Greek Culture — Blog — Chad Gallivanter

Less than an hour drive north of Tampa on Florida’s Gulf Coast is one of the most offbeat, culturally-rich communities in the state of Florida.

Tarpon Springs was first settled in the 1870s, named for the giant tarpon that jumped and splashed in Spring Bayou. It was around the bayou where most of the town’s early development took place as a wintering spot for well-to-do northerners. Victorian-era houses still dot the neighborhood.

Toward the end of the century, boats would leave docks along Dodecanese Boulevard to harvest sponges from Key West to the Panhandle. For a bigger return, the Greek technique of diving for sponges was implemented. An influx of Greek immigrants to the area soon followed and the cultural identity of Tarpon Springs took root.

What was once a remote village became the “sponge capital of the world.” At one point, natural sea sponges retrieved from the Gulf surpassed citrus as Florida’s main export.

Sponges are still big business in Tarpon Springs and Greek heritage remains at the forefront. In fact, this community of just over 25,000 has the highest concentration of people of Greek descent than any other city in the nation.

On this episode, we take you to the sponge docks and beyond to show you the best things to do in Tarpon Springs.