1913 Prather Map of Pinella, St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay, Florida

An extraordinary 1913 Ralph Carlyle Prather cyanotype map of the southern part of the Pinellas County Peninsula, near Tampa, Florida. It illustrates the early urbanization not only of Tampa Bay and Pinellas County, but also of the wider Florida Land Boom that would reach its peak 8 year later.

A Closer Look

The wall sized cyanotype covers from roughly modern-day 54th Avenue North, south to Greater Pinellas Point, and from Boca Ceiga Bay to Tampa Bay. It thus embraces much of modern-day St. Petersburg, as well as Gulfport, Pasadena on the Gulf, and Kenwood. The focus is not so much are St. Petersburg itself - as it existed in 1913, but rather on the high-paced development and real estate speculation running rampant on the rest of the Peninsula. The map notes railroad lines, property owners, and thousands of developments.

Cyanotype: Why so Blue?

Cyanotype is a photo-reprographic technique developed in 1842 by the British astronomer John Herschel (1792 - 1871). Sometimes called a 'sunprint', the technique employs a solution of ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide, which painted on white paper or cloth, reacts when exposed to sunlight to dye the object a brilliant blue. Areas blocked from ultraviolet exposure remain undyed and white. Herschel developed the technique to reproduce his astronomical notes, but others quickly realized that any object capable of blocking light could be used to create a cyanotype image quickly and easily. By the late 19th century, the process became popular with designers, military, architects, and engineers (blueprints), who used the cheap and effective technique to quickly and exactly reproduce images in the field. Cyanotyping is limited in that only a single copy can be made at one time, so it was only practical for short-term field work. It is also of note that cyanotypes remain extremely reactive to light and, over time, fade or degrade, making them extremely ephemeral. The process fell out of fashion in most places by the 1920s but remains in use in some parts of the world, such as India and Nepal, to this day.

Historical Context

In 1913, when this map was issued, St. Petersburg was a small but growing city of about 10,000 situated in the southern Pinellas Peninsula. The city's sunny climate and scenic location made it a popular destination for tourists and winter residents, and several large hotels had been built to accommodate them. At the time, the city boasted a number of notable residents, including Ernest Hemingway, who spent time there while working for the Kansas City Star. Despite its relatively small size, St. Petersburg was a bustling, with a thriving downtown and a vibrant cultural scene.

Publication History and Census

This map was drafted and printed in 1913 by Ralph Carlyle Prather's Prather Studio, who would later attain fame as an illustrator. It is based upon information provided by the John D. Harris Abstract Company of St. Petersburg. The present map is the only known example.