ST PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER HISTORIC CITY PAINTING UNDERGOES RESTORATION Restoration Efforts on One of St
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JANUARY / 2014 ISSUE 25 TONY JANNUS: THE INTREPID AVIATOR Local residents and visitors who were brave enough to battle By late 1913, Tony Jannus was the rain, winds, and possible hangovers this past New Years well-regarded in the aviation Day got a real treat as the city celebrated the 100th world and a perfect choice to be Anniversary of the world’s first scheduled commercial flight. the chief pilot of Thomas Benoist’s Not only was aircraft enthusiasts Kermit Week’s exact replica next venture: St. Petersburg – Tampa Airboat Line. of the Benoist Airboat on display, visitors got to witness Ed With the persistence of businessman Percival Fansler, flying Hoffman, Jr. soar his flying boat from the Vinoy Yacht basin boats provided by Benoist, and financial backing of severa l as he recreated aviator Tony Jannus’ January 1, 1914 well-heeled folks in St. Petersburg, history was made January inaugural flight of the St. Petersburg –Tampa Airboat Line. 1, 1914 as Tony became the world’s first airline pilot. Hoffman, whose father constructed the 1984 Benoist replica For the next few months, Tony and his brother, pilot Roger suspended from the ceiling at the St. Petersburg Museum of Jannus flew passengers and freight across Tampa Bay History, gave an undaunted swoop over the Yacht basin to proving the practicality, reliability and most importantly, the the thrill of many. Indeed, a perfect salute to Antony safety of commercial air travel. Habersack Jannus on this centennial celebration. On March 31, 1914, the Jannus brothers flew their last A little bit of a playboy and a whole lot of dare-devil, Tony flights for the Airboat Line. The Jannus brothers left St. Jannus taught himself how to fly at the ripe age of 21 Petersburg and the employment of the Benoist Company. thanks to Rex Smith. Originally a marine engine mechanic, Roger would continue on with other aviation endeavors until Tony had been contracted by Smith to equip an his untimely death in 1918 in a Havilland DH-4 aircraft experimental biplane with an Emerson marine engine. ironically dubbed “the flying coffin.” Immediately, Tony was smitten with the thought of flight and soon operated as a test pilot for Smith. Tony would go on to serve as a test pilot for Curtiss Aeroplane Co. and eventually be sent by Glenn Curtiss to The following year, in 1911, Jannus caught the attention of Sevastopol to train Russian pilots flying the company’s airplane builder Thomas Benoist and soon became the chief airplanes in combat during World War I. pilot for the Benoist Aircraft Company. Jannus died on October 12, 1916, when his Curtiss H-7 Together, the Benoist Company and Jannus set distance, flying boat experienced engine problems and crashed into water, passenger and speed records, propelling Tony to the Black Sea. His body was never recovered. newspaper headlines around the world. Staging countless air shows and exhibitions, Benoist and Jannus brought the In a career that lasted less than seven years, aviator Tony dream and reality of aviation to thousands of onlookers. Jannus had accomplished more than most pilots do in decades. His achievements left a lasting legacy on the world of commercial aviation and spawned the birth of modern air transportation. Noted aviation historian Thomas Reilly summed Tony best in L F , g r u b s r e t e P t S his works Jannus: An American Flier –“ Had Jannus lived 8 0 0 4 . o N t i m r e P beyond the age of twenty-seven, he almost certainly would D I A P have been one of the most famous American fliers.” E G A T S O P S U D T S t n e d i s e R t n e r r u C r O D E T R O S E R P By Nevin D. Sitler, MA - Director of Education and Outreach St. Petersburg Museum of History ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER FRIENDS MIRROR LAKE LIBRARY CREDITS CITY NUMBERS Wayne Finely, President . 813-767-5503 ALBERT WHITTED AWAPS . 822-1532 CITY HALL . 893-7171 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE . 821-4069 175 Fifth Street North www.stpete.org NORTHEAST EXCHANGE CLUB 528-3828 UNIVERSITY SOUTH FLORIDA 873-4873 MAYOR OFFICE . 893-7201 ST. PETE COLLEGE . 341-4249 MAYOR - Rick Kriseman ------------------------------------------- CITY COUNCIL - Vice Chair Steve Kornell • PINELLAS COUNTY INFO . 464-3000 Wengay "Newt" Newton • Chair Bill Dudley COMMISSION OFFICES . 464-3377 • Charlie Gerdes • Jim Kennedy • Amy Ken Welch . 464-3614 This newsletter is published by Foster • Karl Nurse • Darden Rice STATE: GRIFFIN PRODUCTIONS, Inc. CITY COUNCIL ADMIN. 893-7117 Senator Jeff Brandes . 727-552-2573 and is mailed to many occupied Terri Lipsey Scott Republican, District 22 residences in Downtown St. INFORMATION . 893-7111 3637 Fourth St. N., Suite 101 St. Petersburg Petersburg’s zip code 33701 and BUILDING PERMITS . 893-7231 [email protected] 33704. We are not associated BUSINESS SUPPORT LINE . 893-7000 Representative Dwight Dudley . 