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Tarpon Spring's Greektown Federally Recognized!

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The National Park Service has recently included Tarpon Spring's Greektown on its National Register of Historic Places as a traditional cultural property, according to reports.

Florida's Secretary of State Ken Detzner commented: "The Tarpon Springs community has functioned as a center of commerce and trade for early Greek immigrants since the 1900s", according to The Tampa Bay Times.

Greeks began immigrating to the area in 1905 and it covers 140 acres. Tarpon Springs Mayor David Archie was overjoyed of the recognition and stated, "We're in the forefront of the Greek-American tradition". Father Anastasios Gounaris of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Tarpon Springs described, "Pretty much every Greek Orthodox Christian in America knows the significance of the Tarpon community...If anything, from the point of view of our community, (the recognition) is probably overdue".

Tarpon Spring's arts and historical resources curator Tina Bucuvalas oversaw the lengthy National Register of Historic Places application and added, "People sometimes come to Tarpon Springs and they just see the commercial, touristic storefronts without understanding that there is a very profound and ongoing traditional cultural expression taking place here". She claimed that the recognition will include tax breaks to residents who plan to renovate their properties in a traditional Hellenic manner.

(Source: www.tampabay.com)