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An absorbing trip
The sponge industry continues to thrive in this Gulf Coast village
The natural beauty of the region has been a tourist attraction for decades.
TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — Greece is the word in Tarpon Springs, Fla., a breezy Gulf Coast village about 30 miles northeast of Tampa.
Here tourists will discover a sparkling blue harbor crowded with boats and dockside streets lined with Greek restaurants and shops.
Tarpon Springs became the replica of a sunny Mediterranean port back in the early 1900s when hundreds of Greeks immigrated here to work as sponge divers.
The warm Gulf Coast waters offered miles of unharvested sponge beds, and the American founder of the Anclote and Rock Island Sponge Company wanted to hire Greek workers because they were considered the best sponge fisherman in the world.
Ads placed in Greek newspapers drew hundreds of newcomers.
Today many descendants of Tarpon Springs’ original Greek families own shops along Dodecanese Boulevard in what is known as the Sponge Docks Fishing Village.
A stroll through the Sponge Docks is absolutely delightful.
Festive Greek music mingles with the hollow clunk of wooden wind chimes, and delicious aromas waft from numerous ethnic eateries.
Daring diners can sample smoked alligator or broiled octopus, while the less adventurous can try a hearty Greek salad, a traditional baklava or the ever-popular gyro.
The dockside air is filled with other types of pleasant aromas, too.
Getaguru, a store selling homemade soaps, emits the clean and spicy fragrances of lavender, oregano and thyme, and numerous Cuban cigar shops lend a smoky, exotic flavor to the seaside breeze.
Besides soaps and cigars, shoppers will find a plethora of curiosities — everything from bath and beauty products made with olive oil, starfish, seashells, T-shirts, Greek statuary, candles, jewelry and, of course, sponges.
You’ll be amazed at the variety of sponges for sale. Loofah sponges; soft “sheep’s wool” sponges; big, fat sponges; skinny, little sponges — they’re all here by the crate, and they’re fresh from the sea.
The Tarpon Springs sponge industry has waxed and waned throughout the years.
During the Great Depression a blight infested the sponge beds and killed many sponges. The industry recovered but was damaged again in the 1940s by a red tide.
Recently the sponge business has seen a revival, and professional divers continue to search the waters off Tarpon Springs. People of Greek heritage still operate most of the boats, and Tarpon Springs sponges continue to be sold all over the world.
Tourists who are curious about how sponges are harvested can get a closer look at the process during a 30-minute cruise on the St. Nicholas Boat Line.
The tour offers a narrated history of the Sponge Docks and a sponge diving demonstration by a diver wearing traditional gear. Boats depart every half-hour between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The shops in the Sponge Docks vicinity are wonderful, but they’re not the only shops in Tarpon Springs. Downtown offers an eclectic blend of antique stores, art galleries and restaurants, for example.
Of course, Tarpon Springs is about more than shopping.
The town also offers stunning architecture.
The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral at 36 N. Pinellas Ave. is a replica of the Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople and is open to worshippers and visitors from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily.
This grand cathedral was built in 1943 and is the site of the city’s annual epiphany celebration.
The daylong celebration includes a morning service, the release of a white dove of peace, a ritual dive in Spring Bayou for a crucifix and — of course — Greek food, music and dancing.
The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral is also home to the icon of St. Nicholas, patron saint of sailors, the poor and children.
Many of the cathedral’s furnishings were imported from Europe.
Another site of religious interest in Tarpon Springs is St. Michael’s Shrine at 113 Hope St.
A local Greek family erected this small, beautiful chapel to express gratitude for their young son’s miraculous recovery from what doctors diagnosed as an incurable brain tumor.
The snug, lighted sanctuary is open 24 hours a day, and the walls are crowded with paintings and statues of St. Michael.
People from all over the world come here seeking miracles of their own.
Tarpon Springs also offers breathtaking natural beauty.
Fred Howard Park, at 1700 Sunset Drive, is a 150-acre wooded nature preserve that boasts a white, sandy beach, a butterfly garden, walking paths, mangrove estuaries, saline wetlands and shaded picnic areas.
Park visitors can sometimes spot eagles, ospreys, dolphins and manatees (during the winter months). The park is also known for its spectacular sunsets.
The natural beauty of Tarpon Springs has been attracting tourists for more than 100 years.
During the 1880s and 1890s, thousands of wealthy Northerners flocked to Tarpon Springs to enjoy the mild climate.
The sunshine, sea breezes and scent of pines were rumored to help respiratory and digestive problems.
A mineral spring with medicinal waters added to the town’s reputation as a health resort.
At Spring Bayou/Craig Park on West Tarpon Avenue tourists can see the lovely Victorian homes where the rich once lodged. Known as the “Golden Crescent,” this was an area where famous actors, artists and government officials came to rejuvenate.
Visitors can learn more about the Golden Crescent as well as Tarpon Springs’ evolution from a tiny, two-cabin settlement to a bustling tourist spot at the Tarpon Springs Heritage Museum at 100 Beekman Lane.
The museum also contains fascinating artifacts from the city’s ancient Indian mounds.
The best known mound — the Safford Mound — was excavated between 1879 and 1896 and contained more than 600 skeletons as well as numerous pottery artifacts.
XFor more information on Tarpon Springs, call the Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce at (727) 937-6109, write 11 E. Orange St., Tarpon Springs, Fla. 34689, or visit www.tourtarpon.com.