ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — An iconic Tampa Bay landmark just received a vintage makeover.
The Sunken Gardens sign on St. Petersburg's 4th Street now looks very much like its 1960s glory days, including the return of a coral pink backdrop and an adjoining tower of flowers.
At night, the sign drawing visitors to the classic roadside attraction will combine state-of-the-art LED lights and a touch of neon.
"You don't see a lot of these signs anymore," said Dwayne Biggs, Sunken Gardens supervisor. "It shows what Old Florida was. That we're able to breathe new life into this sign is a wonderful thing for St. Pete."
The years have been hard on the sign, with various replacements. But Biggs and his staff did research to align the current sign with iterations of the past.
Along with a new history center that celebrates almost 100 years of the attraction, the new sign nods to Sunken Gardens' old-school charms.
"That roadside archaeology, as some people call it, is definitely falling by the wayside, so we're so thankful to revive it for the public," said Jennifer Tyson, education coordinator at Sunken Gardens, which is now owned and operated by the city.
For Sunken Gardens tickets, hours and upcoming events, click here.
