Clearwater, Florida
Encyclopedia
Clearwater is a city
located in Pinellas County, Florida
, US, nearly due west of Tampa
and northwest of St. Petersburg
. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico
and in the east lies Tampa Bay
. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat
of Pinellas County. Clearwater is the smallest of the three principal cities in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area, most commonly referred to as the Tampa Bay Area
.
Present-day Clearwater was originally the home of the Tocobaga people
.
Around 1835, the United States Army
began construction of Fort Harrison
, named after William Henry Harrison
, as an outpost during the Seminole Wars
. The fort was located on a bluff overlooking Clearwater Harbor, which later became part of an early 20th century residential development called Harbor Oaks. University of South Florida
archaeologists excavated the site in 1977 after Alfred C. Wyllie discovered an underground ammunition bunker while digging a swimming pool on his estate.
The area's population grew after the Federal Armed Occupation Act of 1842 offered 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) to anyone who would bear arms and cultivate the land. Early settlers included the Stevens, Stevenson and McMullen families, who claimed and farmed large tracts of land. Prior to 1906, the area was known as Clear Water Harbor. The name "Clear Water" is thought to have come from a fresh water spring flowing from near where the City Hall
building is located today. There were many other freshwater springs that dotted the bluff, many in the bay or harbor itself.
Originally part of Hillsborough County
, the first road joining Clearwater and Tampa
was built in 1849, which dramatically reduced the prior day-long commute between the cities.
During the American Civil War
, Union gunboats repeatedly raided the city's supplies as most of the able-bodied men were away fighting for the Confederate States of America
army. The town began developing in the late nineteenth century, prompted by Peter Demens
' completion of the first passenger railroad line into the city in 1888. Clearwater was incorporated in 1891, with James E. Crane becoming the first mayor. The area's popularity as a vacation destination grew after railroad magnate Henry B. Plant
built a sprawling Victorian resort hotel named Belleview Biltmore just south of Clearwater in 1897.
By the early 1900s, Clearwater's population had grown to around 400, ballooning to nearly 1,000 in the winter. Clearwater's oldest existing newspaper, the Clearwater Sun, was first published on March 14, 1914.Clearwater Sun Clearwater was reincorporated, this time as a city, on May 27, 1915, and was designated the county seat for Pinellas County, which broke from Hillsborough County in 1912. Also in 1915, a bridge was built across Clearwater Harbor, joining the city with Clearwater Beach
to the west. Clearwater Beach, although located on a separate barrier island, belongs to the city of Clearwater and fronts the Gulf of Mexico. A new, much higher bridge now arcs over the bay, replacing the former drawbridge
; the connecting road is part of Florida State Road 60 and is called Clearwater Memorial Causeway
.
During World War II
, Clearwater became a major training base for US troops destined for Europe and the Pacific. Virtually every hotel in the area, including the Belleview Biltmore and the Fort Harrison Hotel
, was used as a barracks for new recruits. Vehicle traffic was regularly stopped for companies of soldiers marching through downtown, and nighttime blackouts to confuse potential enemy bombers were common practice. The remote and isolated Dan's Island, now the highrise-dominated Sand Key, was used as a target by U.S. Army Air Corps fighter-bombers for strafing and bombing practice.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 37.7 square miles (97.6 km²). 25.3 square miles (65.5 km²) of it is land and 12.4 square miles (32.1 km²) of it (32.98%) is water.
As of 2010, there were 59,156 households out of which 19.5% were vacant. As of 2000, 21.7% of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.79.
In 2000, the city's population was spread out with 19.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
As of 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $36,494, and the median income for a family was $46,228. Males had a median income of $31,067 versus $25,066 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $22,786. About 8.4% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.8% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
as their first language
were 84.23% of residents, Spanish
as a mother tongue was 8.55%, Greek
accounted for 1.15%, French
made up 1.00% of speakers, German
at 0.97%, and Italian
speakers comprised 0.85% of the population.
serves as the Chief Executive and Administrative Officer of the City.
The Clearwater City Council comprises the Mayor
and four Council members each of whom serves a four year term. The Council is responsible for setting policies and making decisions on local government issues including tax rates, annexations, property code variances and large contract awards.
