History of Gulfport

People have lived in the Gulfport area for a very long time. Old digging sites near Boca Ciega Bay show that settlements existed there between 8000 and 3000 BC. The area was also home to many people during the Safety Harbor period. In 1528, a Spanish explorer named Pánfilo de Narváez landed on the Pinellas peninsula. Some say he landed near where Gulfport is today. He met the local Timucuan people there.

How Gulfport Got Its Name

Gulfport has had many names since it was first settled. The first settlers, James and Rebecca Barnett, arrived in 1868. They called the area Barnett's Bluff. More settlers came, and by 1880, it was known as Bonifacio.

In 1884, a rich man from Philadelphia named Hamilton Disston wanted to create a busy port town. He called it Disston City. But the United States Postal Service would not allow this name because another town in Hillsborough County had a similar name. So, it stayed Bonifacio. After that community changed in 1890, the Post Office allowed the name Disston City.

In 1905, the town's name changed again to Veteran City. This was because John Chase wanted to create a retirement community for Civil War veterans. Finally, on October 12, 1910, the town officially became Gulfport when it was incorporated. This happened at the Gulf Casino, which was on the dock of the Electric Railroad Company.

Early Days and News

On April 1, 1886, a man named W. J. McPherson started a newspaper called The Sea Breeze. This was the first newspaper for the lower Pinellas Peninsula. At that time, Disston City had about 150 people. It was the biggest settlement in the lower peninsula in the 1880s.

In the early 1900s, there was a strong movement for social change in Florida. In 1910, Gulfport even elected E. E. Wintersgill, a Socialist mayor. Four Socialists and one Democrat were on the town council.

Hurricane Helene's Impact

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene caused a lot of damage to Gulfport. The storm surge, which is a rise in sea level caused by a storm, reached up to 8 feet high. This flooded the downtown area and nearby homes. The damage was very serious. Cleanup and damage surveys are still happening.

The city of Gulfport, Mississippi helped out after Hurricane Helene. They collected donations for the people affected in Gulfport, Florida.

Geography of Gulfport

Gulfport is located next to St. Petersburg, South Pasadena, and Boca Ciega Bay.

The city covers a total area of about 3.8 square miles (10 square kilometers). About 2.8 square miles (7.3 square kilometers) of this is land, and 1.0 square mile (2.6 square kilometers) is water. This means a good part of Gulfport is water!

People and Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1930	851	—
1940	1,581	85.8%
1950	3,702	134.2%
1960	9,730	162.8%
1970	9,976	2.5%
1980	11,180	12.1%
1990	11,727	4.9%
2000	12,527	6.8%
2010	12,029	−4.0%
2020	11,783	−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2020, there were 11,783 people living in Gulfport. There were 6,425 households and 3,004 families. On average, there were about 1.87 people per household. Most people (87.7%) lived in the same house as they did the year before.

Many people in Gulfport have a good education. In 2020, 95.4% of people over 25 had a high school degree or higher. Also, 42.5% of them had a Bachelor's degree or higher. Most homes (96.6%) had a computer, and 89.5% had fast internet.

The median income for a household in 2020 was $56,896. This is the middle income level for families. The median value of homes owned by people was $252,500.

Media and Local TV

GTV640 is Gulfport's local TV channel. It is a Government-access television (GATV) channel. The channel shows live city meetings and replays them. You can also watch live videos on the internet.

GTV640 shares information about the city and upcoming events. It also has a historical video about Gulfport and other programs.

Education in Gulfport

Public schools in Gulfport are part of Pinellas County Schools. Gulfport has two public schools: Boca Ciega High School and Gulfport Elementary School. The closest middle school, Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School, is in St. Petersburg.

Gulfport Elementary was the first school in Pinellas County to use the Montessori method. This is a special way of teaching that lets students learn at their own pace.

The Gulfport Public Library is on Beach Boulevard. It is part of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative. This means you can borrow books and materials from other libraries in the county.

Stetson University College of Law is also in Gulfport. It was founded in 1900 and moved to Gulfport in 1954. Its tall tower is a well-known sight in the area. Other colleges like St. Petersburg College and the University of South Florida also have campuses nearby.

Culture and Fun

Gulfport's beach on Boca Ciega Bay, with 'Welcome to Gulfport' sign on the back of the Casino Ballroom.

Downtown Gulfport has many art galleries and a small performing arts center called the Catherine A. Hickman Theater. Gulfport also holds street festivals all year long.

Art Walk: Happens on the first Friday of each month.
IndieFaire: Happens on the third Saturday of each month.
Get Rescued: A yearly event in February that helps local animal rescue groups.
GeckoFest: A big festival in September with events like the Gecko PubCrawl, Gecko Ball, and the election of the Gecko Queen.

Many artists and craftspeople come to these events. They create a fun and relaxed atmosphere near the beach.

The Gulfport Community Players put on several plays each year at the Hickman Theater. The Gulfport Senior Center offers many activities for older residents.

The Gulfport Casino Ballroom is a popular place for events. It is right on the waterfront. The Casino hosts Swing, Latin, Argentine Tango, and Ballroom Dance events five days a week. Many people from the Tampa area come to dance here. The ballroom has a large 5,000 square foot (460 square meter) dance floor from the 1930s. People can also rent the Casino for weddings and parties.

In 2011, Gulfport was named one of the best food towns in the United States by Rand McNally.

Recreation and Outdoor Activities

The city has a full-service marina next to Clam Bayou Nature Park. This is a great place for boats.

Gulfport's Police Department has a marine patrol. They keep the waterways safe between Gulfport, St. Pete Beach, and the Maximo neighborhood in St. Pete. They also patrol about 5 miles (8 kilometers) of coastline along the Boca Ciega Bay.

There is a long fishing pier called Williams Pier on Boca Ciega Bay. It is close to the Casino Ballroom and two city parks: Veterans Park and the waterfront park and beach. It's a great spot for fishing!

Gallery

The Gulfport Casino was built in 1930 as a community center and entertainment venue
The Gulfport History Museum is the home of Gulfport Arts and Heritage
The Law School of Stetson University is located in Gulfport
The First United Methodist Church is one of many churches in Gulfport
The Gulfport Public Library