Apollo Beach, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Apollo Beach, Florida
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Location of Apollo Beach in Hillsborough County, Florida.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Hillsborough |
| Area | |
| • Total | 22.29 sq mi (57.73 km2) |
| • Land | 19.68 sq mi (50.97 km2) |
| • Water | 2.61 sq mi (6.77 km2) |
| Elevation | 3 ft (1 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 26,002 |
| • Density | 1,321.31/sq mi (510.16/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
33570, 33572
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| Area code(s) | 813 |
| FIPS code | 12-01675 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1867110 |
Apollo Beach is a community located in Hillsborough County, Florida, in the United States. It's called a "census-designated place" because it's a specific area that the government tracks for population and other data, even though it's not officially a city or town with its own local government. In 2020, about 26,002 people lived there.
Contents
Where is Apollo Beach?
Apollo Beach is in the southern part of Hillsborough County. It's surrounded by other communities like Gibsonton to the north and Ruskin to the south. The area is right next to Tampa Bay, which is a large inlet of the Gulf of Mexico. This means it has lots of waterfront areas.
Major roads like U.S. Route 41 and Interstate 75 pass through Apollo Beach. This makes it easy to travel to nearby cities. For example, Downtown Tampa is about 17 miles (27 km) north. Bradenton is about 25 miles (40 km) to the south.
Apollo Beach covers an area of about 22.3 square miles (57.7 square kilometers). A good portion of this area, about 2.6 square miles (6.3 square kilometers), is water.
Who Lives in Apollo Beach?
Apollo Beach has grown a lot over the years. In 2010, there were about 14,701 people living there. This was a big jump from 7,444 people in 2000. By 2020, the population had almost doubled again to 26,002 people!
This growth means more families have moved to the area. The number of children under five years old increased quite a bit. The community is made up of people from many different backgrounds.
The Story of Apollo Beach
The land that is now Apollo Beach was first owned by the Dickman family in 1923. Back then, it was mostly used for farming and grazing animals. Much of the land was covered in mangrove trees and was very low, making it hard to live on.
Early Ideas for a Waterfront Community
In the 1930s, Paul Dickman had an idea to turn this land into a waterfront community. He thought it was a perfect spot because it was halfway between Tampa and Bradenton. He hired engineers to design a community with roads, canals, schools, and parks.
In the early 1950s, the Dickmans sold the land to three men from New York. They called the area "Tampa Beach." They started digging canals, hoping to connect them to Tampa Bay. But the project was too big for them, and they gave up in 1956.
A New Name and New Beginnings
In 1957, a retired businessman named Francis Corr bought the land. He first named it "La Vida Beach." The story goes that in 1958, his wife Dorothy suggested the name "Apollo Beach." She thought it was a great name because of all the sunshine the area gets. Mr. Corr then started building 50 homes.
In 1958, Corr teamed up with a contractor named Robert E. Lee. Lee helped continue digging the canals.
Challenges and Growth
In the early 1960s, Francis Corr sold his company and the Apollo Beach land to a company called Flora Sun Corporation. Flora Sun sold some land to the Tampa Electric Company for a power plant, which is now the Big Bend Power Station. However, Flora Sun ran into problems, and the Corr family got the land back several years later.
Francis Corr's son, Thomas Corr, moved to Apollo Beach in the mid-1960s to continue the project. They faced many challenges, including getting permits to build the canals. Florida also started to have stricter rules about growth and development.
Despite the difficulties, Thomas Corr worked hard to develop the community. He gave land for parks and schools. He also helped protect hundreds of acres of mangrove swamps and other natural areas. He even started a local bank and a chamber of commerce. Thomas Corr passed away in 1998. In 2006, a new elementary school was named the Thomas P. Corr Elementary School to honor his contributions.
Today, Apollo Beach is a lively waterfront community. People enjoy boating, fishing, and other water activities all year round. The community has about 55 miles (88 km) of canals that lead out to Tampa Bay.
Schools in Apollo Beach
Students in Apollo Beach attend several schools in the area:
- Apollo Beach Elementary
- Inez Doby Elementary
- Waterset Charter School (K-8)
- Eisenhower Middle School
- East Bay High School
- Dorothy C. York Innovation Academy
Famous Landmark: Big Bend Power Station
Apollo Beach is well-known for the Big Bend Power Station. This large power plant provides electricity to the entire Tampa Bay area. You can see the power plant from across Tampa Bay, and it's a very noticeable landmark in Apollo Beach.
Notable People from Apollo Beach
- Nick Carter: A singer, dancer, and actor, best known as one of the lead singers of the Backstreet Boys. He grew up in Apollo Beach.
- Tessa Ludwick: An actress who attended first grade at Apollo Beach Elementary.
Climate
Apollo Beach has a warm climate. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are generally mild and cool. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate.
See also
In Spanish: Apollo Beach para niños