The City Manager and City Council are supported by the various City Departments.
See also: List of Mayors of Clearwater, Florida
.
serves Clearwater and the rest of the Tampa Bay Area
as the primary means of air travel. St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
, however, has seen an increase in usage recently with 747,369 passengers accounted for in 2007.
(PSTA) bus
service is currently Pinellas County's only general public transit. The service offers approximately 35 local routes, two express
routes which cross Tampa Bay to the east, and a beach trolley
that runs north and south along the county's roughly 25-mile long chain of barrier islands.
One of PSTA's transfer hubs, Park Street Terminal, is located in downtown Clearwater.
Plans are in the making for a future regional transit system, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority
(TBARTA). Presently, the Tampa/Hillsborough County area has a separate transit system, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), which has an express bus route connecting Clearwater with Tampa.
on its west end and progressing over the Courtney Campbell Causeway on its east end en route to Tampa
. SR 580, Sunset Point Road, Drew Street, Lakeview Road, and Belleair Road are the other heavily traveled east-west arterials in Clearwater. Major north-south routes include U.S. Route 19 Alternate
, Myrtle Avenue, Missouri Avenue, Highland Avenue, Keene Road, Hercules Avenue, Belcher Road, and McMullen-Booth Road.
U.S. Route 19
is by far the area's most heavily traveled road, some parts of it carrying nearly 100,000 vehicles per day. It is a limited-access highway for a majority of its length in Clearwater, with an exception being the portion between Druid Road and Haines Bayshore Road. Plans are underway to develop this piece to freeway standards, however.
The Clearwater Public Art and Design Program, adopted by City Council in 2005, is funded through a 1% allocation on all City capital improvement projects valued at more than $500,000 and includes a similar, citywide requirement on all private development projects valued in excess of $5,000,000. Eligible private developers have two options to satisfy the Public Art Ordinance: dedicate 1% of the project's aggregate job value toward the installation of on-site public art; or contribute 0.75% of the project's aggregate job value to the City's Public Art Discretionary Fund, to be used to supplement and initiate public art projects throughout the city. The Public Art and Design Program is overseen by a seven-member Board, appointed by City Council and composed of local arts supporters and administrators, design professionals and private citizens. The Program seeks to “enhance Clearwater for those who visit and live within the city and to contribute to a legacy for generations to come” through the commission of unique, public artworks that enhance the City's diversity, character and heritage.
The Capitol/Royalty Theatre
Groundbreaking was December 6, 1920. The “New Capitol Theatre” was damaged in a storm on October 26, 1921 (so it had been completed). A Robert Morton Wicks Opus 415 Organ was installed in 1922.
Donald Roebling was a frequent patron, having his own double seat installed at the theatre.
The theatre was managed by various movie companies (EJ Sparks, Paramount, ABC-Southeastern Theatres, and Plitt Southern) where it played the most recent movies of the day. The theatre also offered vaudeville on Friday nights in the 1930s. Headliners included Sally Rand, Fred Stone and his daughter, and Lum and Abner (of radio).
The theatre was renovated in 1962. The Robert Morton Wicks Opus 415 was most likely removed during this renovation.
When Plitt Southern did not renew their contact in 1979, Bill Neville and Jerry Strain tried to save the theatre with film classics and reduced prices. However, the theatre closed its doors on October 28, 1980.
Royalty Theater Company signed leases with the Taylor family in February 1981 when it then became known as the Royalty Theater. The building was renovated with Ron Winter of Winter Associates as the contractor and Scott Musheff as the architect.
During the renovations, Bill Neville’s murdered body was found in the balcony.
The theatre remained in the Taylor family estate until it was sold in 1996. In July 2008 the building went into foreclosure.
