Tarpon Springs Honors City's History With 3 Ceremonies: Videos

TARPON SPRINGS, FL — The city of Tarpon Springs made history in June by celebrating the city's rich roots and traditions during three separate ceremonies.

Although the city's long tradition as a Greek fishing village settled by immigrant sponge divers was never in doubt. Pinellas County made it official by unveiling a historic state marker declaring the city's inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places since 1990.

On June 2, Tarpon Springs city commissioners Connor Donovan and Costa Vatikiotis, Tarpon Springs Mayor Chris Alahouzos and Pinellas County Commissioners Dave Eggers and Charlie Justice were on hand to unveil the marker.

On June 18, it was the people rather than the place that was honored when the city celebrated Hope Day in Tarpon Springs at the iconic diver statue in the Sponge Docks Central Plaza.

The day commemorates the June 18, 1905 anniversary of the first helmeted sponge divers set sail aboard the boat Elpis, or Hope, with the hope that they could build better lives for themselves by nurturing the sponge industry in Tarpon Springs.

Since then, the city has recognized June 18 as a day of hope and renewal.

In addition to a blessing of Tarpon Springs' Greek immigrants who risked their lives diving for sponges.

The Rev. Athanasios Haros of St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral blessed the Greek immigrants who risked their lives diving for sponges while Julie Russell read Alfred Lord Tennyson's applicable poem, Crossing the Bar."

Surrounded by veteran sponge divers, Mayor Alahouzos read the Hope Day Proclamation and then presented the key to the city to longtime sponge diver Tassos Karistinos.

The city's history was again front and center Tuesday when the city unveiled another historic state marker, this time dedicated to the original Tarpon Springs city hall, built in 1915.

The historic building is now home to the Tarpon Springs Cultural Center at 101 S. Pinellas Ave.

Additionally, residents got some insight into the symbolism of the elaborate mural painted by local artist Elizabeth Indianos painted on the wall of the cultural center titled, "This Blessed Plot, This Earth."