Palm Harbor, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Palm Harbor, Florida
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Sunset in the Ozona neighborhood
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Location in Pinellas County and the state of Florida
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| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Pinellas |
| Area | |
| • Total | 28.10 sq mi (72.79 km2) |
| • Land | 17.36 sq mi (44.96 km2) |
| • Water | 10.74 sq mi (27.83 km2) |
| Elevation | 49 ft (15 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 61,366 |
| • Density | 3,535.11/sq mi (1,364.90/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
34682-34685
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| Area code(s) | 727 |
| FIPS code | 12-54350 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0288399 |
Palm Harbor is a community in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's a special area used for gathering population data. In 2020, about 61,366 people lived there. Palm Harbor is mostly a residential area, meaning many people live in homes here.
Contents
What is Palm Harbor Like?
Palm Harbor is located about 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of downtown St. Petersburg. It is also west of Tampa. The downtown area of Palm Harbor has many small shops and restaurants. You can also find some historic buildings there.
If you go a bit east to U.S. Highway 19, you'll find bigger stores and many national chain restaurants. Palm Harbor is also home to the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club. This is a famous golf course where the PGA's Valspar Championship takes place.
Fun Events and Festivals
The historic downtown of Palm Harbor often hosts fun festivals and craft fairs. One popular event is "Palm Harbor's First Friday Celebrations." These happen on the first Friday of every month. They are great for both kids and adults. You can find rides and games for children. There's also lots of food from local restaurants. Local artists and crafters show and sell their handmade items.
Another big event is the "Taste of Palm Harbor" festival. It happens every year on the first Sunday in October. This event features live music and food samples from over 20 local restaurants. Many of these restaurants specialize in delicious seafood. The money raised from this event helps fund grants and scholarships for the community.
Things to Do in Palm Harbor
Palm Harbor has many places for recreation and fun activities.
Parks and Sports
You can visit John Chesnut Sr. Park in the East Lake area. There's also H.S. "Pop" Stansell Park, which has nice views of St. Joseph's Sound. The Palm Harbor Community Services District manages several sports complexes. These include J. Stephen Putnam Park, Palm Field, and Sunderman Recreation Complex.
Community Activities
The community activity center is a great place for programs. It's located at 1500 16th Street. The center offers programs for kids, teens, and adults. They also have fun summer camps. This building was originally built as a senior center. However, it didn't have enough money to stay open. In 2004, the community took over and started all these new programs.
Palm Harbor is also home to the Rheba Sutton White Chapel. This is a historic building that was restored in 2012. It's now used for many banquets, weddings, and special community events. Next to the chapel is Harbor Hall, which is also used for events and recreation.
Palm Harbor Library
The Palm Harbor Library is a special place in the community.
How the Library Started
The Palm Harbor Library first opened on April 1, 1978. It was funded by a special local tax, which is unique in Florida. A teacher named Jeanette Malouf noticed that students didn't have a library close by. The closest libraries charged fees for people who didn't live in their cities.
Jeanette Malouf was part of the Palm Harbor Civic Club. This club donated $400 to help start the library. Many community members also donated books and building supplies. The first library was set up on the first floor of a home donated by Bill Honey.
Growing the Library
At first, the Palm Harbor Library was run entirely by volunteers. They formed a group called the Palm Harbor Friends of the Library Inc. Jeanette Malouf became the director in 1980. The library kept growing with donations and fundraisers, like their popular book sales.
In December 1980, the library moved to the historic Palm Harbor Methodist Church. By 1982, it had grown to 20,000 books and served over 2,000 families! It even added a section with large-print books.
The library needed even more space as it grew. There was a chance to get a $200,000 grant from the state. However, the community needed to match the grant with $200,000. Pinellas County helped by donating 8 acres of land, which counted for $100,000. The community worked hard to raise the rest of the money.
A New Home for the Library
Even though the first grant didn't work out, Jeanette Malouf and the Friends of the Library kept working. In 1985, a new law was passed. This law allowed Palm Harbor to create a "Special District Status." This meant the community could tax themselves to pay for important services like a library.
This new funding helped the library buy land on Nebraska Avenue. The Palm Harbor Library officially opened at its current location on Nebraska Avenue on July 5, 1988. It was a big achievement for the community!
Palm Harbor's Location and Land
Palm Harbor is located at coordinates 28°5′2″N 82°45′14″W.
The area covers about 68.9 square kilometers (26.6 square miles). About 45.0 square kilometers (17.4 square miles) of this is land. The rest, about 23.9 square kilometers (9.2 square miles), is water.
Palm Harbor has a unique "hilly" landscape. This is not very common in Florida, which is mostly flat.
History of Palm Harbor
The area that is now Palm Harbor was mostly empty until settlers arrived in the 1860s. It was first known as "Curlew." There was a cemetery established in 1869 and a church called Curlew Methodist Church. A post office opened in 1878, named "Bay St. Joseph."
In the 1880s, two hotels opened: the San Marino Hotel and the Gulf View Hotel. A company called Sutherland Improvement Company bought land and developed it into a settlement called Sutherland. The Sutherland Post Office opened in 1888. A railway line, the Orange Belt Railway, reached Sutherland in 1890.
The name of the community was changed to Palm Harbor in 1925. Sutherland was once thought to be named after the Duke of Sutherland. However, local pioneers say the name "Sutherland" was actually a shorter version of "Southern Land and Development Company." This was the group that first planned the community in 1888.
People of Palm Harbor
Here are some well-known people who have lived in Palm Harbor:
- Gus Bilirakis – A congressman who represents Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Michael Bilirakis – Also a former congressman who lived in Palm Harbor.
- Ted Larsen – A professional football player who played as an offensive lineman.
- Richie Scheinblum – A professional baseball player who was an All-Star outfielder.
- Ben Sweat – A professional soccer player who plays as a left-back.
- Henry Zebrowski – A comedian and actor.
See also
In Spanish: Palm Harbor para niños
