From the archives: A Sunken Gardens photo gallery – 26 classic black-and-white images

The Tampa Bay Times photo archives are filled with hundreds of thousands of images that capture the history and flavor of the Tampa Bay area and beyond. Having recently added a sizable number of historical Sunken Gardens photos to the archive, we decided...

From the archives: A Sunken Gardens photo gallery – 26 classic black-and-white images

The Tampa Bay Times photo archives are filled with hundreds of thousands of images that capture the history and flavor of the Tampa Bay area and beyond. Having recently added a sizable number of historical Sunken Gardens photos to the archive, we decided to pull some out and share them with you. Whether or not you've ever been to Sunken Gardens, we think you'll enjoy browsing through these images.

More than a Year ago

1 Year Ago

4 Months Ago

(Times files)

This is how Sunken Gardens looked in 1910 when founder George Turner Sr. first started selling fruit from his garden, a St. Petersburg landmark since 1903. That's George Turner Sr. tending shop in the log cabin fruit stand.

(Times files)

February 1945 - Turner's Sunken Gardens and some of Florida's lovelies

(Handout photo)

September 19, 1948 - Vickie Turner at Sunken Gardens.

(Times staff photo)

January 13, 1952 - Turner's Sunken Gardens

(Times staff photo)

December 29, 1964 - A little ignorance can be bliss if you're a little boy and you're walking around in in Sunken Gardens, where bananas are grown profusely among the many varieties of tropical plants and flowers. Caught in the act of being himself is little Scott Turner, son of the garden's co-owner, George Turner.

(Handout photo)

January 12, 1966 – Jimmy Durante may not have a snoot as big as this friendly toucan at Florida's Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, but he probably wouldn't mind being compared to the colorful creature, for the bird is tops in providing entertainment for visitors to his aviary. Pretty Sandy Barber seems captivated by the bird's friendliness.

(Handout photo)

April 28, 1966 - Apparently these two Magpie Blue Jays have different ideas about who the photographer is in the family. The young birds are new residents to the huge walk-through aviary at Florida's Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg.

(Norman Zeisloft | Times)

September 14, 1966 - No. Sunken Gardens hasn't moved to the beach. But these beauties from the gardens relocated one bright afternoon of a bit of sun, surf and photography. Actually, the real attraction features myriads of beautiful plants and birds.

(Norman Zeisloft | Times)

September 14, 1966 - No. Sunken Gardens hasn't moved to the beach. But these beauties from the gardens relocated one bright afternoon of a bit of sun, surf and photography. Actually, the real attraction, complete with bathing beauties, is located at 1825 Fourth St. N. and also features myriads of beautiful plants and birds.

(Fred Parrish | Times)

September 20, 1966 - The Coca-Cola plant, 1927 Fourth St. N., may soon be purchased by Sunken Gardens for a price of $175,000. The property will be used for expansion of the botanical gardens.

(Weaver Tripp | Times)

April 15, 1967 - Sunken Gardens features beautiful scenery and beautiful birds in one of the largest walk-through aviaries in the South. Additions including a 20-foot volcano are in the works in property adjacent to the present site.

(Norman Zeisloft | Times)

December 10, 1967 – U.S. Marines get acquainted with a parrot at Sunken Gardens.

(Norman Zeisloft | Times)

December 10, 1967 – Vietnam vets at Sunken Gardens.

(Norman Zeisloft | Times)

March 29 1968 - Florida Governor Claude Kirk admires a toucan being held by Vicki Leland at Sunken Gardens.

(Times staff photo)

June 10 1968 - Americans love Maurice Chevalier as much Europeans do and even our birds, like this long billed toucan from Florida's Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, seem to sing his praises. The 80-year-old entertainer admits his age with a smile. He says he is retiring but he plans to keep his foot in the stage door.

(Handout photo)

1968 - Florida's sunny weather and tropical scenes such as this one taken at Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, Florida, are just a few of the reasons it is such a major attraction. Marion Scroggs adds a finishing touch to a peaceful setting surrounded by towering palms and stately pink flamingos.

(Times staff photo)

Circa late 1960s – Roger Kenny, curator of birds at Sunken Gardens, with a blue-and-gold Macaw.

(Handout photo)

March 13, 1969 - Frank Zane, "Mr. Universe of 1969", established a new record of sorts at Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, Florida, when he became the first person to ever see the entire attraction on a pogo stick.

(Norman Zeisloft | Times)

February 21, 1973 – Visitors relax near the entrance to Sunken Gardens. The St. Petersburg botanical attraction is open to the public every day of the year.

(Norman Zeisloft | Times)

February 10, 1974 – Visitors stroll through Sunken Gardens.

(Handout photo)

December 5, 1974 - Scenic pathways abound with colorful picture-taking opportunities at Sunken Gardens.

(George Trabant | Times

December 29, 1975 - The Sunken Gardens parking lot overflowed as tourists packed in.

(George Trabant | Times)

June 25, 1976 - An orchid house has been added to Florida's oldest one-family-owned attraction, Sunken Gardens. The new facility was dedicated yesterday when Becky Tuten, Miss Sunken Gardens (shown looking at orchids) handed garden shears to County Agricultural Agent G Whitton, who cut the ribbon.

(Steve Dozier | Times)

January 9, 1979 - A third generation of Turners has taken over at St. Petersburg's Sunken Gardens attraction. From left are Jim, Tom and Ray Turner, who acquired the 76-year-old landmark from their father, Ralph.

(Eric Mencher | Times)

December 31, 1980 - Parrots and many other forms of tropical wildlife can be found at Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg on Fourth Street N.

To order reprints, license or download any Times image from this gallery, or to see hundreds of other Sunken Gardens photos, please visit the Times image archive.

Tim Rozgonyi

Twitter: @timrozgonyi

e-mail: trozgonyi@tampabay.com

Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.

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