![Francis G. Wagner's St. Petersburg Photographs](../assets/md5images/19f06e5773285b3a8af4e61fc0bce884.jpg)
Francis G. Wagner's St. Petersburg Photographs
This collection documents the growth of St Petersburg during the 1920s. Photographer Francis G. Wagner [1891-1975], a native of Tontogany, Ohio, came to St. Petersburg in the winter of 1914. He opened St Petersburg's first camera store, the Strand Camera Shop at 9 Second Street in 1916. The Wagners sold the Strand Camera Shop to employee Charlie E. Jones in 1963 and Jones closed the shop around 1980. The space was rented to various businesses over the years.
Hired in April 1984 to clean out the old building's storage loft, Earl R. Jacobs, III found and preserved more than 900 negatives, which he later donated to USF Libraries - St. Petersburg Special Collections.
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Aerial view: Central Avenue looking east and north toward the waterfront, Million Dollar Pier was not built yet, the Yacht basin, Hotel Detroit, Soreno Hotel. Willson Chase Dry Goods and Furniture, Harrison Powell Hardware and Furniture, Levell's Café, Apparel Store, and other businesses; cars, trolley, and people
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Aerial view: Central Avenue looking east toward the waterfront, the Million Dollar Pier, the Yacht basin, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Soreno Hotel, Ponce de Leon Hote; the Hotel Detroit sign is not visible; the Willson Chase Co complete sign is legible; Deco clothing store drug store, and other businesses and many cars, some people, clouds
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Aerial view: Central Avenue looking east toward the waterfront, the Million Dollar Pier, Yacht basin, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Soreno Hotel, and the Ponce de Leon Hotel; the Hotel Detroit sign not visible; Willson Chase Co complete sign is legible; Deco clothing store drug store, and other businesses; many cars and people