HISTORICALLY ST. PETE Rui Farias: Cattle, Printmaking, Baseball & YMCA Snapshots

(9/14/2026) In this episode of Historically St. Pete, Rui Farias - executive director of the St. Petersburg Museum of History, takes us on a tour of three fascinating local stories, and current exhibits.
CATTLE CALL Long before Florida became known for its modern ranches, the Seminole people were building a lasting connection with cattle. One of the leaders of that story was Charlie Micco, a member of the Panther Clan who became the first cattle foreman for the Seminole Tribe’s Brighton cattle program. The Brighton Reservation’s cattle operation began in the 1930s, creating new economic opportunities while building on Seminole knowledge of the land and livestock. With decades of experience working as a ranch hand, Micco helped guide the early program and trained a new generation of Seminole cattlemen. The cattle program grew into an important part of Seminole history and continues today as a successful agricultural enterprise. From the pastures of South Florida to modern ranching operations, the Seminole Tribe’s cattle industry reflects resilience, adaptability, and a deep connection to the land.
PRINTMAKING  Margaret Rigg believed that art could do more than decorate a wall. It could communicate ideas, inspire dialogue, and encourage people to see the world differently. Trained at Carnegie Mellon University, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Florida State University, and the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, Rigg built a career that blended creativity with purpose. Before joining the faculty at Eckerd College in 1965, Rigg served as Art Director for Motive, a progressive Methodist magazine that used images and the printed word to
explore issues of faith, justice, and society. Throughout her career, she worked across  many artistic disciplines, including calligraphy, painting, sculpture, mixed media, and printmaking, while later helping establish Possum Press to publish illustrated books. As an educator, Rigg inspired generations of students to see art as both a creative
practice and a form of communication. Her career reminds us that printmaking has never been just about ink on paper. It has always been about sharing ideas that can inform, challenge, and connect communities.
BASEBALL On September 3, 2008, the Tampa Bay Rays faced the New York Yankees in St. Petersburg. In the ninth inning, Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez sent a towering fly ball down the left-field line. The ball sailed over the foul pole and struck one of Tropicana Field’s catwalks. Third base umpire Brian Runge ruled it a home run, but Rays manager Joe Maddon disagreed with the call. Crew chief Charlie Reliford and the other umpires discussed the
play before turning to MLB’s newly adopted instant replay system. For the first time in Major League Baseball history, an on-field call was reviewed using video. The footage was examined through MLB Advanced Media in New York, and about two minutes later, the original home run call was upheld. The Rays lost the game 8 to 4, but the night marked a much bigger victory for technology in baseball. What happened inside Tropicana Field that evening changed how close calls would be handled across Major League Baseball.
YMCA In a city nearly surrounded by water, there was one place on Fifth Street South where, for decades, thousands of St. Petersburg children dunked their heads underwater for the first time during swim lessons.
At least until an older cousin decided the next lesson would take place off a dock in Big Bayou, where it was sink or swim.  It took seven years, but on June 20th, 1927, the St. Petersburg YMCA officially opened its doors. Formed in 1920, the city’s chapter of the Young Men’s Christian Association went to work raising funds to build a home on the corner of Fifth Street and Second Avenue South in downtown St. Pete. Reflecting the community’s commitment to creating a center for recreation, education, and fellowship, $550,000 was raised, allowing for the construction of the city’s first publicly funded civic building. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Fundraising began during the height of the city’s 1920s boom. By the time construction was complete, St. Petersburg was about to enter a land and housing bust it wouldn’t see again for 90 years. The beloved downtown building was designed in the popular Mediterranean Revival style by University of Minnesota professor Clarence H. Johnson, who teamed up with local architect Archie G. Parish. Parish also designed Christ United Methodist Church, Mound Park Hospital, Jordan Park Housing Project, and the First Church of Christ, Scientist, now the Palladium Theater. Edward S. Moore & Sons was brought on to build a four-story YMCA — six stories if you count the tower and basement. It was constructed with arched windows and doorways, wreathed columns, ornamental iron railings, a changing roofline with barrel tiles, and interior tiles imported from Seville, Spain. Built across Fifth Street from the newly completed Florida Power Building, the YMCA was an architectural beauty from the moment it opened. As striking as its exterior was — and remains — it was the activities and amenities within its walls that made the building the city’s most popular recreational facility for decades.  The YMCA housed a full-size gymnasium that accommodated basketball, judo, boxing, gymnastics, wrestling, volleyball, and badminton. It also featured locker rooms, a
weightlifting area, and an indoor running track. Beneath these facilities, in the basement, was one of the largest indoor swimming pools in the city. It also provided reading rooms, dining facilities, and 54 dormitory rooms for men. Team athletics were also a big part of the YMCA. In 1956, the St. Pete Y gymnastics team won the national championship in New Orleans. By 1957, the St. Pete YMCA wanted to expand the scope of services it provided to city families and created its first program for girls as part of its Family Y portfolio. The YMCA also hired European-trained ballet instructors and started a Thursday Family Night program. By the end of 1957, the YMCA on Fifth Street South was serving 4,000 people a week. The YMCA served generations of residents before dormitory operations ended in 1989. In 2001, the organization relocated to the new YMCA on the corner of 32nd Street and
1st Avenue South. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and designated a local landmark in 1991, the regal building at 116 Fifth Street South has been vacant for two decades. Past legal battles over ownership deterred progress on the building. Current owners have floated ideas for a boutique hotel and wedding venue. Before the era of 24-hour television, computers, and the internet, the historic YMCA played a central role in the lives of St. Petersburg families. Today, the building remains an important part of the city’s architectural heritage and a lasting symbol of its civic history.

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