Long before the NFL arrived in Tampa, Goodyear blimps filled the skies above St. Petersburg. In 1929 promotions guru John Lodwick convinced City Council to build a blimp hangar at Albert Whitted Airport in an effort to lure the Goodyear blimp fleet to St. Petersburg, and course, boost tourism. According to Museum curator Nevin Sitler, whose graduate work in the Florida Studies program at USF-St. Pete centered on Lodwick, dirigibles soared over the city skyline for a decade providing rides and even delivering Santa Claus and gifts at Christmas. Goodyear eventually moved its blimp base to South Florida.
For more historic St. Pete photos, visit www.historystpete.org.
