Williams Park
Encyclopedia
Williams Park is in St. Petersburg
, Florida
, United States
. It is the city's first park and encompasses an entire city block between 4th and 3rd Streets North and between 2nd and 1st Avenues North. Founded in 1888 and originally named "City Park," it was changed to Williams Park in honor of the founder of St. Petersburg, John Constantine Williams Sr.
The park is the center of the downtown business district and has been the venue for numerous political and civic rallies and celebrations for more than one hundred years. In 1964, Richard Nixon
used the bandstand to speak to a large group gathered in the park on behalf of then presidential candidate Barry Goldwater
. Many downtown workers flock to the park in good weather for picnic
s during their lunch breaks. At one time, the park was surrounded by prestigious department and retail stores. In the past 25 years, most of them have moved away to malls and other areas away from the city center.
The bandstand
plays a prominent role in the park and one has been there since 1894. The bandstand is still used for many outdoor concerts during the noon hour and on weekends, but for groups which tend to attract smaller crowds.
William's Park is now a major bus transfer point for the PSTA bus line.
William's Park is also known as the city's homeless park. Local residents, college students and shoppers no longer stroll the sidewalks or lounge on the landscaped lawn. Ongoing drug sweeps and police activity are now the features that mar this once prominent gathering place.
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the city's first park and encompasses an entire city block between 4th and 3rd Streets North and between 2nd and 1st Avenues North. Founded in 1888 and originally named "City Park," it was changed to Williams Park in honor of the founder of St. Petersburg, John Constantine Williams Sr.
The park is the center of the downtown business district and has been the venue for numerous political and civic rallies and celebrations for more than one hundred years. In 1964, Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
used the bandstand to speak to a large group gathered in the park on behalf of then presidential candidate Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
. Many downtown workers flock to the park in good weather for picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
s during their lunch breaks. At one time, the park was surrounded by prestigious department and retail stores. In the past 25 years, most of them have moved away to malls and other areas away from the city center.
The bandstand
Bandstand
A bandstand is a circular or semicircular structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts...
plays a prominent role in the park and one has been there since 1894. The bandstand is still used for many outdoor concerts during the noon hour and on weekends, but for groups which tend to attract smaller crowds.
William's Park is now a major bus transfer point for the PSTA bus line.
William's Park is also known as the city's homeless park. Local residents, college students and shoppers no longer stroll the sidewalks or lounge on the landscaped lawn. Ongoing drug sweeps and police activity are now the features that mar this once prominent gathering place.