A BRIEF HISTORY OF HELLENISM IN FLORIDA

By Leonidas C. Polopolus

Early History. 1768 - Early 1800s

The first community of Greeks to settle in what is now known as the State of Florida arrived in 1768 from Asia Minor (Smyrna), Mani of the Peloponnesos, and Crete. There were also several Greek families from the island of Corsica that arrived with the early settlers to Florida. These adventurous Greeks numbered about 500 strong, among a total population of 1,405 that also included other Corsicans, Italians and Minorcans.

These early settlers first arrived in St. Augustine, but were quickly moved to an area a few miles south named "New Smyrna" in honor of the Greek wife of the Captain of the colony, Dr. Andrew Turnbull. Mrs. Turnbull originally grew up in the Greek community of Smyrna in Asia Minor. The Greek settlers were promised land and freedom in the New World.

While some the Greeks died aboard ship enroute to Florida, the majority of the colonists died from diseases, starvation, and maybe most importantly, harsh servitude imposed by an oppressive landlord and overseer, Andrew Turnbull.

In 1776, the year that the American colonists in New England sought freedom from the British, the Greeks and other settlers in New Smyrna marched 70 miles north to St. Augustine for their freedom. Only 291 colonists out of the total of 1,405 survived the New Smyrna experiment.

While there were no Greek Orthodox priests included in the New Smyrna colony, a Greek Orthodox cross was discovered at the Avero House in St. Augustine many years later. It is believed that the first Orthodox worship services in the Americas was held at the Avero House in the late 1700s.

To commemorate this early history of Greek Orthodox in Florida, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America established a permanent St. Photios Shrine at the exact location of the Avero House in St. Augustine.

The Greek population of St. Augustine of the 1770s gradually integrated with the local population of the area. Visitors to historic St. Augustine, Florida, however, continue to be impressed by the remnants of Greek names for city streets and the fact that the first school teacher of a one room school house in America was named Yianopoulos.

The St. Photios Shrine was dedicated in the 1980s and contains a chapel, museum area and gift shop. Over 500,00 tourists visit this site in Florida each year. Special annual programs are held in February and June to commemorate the early Greek Orthodox pilgrims.

In addition to the St. Photios Shrine in St. Augustine, the Order of AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational and Progressive Association) has established a permanent Shrine in New Smyrna Beach to honor the first Greeks to this continent. The Daytona Beach Chapter of AHEPA conducts a special memorial service and dinner dance each September to recognize the early Greek pioneers.

The Late 1800s and Early 1900s

In the late 1800s and early part of the 1900s, Greek fishermen discovered bountiful shrimp and snapper off the Gulf of Mexico and near Jacksonville. The Greek population expanded greatly when ice-making plants were established in Pensacola. By 1916 there were 38 Greek owned fishing vessels in the Gulf area. As one might expect, the fishermen "overfished" the Gulf waters near Pensacola and then migrated to Apalachicola and Tarpon Springs by 1920.

The entry of Greek fishermen to North Florida led to other Greek immigrants as owners/operators of fruit stands, sandwich shops, candy stores, grocery stores and restaurants in the Panhandle areas of Florida.

The early Greeks in North Florida made their presence felt in politics as well. In 1887, Constantine Apostle was elected mayor of Pensacola. He is considered the first person of Greek ancestry to become elected major of any city in the United States.

While the Greeks were making their presence felt in North Florida, significant developments were occurring in the early 1900s in Tarpon Springs. The Greek population in Tarpon Springs in 1895 was estimated to be 562. By the year 1910, the Greek population had swelled to 2,212 because of the rapid development of the sponge industry. In 1905, a Greek from Leonidion (Arcadia), Greece - John Cocoris- brought more advanced Greek technology to the harvesting of sponges in the Gulf of Mexico. This technology dramatically increased the productivity of sponge harvesting in the Gulf, displacing the antiquated "American" system of sponge harvesting.

By 1911 there were 250 sponging vessels, mostly Greek owned. The influx of sponge divers from Kalymnos and other Greek islands also led to other Greek owned activities in Tarpon Springs. There were Greek boat builders, sponge buyers, sponge packers, restaurants, candy stores, 21kaffenia (coffee parlours), grocery stores, among many other economic activities.

The first modern Greek Orthodox church of Florida was established in1907 in Tarpon Springs. The other early Greek Orthodox churches established in Florida were in Pensacola (1909), Jacksonville (1916), and Miami (1925).

In addition to Pensacola and Tarpon Springs, some of the earliest Greeks to Florida settled in Jacksonville. Andreas Coroneos came to Jacksonville in the 1880s and established large cigar and fruit stores in the downtown Jacksonville area. James Boulos arrived in Jacksonville from Sparta. Greece and owned 10 homes (for rent) and several fruit stores. Also, George Brocatzas arrived in Jacksonville in 1890 and owned a large restaurant.

Greek immigrants to Florida in the early 1900s were not always treated with respect. There was isolated but flagrant discrimination against Greeks in Florida. Some non-Greek restaurants had posters in the 1920s that read "No Niggers or Greeks".

The Order of AHEPA was first organized in Atlanta, Georgia in 1922 to deal in part with this type of anti-Greek discrimination in the South. The mother chapter of AHEPA was formed in Atlanta, but AHEPA chapters sprang up in several Florida cities before World War II (Jacksonville, Tarpon Springs, and Miami). AHEPA chapters (along with auxiliary Daughters of Penelope, Maids of Athena, and Sons of Pericles organizations) now exist in Ft. Lauderdale, Port Richey, Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Pensacola, Gainesville, Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Coral Springs, among other areas.

The Greek Communities of Florida in 2002 and Beyond

Not only is Florida's history filled with examples of Greek culture and entrepreneurship, but the contemporary Florida society has heavy accents of Greek religion and culture. There are Greek Orthodox churches in at least 30 of Florida's cities. And the number of Greek Orthodox parishes in Florida is growing over time.

The current Greek population of Florida is concentrated in the Tampa Bay area (Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tarpon Springs, Port Richey, Largo, Dunedin, etc.) and the Gold Coast (West Palm Beach, Ft. Pierce, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Hollywood, North Miami, Miami, and Kendall). There may be as many as 100,000 Greeks in the Tampa Bay area, with as many as 30,000 Greeks in the Gold Coast of Florida. Other major population centers for Greeks in Florida include the greater Orlando, Jacksonville, and Pensacola areas. Considerable growth is now occurring in the Southwest Gulf area, from Bradenton to Sarasota to Ft. Myers.

While official U.S. Census data historically undercount the Greek population in Florida, the number of Greeks in Florida with Greek ancestry exceeds 150,000.

Thus, Hellensim in Florida is alive and well. The strength of Hellenism is seen in the growth in the number of Greek Orthodox churches over time, the number of Greek organizations such as AHEPA, but also the regional societies that include the Pan Cretan, Macedonian, Arcadian, Laconia, Kalymnian, Simian, among many others.

Tarpon Springs, Florida continues to serve as the national home of the Epiphany Services each January 6. Greek Festivals are conducted in almost every major Florida city throughout the year, attracting thousands of non-Greek participants. There are hundreds of Greek owned restaurants in Florida, with dozens of them specializing in Greek food. Florida is also the home of many Greek musicians and artists. There are several Greek radio stations or Greek radio hours in Florida.

And, of course, there is the Center for Greek Studies of the University of Florida in Gainesville that seeks to perpetuate Greek language and culture through its 30 undergraduate courses taught for credit. While the University of Florida's modern Greek program began in 1979, classical Greek has been continuously taught at the University of Florida since 1853, the year the university was founded.