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Entrance to St. Nicholas Boatline.
In 1924 the Billiris family created one of the first sponge industry attractions. The St. Nicolas Boat Line Sponge Diving Exhibition employed divers during the winder tourist season and older divers during the summer.
Man hauling sponges
A man hauls large sponges from a loaded lateen sail sponge boat on the Anclote River in 1921. The name on the boat is barely legible, but it is probably Taxiarchis Mihail, or St. Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of Symi. The boat in the…
Samarkos Sponge Warehouse
The Samarkos Sponge Warehouse on Pinellas Avenue was owned and operated by the Samarkos family, many of whose members were active as captains, divers, and merchants in the sponge industry. Signs in this image from November 26, 1972 indicate that it…
Sponge trimming at packing house.
From left: 1. Mike Amorginos (white shirt), 2. Cosmas Galliourakis (seated, suit), 3. Mike Lelekis (behind), 4. Nick Mack, 5. Jim Peterson, 8. Costa Arvanitais