In January 2009, the City of Clearwater and Ruth Eckerd Hall joined forces to purchase the theater (renamed Capitol Theater) as well as the neighboring Pat Lokey building. They plan to renovate and revitalize the historic Capitol Theater.
and six from downtown Dunedin
. The drive to both places, and many parts of downtown itself, feature views of the water and the Clearwater Memorial Causeway
.
home of Major League Baseball
's Philadelphia Phillies
.
religion. The Church of Scientology in Clearwater, also called the Flag Service Organization, has purchased a number of properties in the area including the historic Fort Harrison Hotel
and the Clearwater Bank Building. However, such purchases have elicited controversy from citizen, political and local interests. It is estimated that there are now more than 12,000 Scientologists in the Clearwater area, including 1,200 church staffers and 2,000 out-of-town church members who come here for religious instruction. The Church of Scientology has had a long, and occasionally tense, relationship with Clearwater's Chief of Police
, most notably in former Chief of Police Klein. It is estimated that Scientology is responsible for around $156.8 million a year to the local economy.
with the following cities:
Nagano, Japan
Kalamaria
, Greece
Wyong, New South Wales
, Australia
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
located in Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which have the area code 813...
, US, nearly due west of Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
and northwest of St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and in the east lies Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Pinellas County. Clearwater is the smallest of the three principal cities in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area, most commonly referred to as the Tampa Bay Area
Tampa Bay Area
The Tampa Bay Area is the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay. Definitions of the region vary. It is often considered equivalent to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau currently...
.
History
Tocobaga
Tocobaga was the name of a chiefdom, its chief and its principal town during the 16th century in the area of Tampa Bay. The town was at the northern end of what is now called Old Tampa Bay, an arm of Tampa Bay that extends northward between the present-day city of Tampa and Pinellas County...
.
Around 1835, the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
began construction of Fort Harrison
Fort Harrison Hotel
The Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the flagship building of the Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida...
, named after William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
, as an outpost during the Seminole Wars
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
. The fort was located on a bluff overlooking Clearwater Harbor, which later became part of an early 20th century residential development called Harbor Oaks. University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
archaeologists excavated the site in 1977 after Alfred C. Wyllie discovered an underground ammunition bunker while digging a swimming pool on his estate.
The area's population grew after the Federal Armed Occupation Act of 1842 offered 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) to anyone who would bear arms and cultivate the land. Early settlers included the Stevens, Stevenson and McMullen families, who claimed and farmed large tracts of land. Prior to 1906, the area was known as Clear Water Harbor. The name "Clear Water" is thought to have come from a fresh water spring flowing from near where the City Hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
building is located today. There were many other freshwater springs that dotted the bluff, many in the bay or harbor itself.
Originally part of Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County, Florida
As of the census of 2000, there were 998,948 people, 391,357 households, and 255,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 951 people per square mile . There were 425,962 housing units at an average density of 405 per square mile...
, the first road joining Clearwater and Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
was built in 1849, which dramatically reduced the prior day-long commute between the cities.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Union gunboats repeatedly raided the city's supplies as most of the able-bodied men were away fighting for the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
army. The town began developing in the late nineteenth century, prompted by Peter Demens
Peter Demens
Peter Demens born Pyotr Alexeyevitch Dementyev is one of the founders of the U.S. city of Saint Petersburg, Florida.-Early life:Peter Demens was born to a wealthy family in the Tver Oblast of Russia. Demens was a well educated aristocrat who was also liberal-minded. "Demens' father had left him...
' completion of the first passenger railroad line into the city in 1888. Clearwater was incorporated in 1891, with James E. Crane becoming the first mayor. The area's popularity as a vacation destination grew after railroad magnate Henry B. Plant
Henry B. Plant
Henry Bradley Plant , was involved with many transportation projects, mostly railroads, in the U.S. state of Florida. Eventually he owned the Plant System of railroads which became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad...
built a sprawling Victorian resort hotel named Belleview Biltmore just south of Clearwater in 1897.
