Oldsmar, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oldsmar, Florida
City
City of Oldsmar
Motto(s):  Top of the Bay
Location in Pinellas County and the state of Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Pinellas
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
• Body	Council-Manager form of government
Area
• Total	10.10 sq mi (26.15 km2)
• Land	8.95 sq mi (23.17 km2)
• Water	1.15 sq mi (2.98 km2)
Elevation	7 ft (2 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,898
• Density	1,665.33/sq mi (642.97/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	34677
Area codes	656, 813
FIPS code	12-51350
GNIS feature ID	0288131

Oldsmar is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. In 2020, about 14,898 people lived there. The city got its name on April 12, 1916. This was when Ransom E. Olds, who created the Oldsmobile car, bought a lot of land north of Tampa Bay. He wanted to build a new, planned community there.

Geography

Oldsmar is located at 28°02′31″N 82°40′35″W / 28.042061°N 82.676350°W / 28.042061; -82.676350.

The city covers a total area of about 25 square kilometers (9.7 square miles). Most of this area, about 22.5 square kilometers (8.7 square miles), is land. The rest, about 2.5 square kilometers (1.0 square mile), is water.

History of Oldsmar

Early Times and Founding

Long ago, archeologists found signs of small campsites and villages in the Oldsmar area. These date back to a very old time, from about 8000 to 1000 BC.

In 1916, Ransom E. Olds bought a large piece of land, about 152 square kilometers (37,541 acres). This land was at the northern tip of Tampa Bay. He wanted to design a new, organized town there. Olds liked the land because it was close to other towns like Tampa and Tarpon Springs. It also had a railroad line nearby.

The town's name changed a few times. First, it was called R. E. Olds-on-the-Bay. Then it became Oldsmar. In 1927, it was changed to Tampa Shores. Finally, in 1937, it went back to its original name, Oldsmar.

Building the New Town

After buying the land, Olds started the Reo Farms Company to help build his new town. They hired architects and city planners to draw up plans. Workers were hired to construct buildings. The town had important places like churches, schools, and a bank. It also had a train station, a sawmill, and docks along the 16 kilometers (10 miles) of waterfront facing Old Tampa Bay.

Outside the town, land was divided for farming. To show how good the land was for growing crops and raising animals, the Reolds Farms Company built a model farm. This farm had cattle, horses, pigs, and other animals. They also grew potatoes, turnips, beets, celery, and citrus fruits. An oil well was drilled, but it never produced oil.

The company also ran a big advertising campaign to get people from the North to move there. One popular slogan was "Oldsmar for Health, Wealth and Happiness." They even arranged tours with special train cars from Detroit to Oldsmar. A 60-room hotel, called the Wayside Inn, was built for visitors.

Olds named some of the roads himself. One was Gim Gong Road, named after Lue Gim Gong. Gim Gong was a plant expert Olds hired to help with the farming community.

Important Buildings and Businesses

The Bank Building was built in 1918 under Olds's direction. It has been a key part of Oldsmar's history. Located in downtown Oldsmar, it was built in the Mediterranean Revival style. It used special white Italian glazed bricks. Besides the Oldsmar State Bank, the building also housed the Reolds Farm Co. and the Real Estate Sale Department. By 1920, the bank was handling over $1 million in deposits.

Photograph of three men standing among tall corn in Oldsmar, Florida, around 1900.

In 1919, the city's first library was started by the Woman's Club. They gave it to the city in 1977.

Original plans for the city included a golf course and a fancy hotel on the bay. However, these were never built. A sawmill and a foundry were set up. The foundry made cast-iron engines for tractors and heaters for citrus groves. The sawmill also made the Olds Chair, which was like the popular Adirondack chair. It was made from yellow pine or cypress wood.

Olds also helped the Kardell Tractor and Truck Company move to town. It was renamed Oldsmar Tractor Company. Olds hoped it would create a machine to clear out tough palmetto roots and pine stumps. These had to be removed by hand otherwise. In its early days, Oldsmar had dairy and farming areas. It was common to see cattle and hogs roaming freely. They grew peppers, tomatoes, corn, and grapes. A banana farm was tried, but the winters were too cold, and the crops failed.

Challenges and Changes

In 1921, a hurricane hit Tampa Bay. Oldsmar is on high ground, but it was still badly damaged. The storm uprooted large trees. Floodwaters rose 4.3 meters (14 feet) above normal levels. Some homes that survived were later moved by boat to St. Petersburg.

Olds spent about $100,000 drilling an oil well, but it never produced oil. This well is now capped and is on the grounds of the Tampa Bay Downs Racetrack. Other wells were dug in Florida, but none could drill through the underground water layers.

By 1923, Olds had invested over $4.5 million in Oldsmar. However, the population was only around 200 people. When he saw that Oldsmar was not growing as he hoped, he started selling his properties. He traded the nearly finished racetrack for the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater. He traded the rest of the land for the Belerive Hotel in Kansas. By the time Olds left, he had lost almost $3 million. He had imagined a city of 100,000 people, but it only had about 200 when he left.

After Olds left, a promoter named Harry A. Prettyman continued to sell lots in Oldsmar. Prettyman used fun tricks, like "Gold Rushes," where gold pieces were buried for people to dig up. In 1927, Prettyman was caught selling land that was underwater. To avoid a scandal, the town's name was changed to Tampa Shores. It wasn't until 1935 that the last of Olds's property was finally sold.

Population Information

Oldsmar has grown quite a bit over the years. In 1930, there were only 280 people. By 2020, the population had grown to 14,898.

In 2020, there were 14,898 people living in Oldsmar. There were 5,182 households and 3,707 families.

Economy

An old oil well and drilling equipment in Oldsmar, Florida.

Oldsmar is home to an office of Nielsen Media Research. Many of Nielsen's employees work in Oldsmar. The company's work on measuring media (like TV ratings) comes from this office. The Associated Press called the Oldsmar building, which cost $80 million, its "nerve center." In 2003, the company moved into its Oldsmar complex. They brought employees from other areas in Pinellas County to work there.

A large defense and aerospace company, Lockheed Martin, also has a facility in Oldsmar. In 2015, over 600 people worked there.

Culture and Events

Oldsmar celebrates its history every year with an event called Oldsmar Days and Nights. This celebration includes parades, car shows (featuring the Oldsmobile car), and carnival rides. It usually happens in the Spring.

Education

Oldsmar is part of the Pinellas County Schools district. Students in Oldsmar attend:

• East Lake High School
• Carwise Middle School
• Forest Lakes Elementary School
• Oldsmar Elementary School
• Oldsmar Christian School

Notable People

Many interesting people have connections to Oldsmar, including:

• Troy Baxter Jr., a professional NBA basketball player.
• Francis Biondi, a finalist on the TV show MasterChef US Season 5, who is also a professional golfer.
• John Brown, a professional NBA basketball player.
• L.J. Figueroa, a professional NBA basketball player.
• Cito Gaston, a former MLB all-star baseball player. He won the World Series twice as a manager and was the first African-American manager to win a World Series.
• Justin James, a professional NBA basketball player.
• Gene Michael, a former professional MLB baseball player and manager for the New York Yankees.
• Artavis Scott, an NFL wide receiver.
• Nathan Harriel, an MLS defender for Philadelphia Union.
• Mike Boylan, a video blogger, storm chaser, and creator of Mike's Weather Page.

Gallery

See also

In Spanish: Oldsmar para niños