Clearwater, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clearwater, Florida
City
Clearwater Beach in June 2022
Seal
Motto(s):  "Bright and Beautiful•Bay to Beach"
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Pinellas
Settled (Clear Water Harbor)	1888; 138 years ago (1888)
Incorporated (Town of Clear Water Harbor)	1891; 135 years ago (1891)
Reincorporated (City of Clearwater)	May 27, 1915; 111 years ago (1915-05-27)
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• City	35.92 sq mi (93.04 km2)
• Land	26.13 sq mi (67.68 km2)
• Water	9.79 sq mi (25.36 km2)
Elevation	66 ft (20 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	117,292
• Density	4,488.62/sq mi (1,733.06/km2)
• Metro	2,783,243
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	33755–33767, 33769
Area code(s)	727
FIPS code	12-12875

Clearwater is a city in Florida, United States. It is the main city of Pinellas County. Clearwater is located west of Tampa and north of St. Petersburg. The Gulf of Mexico is to its west, and Tampa Bay is to its southeast.

In 2020, the city had a population of 117,292 people. Clearwater is the smallest of the three main cities in the Tampa Bay area. Clearwater Beach is a famous part of the city. It is separated from the main city by the Intracoastal Waterway. Clearwater also has historic streets like Cleveland Street, BayCare Ballpark, and Coachman Park.

Exploring Clearwater's Past

The land where Clearwater now stands was once home to the Tocobaga people. Around 1835, the United States Army built Fort Harrison. This fort was an outpost during the Seminole Wars. It was named after William Henry Harrison. The fort was on a bluff overlooking Clearwater Harbor.

More people moved to the area after 1842. The Federal Armed Occupation Act offered land to those who would farm it. Families like the Stevens and McMullens were among the first settlers. Before 1906, the area was called Clear Water Harbor. People believe the name "Clear Water" came from a fresh spring. This spring flowed near where the old City Hall was located. Many other freshwater springs were found along the bluff and in the harbor.

Clearwater was first part of Hillsborough County. In 1849, the first road connecting Clearwater and Tampa was built. This made travel between the two cities much faster.

Clearwater in 1932

During the American Civil War, Union ships sometimes raided the community. Most of the men were away fighting for the Confederate Army. The town started to grow in the late 1800s. This growth happened after Peter Demens brought the first passenger railroad line to the city in 1888. Clearwater became an official town in 1891. James E. Crane was its first mayor. The area became popular for vacations. This was especially true after Henry B. Plant built the large Belleview Biltmore hotel in 1897.

By the early 1900s, Clearwater's population grew to about 400 people. In winter, it would grow to nearly 1,000. The city's oldest newspaper, the Clearwater Sun, started in 1914. Clearwater became a city on May 27, 1915. It was also chosen as the county seat for Pinellas County. Pinellas County had separated from Hillsborough County in 1912. In 1915, a bridge was built across Clearwater Harbor. This bridge connected the city to Clearwater Beach. Clearwater Beach is on a separate island but is part of the city. Today, a new, taller bridge called the Clearwater Memorial Causeway connects them.

During World War II, Clearwater became an important training base. US troops prepared there for battles in Europe and the Pacific. Many hotels, like the Belleview Biltmore, became barracks for new soldiers. Traffic often stopped for soldiers marching downtown. Nighttime blackouts were common to hide the city from enemy planes.

Clearwater's Location and Environment

Clearwater covers about 93 square kilometers (35.92 square miles). About 67.68 square kilometers (26.13 square miles) is land. The rest, about 25.36 square kilometers (9.79 square miles), is water.

Downtown Clearwater's Growth

Clearwater's downtown area has been changing a lot recently. The city has added beautiful new features. Several tall apartment buildings and a large marina have been built. New shops, restaurants, and other fun places are opening. This area is now called the "Cleveland Street District." The Royalty Theatre is also being updated.

Clearwater's Weather

Clearwater has a humid subtropical climate. This means it is usually warm or hot all year. There are very few nights with frost. Most of the rain falls in the wet season, from June to September. During this time, daily thunderstorms are common. The dry season runs from October to May. The weather is sunny and dry during these months.

People of Clearwater

Clearwater's Diverse Population

In 2020, Clearwater had 117,292 residents. There were 48,211 households and 27,233 families living in the city.

In 2019, about 18.7% of the population was under 18 years old. About 59.4% were between 18 and 64. And 21.9% were 65 years or older.

The average household income in Clearwater was $47,070 between 2014 and 2018. The average family income was $46,228. About 15.9% of the people lived below the poverty line.

Languages Spoken in Clearwater

As of 2000, most residents (84.43%) spoke English as their main language. Spanish was the main language for 8.55% of people. Other languages included Greek (1.16%), French (1.00%), German (0.97%), and Italian (0.85%).

Clearwater's Economy

Clearwater's economy provides jobs for nearly 50,400 people. Some of the biggest employers are Morton Plant Hospital, Tech Data, and Honeywell. The number of jobs in Clearwater grew by 1.84% from 2015 to 2016. The most common jobs are in service, sales, office work, science, and business. In 2020, the average household income in Clearwater was $50,335. This is a bit lower than the average for both Florida and the United States.

Art and Culture in Clearwater

Clearwater Beach, looking south from Pier 60

Pier 60 in Clearwater Beach, April 2013

In 2012, CBS Money Watch named Clearwater one of the top 10 best places to retire in the U.S.

Clearwater's Public Art

The Clearwater Public Art and Design Program started in 2005. It uses 1% of the budget from city improvement projects over $500,000. This program helps create 2–3 new art projects each year.