By the early 1900s, Clearwater's population had grown to around 400, ballooning to nearly 1,000 in the winter. Clearwater's oldest existing newspaper, the Clearwater Sun, was first published on March 14, 1914.Clearwater Sun Clearwater was reincorporated, this time as a city, on May 27, 1915, and was designated the county seat for Pinellas County, which broke from Hillsborough County in 1912. Also in 1915, a bridge was built across Clearwater Harbor, joining the city with Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach is a resort area located on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County on the west central coast of Florida in the United States. It is a part of the city of Clearwater. The geographic latitude is 27.57 N and longitude 82.48 W...
to the west. Clearwater Beach, although located on a separate barrier island, belongs to the city of Clearwater and fronts the Gulf of Mexico. A new, much higher bridge now arcs over the bay, replacing the former drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
; the connecting road is part of Florida State Road 60 and is called Clearwater Memorial Causeway
Clearwater Memorial Causeway
The Clearwater Memorial Causeway is a four-lane road between downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach, Florida, and includes a fixed-span bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Clearwater became a major training base for US troops destined for Europe and the Pacific. Virtually every hotel in the area, including the Belleview Biltmore and the Fort Harrison Hotel
Fort Harrison Hotel
The Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the flagship building of the Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida...
, was used as a barracks for new recruits. Vehicle traffic was regularly stopped for companies of soldiers marching through downtown, and nighttime blackouts to confuse potential enemy bombers were common practice. The remote and isolated Dan's Island, now the highrise-dominated Sand Key, was used as a target by U.S. Army Air Corps fighter-bombers for strafing and bombing practice.
Geography and climate
Clearwater is located at 27.973644°N 82.764271°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 37.7 square miles (97.6 km²). 25.3 square miles (65.5 km²) of it is land and 12.4 square miles (32.1 km²) of it (32.98%) is water.
Demographics
| Clearwater Demographics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Census United States Census, 2010 The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals... |
Clearwater | Pinellas County | Florida |
| Total population | 107,685 | 916,542 | 18,801,310 |
| Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010 | |||
| Population density | 4,212.8/sq mi | 3,347.5/sq mi | 350.6/sq mi |
| White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic) | 79.8% | 82.1% | 75.0% |
| (Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian Non-Hispanic Whites Non-Hispanic Whites or White, Not Hispanic or Latino are people in the United States, as defined by the Census Bureau, who are of the White race and are not of Hispanic or Latino origin/ethnicity. Hence the designation is exclusive in the sense that it defines who is not included as opposed to who is... ) |
71.1% | 76.9% | 57.9% |
| Black or African-American | 10.9% | 10.3% | 16.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 14.2% | 8.0% | 22.5% |
| Asian | 2.1% | 3.0% | 2.4% |
| Native American or Native Alaskan | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) Multiracial American Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their... |
2.4% | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Some Other Race | 4.2% | 2.0% | 3.6% |
As of 2010, there were 59,156 households out of which 19.5% were vacant. As of 2000, 21.7% of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.79.
In 2000, the city's population was spread out with 19.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
As of 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $36,494, and the median income for a family was $46,228. Males had a median income of $31,067 versus $25,066 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $22,786. About 8.4% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.8% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Languages
As of 2000, speakers of EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as their first language
First language
A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...
were 84.23% of residents, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as a mother tongue was 8.55%, Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
accounted for 1.15%, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
made up 1.00% of speakers, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
at 0.97%, and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
speakers comprised 0.85% of the population.
Government
The City of Clearwater is administered by a Council-Manager form of government, and the City ManagerCity manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
serves as the Chief Executive and Administrative Officer of the City.
The Clearwater City Council comprises the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and four Council members each of whom serves a four year term. The Council is responsible for setting policies and making decisions on local government issues including tax rates, annexations, property code variances and large contract awards.
The City Manager and City Council are supported by the various City Departments.
See also: List of Mayors of Clearwater, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Annual events
- Imagine International Film Festival
- Fun N Sun Festival (April - May)
- Clearwater Celebrates America (July 4)
- Clearwater Jazz Holiday (October)
- Hispanic Heritage Festival (October)
- Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 (November 2006-2010)
Transportation
Air
Tampa International AirportTampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
serves Clearwater and the rest of the Tampa Bay Area
Tampa Bay Area
The Tampa Bay Area is the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay. Definitions of the region vary. It is often considered equivalent to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau currently...
as the primary means of air travel. St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in unincorporated Pinellas County, Florida, north of St. Petersburg, serving St...
