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Vintage St. Pete: The Science Center’s Walk of States
Artist Attilio Puglisi’s groundbreaking tile path has been neglected since 2018.
St. Petersburg’s first example of large-scale public art has been buried under oak leaves, twigs and dirt for seven years.
When the Science Center of Pinellas County closed up shop in 2018, visitors were denied access to the Walk of States, a 275-foot oval mosaic, created by hand, with square panels for each of the 50 American states. Each section included a silhouette of the state, a tile depiction of its state bird and flower (using the correct colors) and an imported piece of stone indigenous to that state.
The work is made up of more than 500,000 one-by-one-inch vitreous (glass) tiles, treated to withstand the ravages of time and weather.
Photo: Mark O’Hara.
The sides of the walking path were connected by a footbridge, also inlaid with tile art depicting moments and figures from Florida history, including Ponce de Leon, Andrew Jackson and Seminole Chief Osceola.
It was created in 1961 by Attilio Puglisi, a Sicilian immigrant who moved his young family to St. Petersburg, from New York, in 1956.
As a child, he recalled, “I couldn’t speak English, but I could draw. The teacher gave me paper and pencil and I was in my own little world.”
Puglisi later studied at Washington, D.C.’s Winthrop School of Ceramics.
Many of his tile art pieces were commercial creations – every artist has to pay the bills – for the likes of Cypress Gardens, Publix, St. Pete’s Hawaiian Tropics Co., various Florida shopping centers, banks and other retail establishments. He once went before City Council to propose an ambitious, interactive tile installation for the St. Petersburg Municipal Pier.
In the early ’60s: The Walk of States at National Bank (that’s Grace Presbyterian Church in the background). File photo.
The Walk of States was commissioned by Starley M. White, National Bank’s Chairman of the Board, to beautify the facility’s expansive parking lot at 1000 Tyrone Boulevard. White, a former machinist, worked closely with Puglisi on the conception and design, which included a landscaped pond. White, in fact, designed the twin fountains that shot water 14 feet in the air on either side of the footbridge.
The banker told the St. Petersburg Times the project cost $30,000.
Photo by Kira Barrera.
In 1968, White became Chairman Emeritus of the National Bank, and when he left, he made plans to take the Walk of States with him.
He donated $75,000 for the construction of a 4,000-square-foot library at the Science Center, the educational facility that had opened on 22nd Avenue N. in 1966. The Starley M. White Library (and planetarium) debuted in June 1969. At the time, the Science Center (not yet known as the Science Center of Pinellas County, its eventual name) served approximately 1,500 young people with after-school and weekend science education.
In 1971, White had the Walk of States dug up and relocated to the open land behind the Science Center (without the pond). Once landscaped, the area became known as White’s Gardens.
“We used to take the kids out for a break,” recalled Susan Gordon, the Science Center’s director from 1979 to 2014, “particularly in the summertime, when they would be in the classrooms from 9:30 till noon. It was out in nature – and a teaching experience, too.”
Visitors from outside the center were periodically allowed in to walk the Walk and marvel at Attilio Puglisi’s work.
Glory Days: The Walk of States at the Science Center. File photo.
The Science Center enjoyed a long and successful run at its 22nd Avenue location; even as the job placement organization CareerSource Pinellas began to share the building in 2012, providing a much-needed infusion of cash, White’s Gardens and the Walk of States remained a popular spot for a moment’s reflection, or lunch, under the oaks.
A combination of factors led to the ouster of CareerSource director Ed Peachey and the failure of the Science Center. The City of St. Petersburg paid CareerSource’s parent company $3.15 million for the land and the building.
Of course, Attilio Puglisi’s Walk of States was included in the deal. Seven seasons of falling leaves, hard rain and even Category 5 hurricanes have tried to erase the historic mosaic trail, but it’s still there, waiting for a spit-shine.
That’s part of a larger revitalization effort by St. Pete for STEAM, which has already secured more than $15 million towards the full restoration and transformation of the Science Center into a state-of-the-art educational facility for the 21st century.
