City of Tarpon Springs, Florida

Tarpon Springs is one of those destinations that no visitor to Florida should miss. The city is located in Pinellas County and is only 30 miles from Tampa. Unfortunately, most visitors to the area fail to explore one of the most unique cities in Florida. Tarpon Springs is not an established tourist destination. The city still hosts a fair number of visitors. Some of these visitors are students and their families. They visit to enroll in St Petersburg’s campus in Tarpon Springs. Other visitors consist of Greek culture enthusiasts who have heard about the reputation of Tarpon Springs and its Greek heritage.

The diverse culture is influenced by the Greek population who have made Tarpon Springs their home. There are two aspects that distinguish the city. This includes the sponge industry and Greek food. The sponge industry is the work of the Greek Immigrants. Their hard work has turned a small village into the Sponge Capital of the World. Visiting the harbor with ships full of bails of sponges is an experience unique to Tarpon Springs. The Greek food, on the other hand, can be tried in many wonderful Greek restaurants. There are fabulous waterfront Greek Restaurants serving great food with memorable views. Dimitri’s On The Water takes you to Greece without the need to travel. Hellas Restaurants is another Greek restaurant serving truly authentic Greek cuisine.

History of Tarpon Springs

In 1876 the area currently known as Tarpon Springs was first occupied by fishermen and farmers. By the early 1900s the Greek population discovered in the area vast natural sponge beds. The newly found   sponge beds attracted the Greek divers. This started a booming sponge industry in Florida. At its highest point, the sponge industry surpassed Florida’s main citrus industry.

Subsequently, the arrival of Greek divers led to the attraction of more Greek immigrants from their homeland to the area. A place called Sponge Exchange was established where the divers displayed their bails of sponges ready to be auctioned. Eventually, the small Greek community expanded the business to many shops and restaurants. This resulted in the area flourishing as a vibrant City of Tarpon Springs. The importance of the sponge industry established this vibrant community.