, however, has seen an increase in usage recently with 747,369 passengers accounted for in 2007.
Public transportation
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit AuthorityPinellas Suncoast Transit Authority
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority provides public transportation for Pinellas County, Florida. The authority manages a bus system that encompasses 34 local routes, two express routes, and the Suncoast Beach Trolley .-History:PSTA began in the early 1900s as the St...
(PSTA) bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
service is currently Pinellas County's only general public transit. The service offers approximately 35 local routes, two express
Express bus
An express bus service is a bus service that is intended to run faster than normal bus services between the same two commuter points....
routes which cross Tampa Bay to the east, and a beach trolley
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
that runs north and south along the county's roughly 25-mile long chain of barrier islands.
One of PSTA's transfer hubs, Park Street Terminal, is located in downtown Clearwater.
Plans are in the making for a future regional transit system, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority
Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority
The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority, or TBARTA, is a transportation agency of the U.S. state of Florida which was created on July 1, 2007...
(TBARTA). Presently, the Tampa/Hillsborough County area has a separate transit system, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), which has an express bus route connecting Clearwater with Tampa.
Major roads
The major street arterial system in Clearwater is essentially an east-west, north-south oriented grid pattern. Gulf to Bay Boulevard is the east-west backbone of the city, ending at Clearwater BeachClearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach is a resort area located on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County on the west central coast of Florida in the United States. It is a part of the city of Clearwater. The geographic latitude is 27.57 N and longitude 82.48 W...
on its west end and progressing over the Courtney Campbell Causeway on its east end en route to Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. SR 580, Sunset Point Road, Drew Street, Lakeview Road, and Belleair Road are the other heavily traveled east-west arterials in Clearwater. Major north-south routes include U.S. Route 19 Alternate
U.S. Route 19 Alternate (St. Petersburg, Florida)
Alternate U.S. Route 19 is the former section of U.S. Route 19 from St. Petersburg, Florida to Holiday.Beginning at the intersection of 4th Street N Alternate U.S. Route 19 is the former section of U.S. Route 19 from St. Petersburg, Florida to Holiday.Beginning at the intersection of 4th Street N...
, Myrtle Avenue, Missouri Avenue, Highland Avenue, Keene Road, Hercules Avenue, Belcher Road, and McMullen-Booth Road.
U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 19 in Florida
U.S. Route 19 in Florida runs along Florida's west coast from an interchange with U.S. Route 41 in Memphis, Florida, south of Tampa, and continues to the Georgia border north of Monticello, Florida....
is by far the area's most heavily traveled road, some parts of it carrying nearly 100,000 vehicles per day. It is a limited-access highway for a majority of its length in Clearwater, with an exception being the portion between Druid Road and Haines Bayshore Road. Plans are underway to develop this piece to freeway standards, however.
Art and culture
Clearwater Public Art and Design ProgramThe Clearwater Public Art and Design Program, adopted by City Council in 2005, is funded through a 1% allocation on all City capital improvement projects valued at more than $500,000 and includes a similar, citywide requirement on all private development projects valued in excess of $5,000,000. Eligible private developers have two options to satisfy the Public Art Ordinance: dedicate 1% of the project's aggregate job value toward the installation of on-site public art; or contribute 0.75% of the project's aggregate job value to the City's Public Art Discretionary Fund, to be used to supplement and initiate public art projects throughout the city. The Public Art and Design Program is overseen by a seven-member Board, appointed by City Council and composed of local arts supporters and administrators, design professionals and private citizens. The Program seeks to “enhance Clearwater for those who visit and live within the city and to contribute to a legacy for generations to come” through the commission of unique, public artworks that enhance the City's diversity, character and heritage.
The Capitol/Royalty Theatre
- The Capitol Theatre opened March 21, 1921. It was built by Senator-elect John Stansel Taylor. The Capitol Theater's architect was Lester Avery and the contractor for the Capitol Theatre was John D. Phillipoff,. Avery is known for his architecture in Miami. Philipoff also built the Coachman Building (1916), the Donald Roebling EstateDonald Roebling EstateThe Donald Roebling Estate is a historic site in Clearwater, Florida. It was home to inventor Donald Roebling, and is located at 700 Orange Avenue. On December 19, 1979, it was added to the U.S...
in Bellaire (added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979), the old Pinellas County CourthouseOld Pinellas County CourthouseThe Old Pinellas County Courthouse is a historic site in Clearwater, Florida, located at 315 Court Street. On June 25, 1992, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References:* at * ** ** * at...