552-2747 with the City of St. Petersburg. CITY CLERK . 893-7448 Dist. 68 - 3637 4th Street N., St. Pete CODES COMPLIANCE/ASSIST . 893-7373 [email protected] ENTERTAINMENT HOTLINE . 892-5700 PUBLISHER Governor Rick Scott LEISURE SERVICES . 893-7207 [email protected] Bob & Becky Griffin MIRROR LAKE LIBRARY . 893-7268 FLORIDA UNITED STATES SENATORS : PLANNING & ZONING . 893-7471 Marco Rubio . 202-224-3041 ART DIRECTION SANITATION . 893-7334 www.Rubio.Senate.gov Becky Griffin UTILITY ACCOUNTS . 893-7341 Bill Nelson . 202-224-5274 SALES EMERGENCIES . 9-1-1 www.BillNelson.Senate.gov FIRE DEPARTMENT . 893-7694 727-517-1997 AREA UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE: POLICE NON-EMERGENCY . 893-7780 Kathy Castor . 727- 873-2817 CONTACT INFO POLICE TEXT MESSAGE . 420-8911 511 Second St. S., St. Petersburg, FL 33701 POLICE TIP VOICE LINE . 892-5000 www.castor.house.gov P.O. Box 1314 ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785 DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOC . Gary Grooms, President . 404-667-3970 LOCAL ATTRACTIONS 517 -1997 ~ 517 -1 998 FAX AMERICAN STAGE . 823-1600 StPeteDowntownNewsletter.com stpetedna.org DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSN 823-4394 FL MUSEUM . 820-0100 We would like to hear from you. Is Meeting: 3rd Wed of each month (8AM). FLORIDA ORCHESTRA . 892-3331 DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS CIVIC ASSN GREAT EXPLORATIONS . 821-8992 there something you would like to Hugh Tulloch . 898-6170 JANNUS LANDING . .896-2276 see included in this newsletter? BREAKFAST OPT IMISTS . 393-3597 MAHAFFEY THEATER . 892-5798 Tell us what you think at First Friday Street Party MUNICIPAL MARINA . 893-7329 MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS . 896-2667 [email protected] ROTARY OF ST. PETERSBURG . 898.6744 Paula Adams, Ex Sec. SPRotary.org MUSEUM OF HISTORY . 894-1052 © 2014 Griffin Productions, Inc. DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP . 821-5166 PALADIUM THEATRE . 822-3590 100 Second Ave., Suite 150 SALVADOR DALI MUSEUM . 823-3767 GWFC ST PETE WOMAN’S CLUB . 822-4982 ST. PETERSBURG OPERA . 823-2040 ST. PETERSBURG 40 Snell Isle Blvd N.E. STATE THEATRE . 895-3045 COUNCIL OF NEIGHBORHOODS ASSN STUDIO @ 620 . 895-6620 DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Michael Gulley . 244-8374 SUNKEN GARDENS . 551-3100 NORTHEAST LITTLE LEAGUE . 526-9602 CHIHULY COLLECTION . 822-7872 We are always trying to include SNELL ISLE HOMEOWNERS THE COLISEUM . 892-5202 more of your news. People who live Scott Youngblood, President . 374-6870 TAMPA BAY RAYS . 800-FAN-RAYS downtown, plus the Snell Isle and HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST HOMEOWNERS TROPICANA FIELD . 825-3137 Old Northeast areas want to know Peter Motzenbecker President . 248-9288 what is happening in their area. That is why, if you have news or MESSAGE FROM MAYOR KRISEMAN events, please contact us. I hope you had a happy holiday season and the New Year is treating you well. This newsletter survives on local On the campaign trail, I promised that our neighborhoods would have the full advertising. Please tell your home support of City Hall. I have begun to fulfill that promise by hiring Mike Dove to suppliers such as pool companies, direct Neighborhood Affairs. lawn care, electricians, etc about us. Mr. Dove has over 30 years of government experience at the local, county, and If you are a resident of our mailing regional levels. He has experience in transportation planning, land use and area and advertise, you will receive zoning, housing, code enforcement, and neighborhood programs. Under Mayor a discount. Fischer, he created St. Petersburg’s neighborhood partnership program, which We produce similar newsletters in was recognized by national, state, and local awards. In 2001, he became Deputy four other areas: Indian Rocks Mayor for Neighborhood Services for Mayor Rick Baker. He retired from the City Beach, Clearwater Beach and in 2007 to open his own firm as a planning consultant. Belleair. You can read this and other Mike shares my vision for rebuilding and celebrating our neighborhoods, issues online at reducing blight, bringing back important programs like neighborhood grants, StPeteDowntownNewsletter.com. and strengthening the identity of our neighborhoods. While each neighborhood is special, I recognize the unique and vital role Historic SEE YOU Old Northeast, Downtown and Snell Isle neighborhoods play in our city. I look AGAIN IN forward to visiting with you soon and working together to move St. Pete forward. APRIL! Sincerely, Mayor Rick Kriseman ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Did You KnCALoLIwNG. .A. LL PHILATELIST In 1918, to commemorate the start of the first regularly scheduled airmail service between Washington, Philadelphia and New York, the US Post Office printed a 24-cent stamp with an image of a Curtiss Jenny biplane. Inadvertently, the image was printed upside down. One sheet was sold before the mistake was discovered, making the “Inverted Jenny” one of the rarest and most valuable stamp in history.