Kevin King
September 25, 2025at9:34 pm
As a former political strategist, I can appreciate the timing of this “Vintage St. Pete” column :), but also continue to have faith that the Catalyst is better than the blurring of soft news and hard agendas. And as a former Science Center kid who walked these ‘states’ countless times and spent even more time inside the center, I also appreciate the attention to it – both by you and by Mr. Hamilton. I understand a lot of people have dedicated a lot of time trying to resurrect or reimagine the center, but it has taken too long. The building and property are eyesores. The neighborhood – my first childhood neighborhood – has deserved better. The City shoulders some of the blame (including me – I should have done a better job in the last years of the Kriseman Admin. of facilitating clarity or resolution, or even demolition), but so do the folks who have been on this curious pursuit for more than five years. As a public school parent, I would much prefer state legislators work to fund our severely depleted schools rather than the hopes and dreams of a future ancillary center of learning. Let’s introduce or enhance STEM in our existing public school classrooms first! Finally, as a veteran of the “sewage crisis” brought on by the historic rains of 2015-16, and as someone who helped advance the subsequent upgrades, I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that we remain focused on our changing climate and future infrastructure needs. Complacency is an enemy here. It is paramount that available public land next to a current wastewater plant be preserved and not sold. Finally (my second finally, I’m sorry), as a native and as a trustee of the St. Petersburg Museum of History, I’m among the first to want us to cherish what’s left around here, but I really haven’t heard a single word or thought about the mosaic in years, or decades. I don’t believe anyone was ever denied visiting it (as your article asserts), at least during my time with the City, because I’m not sure anyone even asked. I also suspect the Welch Administration or any future administration could preserve the mosaic and have it coexist with adjacent, important infrastructure. This certainly isn’t the most pressing issue in the world these days, but perhaps constructive dialogue on even the nichiest of civic issues can serve as a reminder that respectful discourse is still possible, still works.
JR Long
September 25, 2025at9:56 pm
I’m baffled why you did not mention the alternative option of putting the water tanks on the eyesore brush site right next to the existing water plant. That seems logical…tearing down the Science Center and removing the trees and foliage on the Science Center grounds makes no sense when there is basically an already cleared brush site right there next to the water plant.. Putting the water tanks right across the street from the residential neighborhood would be another eyesore and likely devalue their property. A revitalized Science Center would increase their property values. I moved here 30 years ago from Tampa in order for my children to attend summer camp at the Science Center and enjoy the Jungle Area. The Science Center Is an asset to all of us who live on the westside.
Kathryn Bursch
September 25, 2025at11:52 am
If the art installation was moved once, it certainly could be moved again. It needs to be preserved!
Jean Wood
September 24, 2025at11:19 pm
Welch won’t be satisfied until he destroys every bit of beauty and history that is left in our city. Thankfully his term is almost up. Hopefully we will elect a new leader who appreciates these things. Surely there is somewhere these tanks can be located without destroying something this beautiful.
HAL FREEDMAN
September 24, 2025at9:34 pm
Let’s enumerate some of the Mayor’s wrong-headed decisions: Trash Moffitt deal; Trash Municipal Services Building deal; create unnecessary controversy by going after Albert Whitted Airport; totally blowing the Trop Site/stadium fiasco. Now this awful decision concerning the Science Center and the Walk of States. The mayor has some good qualities, but decision making isn’t one of them.
Chuck Bohac
September 24, 2025at8:39 pm
I was born in St. Petersburg (1949) and my 4th grade teacher at Pinellas Park Elementary was Mrs. Nell Crowley. I believe she became the first Director of the Science Center. The mayor should move forward with his agreement to sell the property. Education, especially in the STEM disciplines, are critical to the growth of our country and economy. The future reimagination of the Science Center will advance these goals. And the city desperately needs the funds for flood mitigation purposes. Instead of being a looser, by not following thru with his prior commitment, he could be a two-time winner by following up with his commitment to sell the property to this organization and using the funds to protect the city. But our mayor seems to have the ability to choose the wrong path regarding what is best for the city.
Alex Anderson
September 24, 2025at5:53 pm
This story is incredible! I’m a St. Pete native, am now 36 years old, and spent some great time at the Science Center as a child growing up. We took field trips there, and I attended summer camps there, where I even dissected my first specimens (lol). I was always interested in science, and this place really helped foster my dreams of a scientific/animal/medical career.
The mayor should not be going back on his word, especially when education is SUCH an important need in our community! I am extremely upset by learning his intentions. He needs to have a change of heart, or be ashamed of himself.
Donna Kostreva
September 24, 2025at5:36 pm
I agree with you!! Move the tanks somewhere else!
Lucy Sage
September 24, 2025at4:45 pm
What a shame to bulldozer that amazing work of art! Surely there is some place else where the water tanks could go.