(added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992), other historical homes which have been saved, and did work at the Belleview Hotel
Groundbreaking was December 6, 1920. The “New Capitol Theatre” was damaged in a storm on October 26, 1921 (so it had been completed). A Robert Morton Wicks Opus 415 Organ was installed in 1922.
Donald Roebling was a frequent patron, having his own double seat installed at the theatre.
The theatre was managed by various movie companies (EJ Sparks, Paramount, ABC-Southeastern Theatres, and Plitt Southern) where it played the most recent movies of the day. The theatre also offered vaudeville on Friday nights in the 1930s. Headliners included Sally Rand, Fred Stone and his daughter, and Lum and Abner (of radio).
The theatre was renovated in 1962. The Robert Morton Wicks Opus 415 was most likely removed during this renovation.
When Plitt Southern did not renew their contact in 1979, Bill Neville and Jerry Strain tried to save the theatre with film classics and reduced prices. However, the theatre closed its doors on October 28, 1980.
Royalty Theater Company signed leases with the Taylor family in February 1981 when it then became known as the Royalty Theater. The building was renovated with Ron Winter of Winter Associates as the contractor and Scott Musheff as the architect.
During the renovations, Bill Neville’s murdered body was found in the balcony.
The theatre remained in the Taylor family estate until it was sold in 1996. In July 2008 the building went into foreclosure.
In January 2009, the City of Clearwater and Ruth Eckerd Hall joined forces to purchase the theater (renamed Capitol Theater) as well as the neighboring Pat Lokey building. They plan to renovate and revitalize the historic Capitol Theater.
Downtown
Clearwater's downtown has been undergoing major redevelopment in recent years. General beautification has been done along with completion of several high-rise condos and a large marina. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/nov/17/na-clearwater-develops-a-downtown-identity/http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/retail/downtown-clearwater-boosters-celebrate-areas-progress/1097946 New bars, restaurants and other amenities are coming to the area, renamed the "Cleveland Street District."http://www.tampabay.com/news/military/clearwater-to-kick-off-memorial-day-weekend-with-fourth-friday-parade/1098112http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tonys-pizzeria-amp-ristorante-moving-west-in-downtown-clearwater/1128416 Royalty Theatre is also slated to be renovated. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/may/04/041435/group-plans-apartment-tower-downtown-clearwaterhttp://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/neighborhoods/downtown-clearwater/http://www.clearwater-fl.com/gov/depts/econ_devel/projects/downtown/pdf/DowntownDirectory.pdf Another feature is Coachman Park which hosts events throughout the year. http://blogs.tampabay.com/tbt/2010/02/sean-paul-new-boyz-roscoe-dash-lead-2010-wild-splash-lineup-event-returning-to-clearwaters-coachman-.html The downtown core is approximately two miles from Clearwater BeachClearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach is a resort area located on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County on the west central coast of Florida in the United States. It is a part of the city of Clearwater. The geographic latitude is 27.57 N and longitude 82.48 W...
and six from downtown Dunedin
Dunedin, Florida
Dunedin is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The population was 35,691 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 36,632...
. The drive to both places, and many parts of downtown itself, feature views of the water and the Clearwater Memorial Causeway
Clearwater Memorial Causeway
The Clearwater Memorial Causeway is a four-lane road between downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach, Florida, and includes a fixed-span bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway...
.
