The state of Florida was fighting bankruptcy in 1880. A wealthy saw manufacturer, Hamilton Disston, purchased more than four million acres of property along Florida’s west coast. He paid the governor just 25 cents an acre, but this was enough cash to keep the state from collapsing. A part of the Midwest that he bought included Tarpon Springs. The city saw the establishment of a post office and a railway connection in just 1884.

Disston invested in the city to create a winter center that would attract Northerners with plenty to spend. He grew the city fast enough with his investments that it was incorporated in 1887 with just over 50 residents. Around this time, divers began to discover that the abundant colonies of sea sponges that surrounded the city were very profitable. Tarpon Springs became a fairly successful resort, but the sponge industry grew rapidly as well. Sponge production in the city soared in 1890.

Greek divers who had spent decades diving for sponges were hired to help train the teams working in Tarpon Springs. They brought rubber diving suits and pressurized helmets to speed up the collection process. In less than 20 years, the city’s Greek diver population grew to 500. All divers need additional services such as restaurants on the pier. Ship crews needed quick access to lunch and dinner in order to spend more time on the water. Visitors to the resort also wanted to see the natural sea sponges as they were brought in, and shops were opened to sell souvenirs and bath sponges.

A large building with an open courtyard was built in 1907 and known as the Sponge Exchange. Buyers could visit sponge diving teams in the yard and inspect the produce, and then auctions would help each ship’s crew sell their crops. The auctions were held twice a week. New developments in diving equipment made it easier for divers to catch larger catches each year. Several could go much deeper and stay underground longer. For the next 30 years, Florida’s largest industry involved sea sponges. Citrus and tourism were still second at the time after money produced by divers. At this point, the city of Tarpon Springs earned the name of “Sponge Capital of the World”.

Unfortunately, the industry took a big hit in the 1940s. Blight attacked the sponge colonies and nearly wiped out the natural sea sponge industry. It was only in the 1980s that several discovered new colonies of healthy sponges to harvest. Tarpon Springs is once again the center of the natural sea sponge industry. The city also remains a great vacation spot, especially with the strong influence of Greek residents. In Tarpon Springs you can find festivals, charming restaurants and a beautiful Orthodox cathedral. Visitors can also take a sea sponge tour and learn about the industry in person.