starting location for this tour is the SunRunner stop located at 1310 1st Ave S (north side of Tropicana Field).