Sports
Bright House Field in Clearwater is the spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
home of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Scientology
Clearwater, Florida is the spiritual headquarters of the Church of ScientologyChurch of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
religion. The Church of Scientology in Clearwater, also called the Flag Service Organization, has purchased a number of properties in the area including the historic Fort Harrison Hotel
Fort Harrison Hotel
The Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the flagship building of the Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida...
and the Clearwater Bank Building. However, such purchases have elicited controversy from citizen, political and local interests. It is estimated that there are now more than 12,000 Scientologists in the Clearwater area, including 1,200 church staffers and 2,000 out-of-town church members who come here for religious instruction. The Church of Scientology has had a long, and occasionally tense, relationship with Clearwater's Chief of Police
Chief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
, most notably in former Chief of Police Klein. It is estimated that Scientology is responsible for around $156.8 million a year to the local economy.
Colleges
- Clearwater Christian CollegeClearwater Christian CollegeClearwater Christian College is a non-denominational Christian college in Clearwater, Florida on Tampa Bay. The school has an enrollment around six hundred students. Clearwater Christian College was founded in 1966...
- St. Petersburg CollegeSt. Petersburg CollegeSt. Petersburg College is a fully accredited post-secondary educational institution located in St. Petersburg, Florida, serving some 65,000 students annually...
- Everest University
- Pinellas Technical Education Center
- Eckerd CollegeEckerd CollegeEckerd College is a private 4-year coeducational liberal arts college at the southernmost tip of St. Petersburg, Florida, in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.- Campus :...
Notable current and former residents
- Kirstie AlleyKirstie AlleyKirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
, actress - Sara BlakelySara BlakelySara Blakely is an American businesswoman. In 2000, Blakely founded Spanx, a multi-million dollar undergarment company.-Biography:...
, founder of SpanxSPANXSpanx, Inc. is a U.S. company that mainly manufactures footless pantyhose and other undergarments for women, particularly "body shaping" undergarments and bodysuit shapewear intended to give the wearer a slim and shapely appearance.... - Ricky CarmichaelRicky CarmichaelRicky Carmichael is a racer known for his success in Motocross. He is currently competing in NASCAR. He drives the #4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado for Turner Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series and the #30 Chevrolet Impala part-time for Turner Motorsports in the Nationwide Series...
, supercross/motocross racer - Ken ClimoKen ClimoKen "The Champ" Climo, from Clearwater, Florida, is a professional disc golfer and is unanimously considered the best player to have ever played the game. Climo has claimed Twelve PDGA World Championship titles, including nine in as many years from 1990 to 1998...
, professional disc golfer - Raquel Gibson, Playmate of the Month for November 2005.
- Aaron GillespieAaron GillespieAaron Roderick Gillespie is an American musician, best known for being the former drummer and clean vocalist for the metalcore band Underoath, and the current lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the alternative rock band The Almost...
, former drummer and singer of UnderoathUnderoathUnderoath is an American Christian metalcore band from Tampa, Florida. Founded by Dallas Taylor and Luke Morton on November 30, 1997 in Ocala, Florida, subsequently its additional members were from Tampa, Florida...
, current lead singer of the Almost, plus has a solo career. - Hulk HoganHulk HoganTerrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, professional wrestler - Evel KnievelEvel KnievelEvel Knievel , born Robert Craig Knievel, was an American daredevil and entertainer. In his career he attempted over 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps between 1965 and 1980, and in 1974, a failed jump across Snake River Canyon in the Skycycle X-2, a steam-powered rocket...
, stuntman - Buster NarumBuster NarumLeslie Ferdinand "Buster" Narum was a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Senators ....
, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher - Lisa Marie PresleyLisa Marie PresleyLisa Marie Presley is an American singer and songwriter, also known as the "Princess of Rock and Roll". She is the only child of Elvis Presley, and daughter of Priscilla Presley.-Early life:...
and her family
Sister cities
Clearwater has city partnershipsTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with the following cities:
Nagano, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Kalamaria
Kalamaria
Kalamariá is a municipality of the Thessaloniki Urban Area, located about 7 km southeast of downtown Thessaloniki. It is the second largest municipality of the Thessaloniki Urban Area as well as one of the largest in Greece, with a population increase of 8% since the 1991...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Wyong, New South Wales
Wyong, New South Wales
Wyong was proclaimed a town in 1888 and is currently a major northern suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, located approximately 89 km NNE of Sydney. It is the administrative centre for the Wyong Shire local government area.- History :...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...