ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A popular and historic St. Petersburg attraction received a huge donation in support of a new history center.
The Sunken Garden Forever Foundation announced a $120,000 pledge for the future history center. The long-awaited addition to the garden is currently being built at the historic entrance which once faced 18 Avenue northeast.
The history center will showcase the sunken garden's legacy, dating back to the pioneering days of St. Petersburg and its role as a major roadside attraction.
The four-acre botanical garden was originally purchased by the Turner family in 1911. They would grow tropical fruit trees on the site before opening it as a tourist attraction in the mid-1930s.
A majority of the funds will go to renovating and restoring the original garden entrance, the foundation says. $20,000 will go the actual historic exhibits.
