Studebaker building, 1926

Originally built in 1925, the Studebaker building was financed by Frank Lyon and leased to the Peninsular Motor Company of Southwest Florida to be used as a Studebaker dealership and repair shop. The company thrived as the 4^th largest Studebaker dealer in the 1920s but closed a few years later during the Great Depression. The Studebaker Distributor sign is still present on the side of the building and is maintained in spirit of the building’s history. The wagon wheels of the Studebaker logo, cast in stucco, can be seen along the top of the building facade and pay tribute to the Conestoga Wagons (ca mid-1800s) that the Studebaker Brothers sold before they ventured into automobile manufacturing. The building was occupied by several other businesses throughout the years including a grocery store, a laundromat, and a cigar company.

Learn more about the history of the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center. 

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