The Sunshine City Goes To War   

World W at II forever changed St. Petersburg. Thundering war clouds storming across the globe brought profound changes throughout the "Sunshine City." After the United States entered the Second World War, civic leaders and residents sought to bolster the city's languishing economy by touting the area's climate to military officials. More than 120,000 recruits and instructors - some accompanied by their families - visited.

World W at II forever changed St. Petersburg. Thundering war clouds storming across the globe brought profound changes throughout the "Sunshine City." After the United States entered the Second World War, civic leaders and residents sought to bolster the city's languishing economy by touting the area's climate to military officials. More than 120,000 recruits and instructors - some accompanied by their families - visited.