Inside Azaleaville: Inside Azaleaville

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It’s just a newsletter — relax and enjoy.

Inside Azaleaville is a neighborhood newsletter, published about once a month. If you'd like to contribute a story or suggestion, please visit the contact page.

Join us for the next Azalea Neighborhood Association meeting on

Wednesday, June 4th at 6:00 pm

Azalea Recreation Center, 1600 72nd St N

The meeting will feature neighborhood updates, city developments,
and an open forum to address community concerns

All our meetings are free and open to the public

Special Guests:

Community Service Officer Jenn Wright reporting on neighborhood crime (if any)
Councilman Copley Gerdes (pending availability)
Guest Speaker: Cathy Wrigley who just opened a Little Free Seed Stand in the Azalea neighborhood to promote native and Florida friendly plants, supporting our local birds, bees, and bugs. Her Facebook page is called "Little Free Seed Stand." She will bring handouts about native plants and will be giving out free seeds at the meeting.
We’ll hold a drawing and two neighbors will take home a native plant!

The Azalea News

Before Inside Azaleaville, there was the Azalea News, a true grassroots newsletter, assembled by dedicated neighbors at the local laundromat and delivered door-to-door for decades. One 1960s photo shows the News team hard at work beside the dryers, piecing together updates one page at a time.

That neighborhood spirit lives on with the same purpose, a new format, and less paper.

Still Azaleaville

In the 1950s, like many growing suburbs across Florida, this area was carefully planned and proudly marketed. The developers chose a name to reflect the lush blooms and cheerful charm of the newly built homes: Azaleaville. It appeared on brochures, in advertisements, and even on some early lot documents. The name captured the imagination, evoking beauty, growth, and a sense of place.

Over time, the name quietly faded from common use. New maps listed street names, not neighborhoods. Generations came and went. Some neighbors referred to this area simply as “Azalea,” or by nearby landmarks like the school or park. But here’s the thing: Azaleaville was never officially renamed. It never disappeared.

So when we call the newsletter Inside Azaleaville, we’re not inventing something new, we’re restoring something old. We’re honoring the original identity of our neighborhood, one that still fits: welcoming, flowering, lived in, and loved.

It’s still Azaleaville, in name and in spirit. And we’re glad you’re part of it.

Possibly the Oldest Jungle Postcard

Picnic Grounds. Jungle. St. Petersburg. Fla. (1910s)

Babe Ruth Statue Plaque

The Babe Ruth statue is now located at the entrance to the St. Petersburg Museum of History, but the plaque for the pedestal is just now being completed. A plaque ceremony will be held at the St. Petersburg Museum of History on Saturday, June 7. The plaque will bear the names of two Azalea residents plus the transcendent celebrity that was a frequent guest in our neighborhood:

Plaque mock-up

Block Party, Outdoor Family Movie Night

Saturday June 7, 6:30pm, 1480 Farragut Drive

Block party at 6:30pm with free food. Bring a dish to share or cash donation (optional).

Stay for the movie if you’d like. It starts around 7:00 pm. Free popcorn.

Big thanks to hosts Loren and Vee.

Membership:

Special thanks to the 9 members who joined or renewed their memberships in May. There are 20 paid members for this year. Our ongoing expenses include required state corporate filings and annual reports, professional preparation and filing of tax returns, contributions to Margie's Toy Drive, CONA membership, support of seasonal events (such as the CommUNITY Festival) or block party costs, and modest but essential expenses such as signage, refreshments, website hosting, and banners for meetings.

We’re facing a critical time for neighborhood engagement. We need strength and unity to respond to the challenges of a 1,052-unit apartment complex that threatens to overwhelm our infrastructure and character.

2025 Membership is $25/household

Payment methods:

Secure credit card: https://square.link/u/m0EjI7iC

Mail: Azalea Neighborhood Association, Inc ∙ 1401 Farragut Drive ∙ St. Pete 33710

Zelle: azaleaassociation@yahoo.com

Here’s a roundup of selected posts from May 2025 in the “Azalea Neighborhood Association Group” on Facebook.

