St. Pete Adds 2 Acres To Historic Abercrombie Park

ST. PETERSBURG, FL —Additional acreage has been added to St. Petersburg's waterfront, historic park, Abercrombie Park, and the city celebrated with a virtual ribbon cutting ceremony on June 20.

Some city officials in attendance included Mayor Rick Kriseman and Deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin.

"Our parks and our park system that we have here in St. Petersburg—I think it's one of the things that makes us so different from so many other cities around the country."

Abercrombie Park is an archaeological park located in the Jungle Terrace neighborhood, and the added 2.4 acres was purchased by the city from Evelyn Kuttler in 2015. Kuttler owned the joining waterfront property known as the Kuttler Mound property. After many years of living there she decided to sell it.

Kriseman said that the city was not the highest bidder during the selling process, but it was important to Kuttler that the historical artifacts on the land be taken care of, and wanted others to enjoy the history of the property so that is why she chose the city as the buyer.

According to the St. Pete Parks & Recreation website, it contains mounds and shell middens that are part of a large pre-Columbian village occupied by Native Americans between AD 140 and 565, during the early Weeden Island period and again during the early Safety Harbor period, between AD 890 and 1390.

The city is adding additional boardwalks that connect the two properties providing an easy cut through over a small stream for park visitors. The city said the boardwalks should be complete by Friday, June 26.

A 360 tour of Abercrombie Park, which is a virtual tour, is available at St. Pete Parks Recreation website, as well as information on the other

The other three archaeological parks in St. Pete include Indian Mound Park, Jungle Prada De Narvaez Park and Maximo Park. Virtual tours of these parks are also available on the St. Pete Parks & Recreation link.