The Capitol Theatre's Story

Before the Capitol Theatre, a bandstand stood at 405 Cleveland Street. People gathered there to listen to music. The names of locals who served in World War I were on a wall nearby. This "Panel of Honor" was hidden when the first Capitol Theatre was built. It was uncovered when the newspaper building was torn down in 2013.

Pinellas County Courthouse in Clearwater

The Capitol Theatre opened on March 21, 1921. Senator-elect John Stansel Taylor built it. The architect was Lester Avery, and John D. Phillipoff was the builder. Avery is known for his work in Miami. Phillipoff also built other important buildings in the area.

The theatre was managed by different movie companies over the years. It showed the newest movies. In the 1930s, it also had live vaudeville shows on Friday nights. Famous performers like Sally Rand appeared there. The theatre was updated in 1962. It closed its doors in 1980.

In 1981, it reopened as the Royalty Theater. The building was renovated. The theatre stayed in the Taylor family until 1996. In 2008, the building faced financial trouble.

In 2009, the City of Clearwater and Ruth Eckerd Hall bought the theatre. They wanted to renovate and bring new life to the historic building. The theatre was renamed the Capitol Theatre again. A $10 million renovation and expansion began in 2012 and finished in 2013. In 2019, a donation led to it being renamed the Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre.

Clearwater's Library System

In 1911, Clearwater's population grew a lot. The city also got telephones, electricity, and paved streets. Around this time, the Clearwater Library Association opened a library. It was on the second floor of the local People's Bank. It became very popular. People asked the Carnegie Foundation for $10,000 to build a public library. The building was designed by architect F.J. Kennard. In its first year, the library had over 1,277 visitors and loaned out 2,792 books. As a vacation town, the library offered free access to books for everyone.

During the Great Depression, the library faced challenges. More people used it, but its budget was smaller. In the 1940s, the library added more staff. Its collection grew from 18,047 to over 100,000 books. To make space, the Librarian asked the City Commission for more room.

For some years, the Clearwater Public Library was only open to certain groups. In 1950, the city built the North Greenwood library. This new library allowed all residents, including the city's African American population, to access many books and information. This library was updated in 1984. A new main library building opened in May 2004.

As the city grew, the library system also expanded. The Clearwater Public Library System now has five libraries: Clearwater Main, Countryside, North Greenwood, Beach, and East. Today, the library system offers many digital resources. These include computers, online databases, and an online catalog. The Greater Clearwater Public Library Foundation, Inc. helped make this possible. The libraries are also adding "makerspaces" for creative arts. The Main library's makerspace is called "Studios at Main."

The Clearwater Public Library System helps with the Pinellas Memory Project. This project collects and shares local history. The libraries are also part of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative. This group works to provide information and programs for the community.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium: Home of Winter the Dolphin

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a small non-profit aquarium. It opened in 1972 on Clearwater Beach. The aquarium is famous for Winter the dolphin. Winter was rescued in 2005 as a baby. She was one of the first dolphins to get a special prosthetic tail. She lost her tail after getting caught in a crab trap.

The aquarium is also home to other dolphins, otters, pelicans, sharks, and turtles. They also have many kinds of fish and other sea creatures. The aquarium helps rescue animals that are stranded. They care for them and, if possible, release them back into the wild. The aquarium was the main setting for the family movie series Dolphin Tale.

Sports in Clearwater

BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater is where the Major League Baseball team, the Philadelphia Phillies, train in the spring. It is also home to their minor league team, the Clearwater Threshers.

Parks and Outdoor Fun

Moccasin Lake Nature Park is a 51-acre nature preserve. It has a 5-acre lake. The city owns and runs this park. The park also has the Moccasin Lake Environmental Education Center. This center offers classes, programs, and camps about nature. It features live rehabilitated birds of prey, reptiles, amphibians, and aquatic wildlife. The park opened in 1982.

The City of Clearwater has five swimming pools: Ross Norton, North Greenwood, Morningside, the Long Center, and Clearwater Beach. They offer swimming lessons all year. The pools also have a summer recreation league and the Clearwater Aquatics Team. These pools have taken part in the World's Largest Swim Lesson.

How Clearwater is Governed

The City of Clearwater uses a council-manager form of government. The city manager is the main leader and manager of the city.

The Clearwater City Council includes the mayor and four council members. Each person serves for four years. The council makes decisions about local government. This includes things like tax rates and city projects. The city manager and city council work with different city departments.

Learning in Clearwater

Getting Around Clearwater

Airports for Travel

Tampa International Airport serves Clearwater and the wider Tampa Bay Area. It is the main airport for air travel. St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport has also seen more people using it. The city also owns Clearwater Air Park.

Public Transportation Options

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) bus service is the only public transit in Pinellas County. It offers about 35 local bus routes. There are also two express routes that cross Tampa Bay to the east. A beach trolley runs along the county's 25-mile chain of islands.

Clearwater once had an Amtrak train station, called Clearwater station.

Famous People from Clearwater

The Church of Scientology in Clearwater

The Church of Scientology has its "spiritual headquarters" in downtown Clearwater. The Church calls Clearwater its "Flag Land Base."

The Church of Scientology's Clearwater headquarters, the Super Power Building

The Church of Scientology owns many properties in downtown Clearwater. These include historical buildings like the Fort Harrison Hotel and the Clearwater Bank Building. The Church and its members own a large number of commercial buildings in the downtown area. Many of these properties are used for religious purposes.

Clearwater's Sister Cities

Clearwater has special partnerships with cities around the world:

• Nagano, Japan
• Kalamaria, Greece
• Wyong, New South Wales, Australia
• Ixmiquilpan, Hidalgo, Mexico

See also

In Spanish: Clearwater (Florida) para niños