Join our Facebook Page “Azalea Neighborhood Association Group” to keep up to date on community events and join the discussion. https://www.facebook.com/groups/419801124195279

TBN Weekly: St. Pete museum becomes home base for Babe Ruth sculpture

Blake lives in the Azalea neighborhood. He built this statue for the Babe Ruth centennial celebrations in February.

https://www.tbnweekly.com/.../article_2dbb6070-2df5-4147...

NOAA predicts another ‘above normal’ hurricane season

You probably already heard this, but in case this Facebook page is the only place that you rely on for news...

https://stpetecatalyst.com/noaa-predicts-another-above.../

Welcome to Our New Neighbors - Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks

They’ve never been seen around here before - or at least, no one remembers it - but a small group of whistling ducks has been spotted along Jungle Country Club Creek. They’re known to favor golf courses, so maybe they feel right at home on the former Jungle golf course!

Photo taken at Jungle Country Club Creek, Azalea Neighborhood

Self-storage firm buys former Raytheon land near massive St. Pete redevelopment

The article is behind a paywall, so only the first paragraph is available at no charge. The parcel is north of 22nd Ave N, east of the Science Center, west of Raytheon Building D.

https://www.bizjournals.com/.../self-storage-firm-buys...

Dropoff Danger Deterred with New Railing

Back in December, I reported a hazardous 10-foot drop into the creek at 9th & Farragut using SeeClickFix. Today, a new railing was installed and I stopped by to chat with the crew and snap a few photos. Huge thanks to Mariano, Herman, William, Josh, and Jeanette from the SPTO seawall team (Stormwater, Pavement & Traffic Operations) for making this spot safer!

WFLA Channel 8 Interviews Azalea’s Blake Emory on Ruth Statue and Creative Work

The interview aired this morning on the Daytime TV Show
https://www.wfla.com/.../meet-the-man-behind-the-new.../

Blake Emory’s latest sculpture now greets all guests at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. His sculpture of Babe Ruth celebrates the baseball player’s ties to Tampa Bay during the centennial year of when the New York Yankees first came to the area for spring training.

June Calendar:

🌸 June 2025 Monthly Observances

Pride Month
National Adopt a Cat Month
National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month

📅 Weekly Observances

June 9–15: National Flag Week
June 16–22: National Pollinator Week

☀️ Daily Holidays and Events (June 1–30)

June 1 – National Say Something Nice Day
June 2 – National Rocky Road Day (ice cream celebration!)
June 3 – World Bicycle Day
June 4 – Azalea Neighborhood Association meeting
June 5 – Hot Air Balloon Day
June 6 – National Drive-In Movie Day
June 7 – Plaque Ceremony SPMOH; Azalea Outdoor Family Movie Night
June 8 – Best Friends Day
June 9 – Donald Duck Day
June 10 – Ballpoint Pen Day
June 11 – National Corn on the Cob Day
June 12 – National Red Rose Day
June 13 – Sewing Machine Day
June 14 – Flag Day (U.S. National Holiday)
June 15 – Nature Photography Day
June 16 – Fresh Veggies Day
June 17 – National Eat Your Vegetables Day
June 18 – Go Fishing Day
June 19 – Juneteenth (Federal Holiday)
June 20 – National Ice Cream Soda Day
June 21 – Summer Solstice & International Yoga Day
June 22 – National Onion Rings Day
June 23 – Let It Go Day
June 24 – Swim a Lap Day
June 25 – Global Beatles Day
June 26 – Beautician’s Day
June 27 – Sunglasses Day
June 28 – Insurance Awareness Day
June 29 – Camera Day
June 30 – Social Media Day

Thank you to all our neighbors who make Azalea a great place to live!

Saturday, May 31, 2025

Inside Azaleaville | June 2025