Safety Harbor, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Safety Harbor, Florida
City
City of Safety Harbor
Safety Harbor City Hall
Seal
Motto(s):  Home of the Mineral Springs
Safety Harbor, Florida Location in Florida Show map of Florida Safety Harbor, Florida Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States of America
State	Florida
County	Pinellas
Settled	1823
Incorporated	1917
Area
• Total	5.10 sq mi (13.21 km2)
• Land	4.92 sq mi (12.75 km2)
• Water	0.18 sq mi (0.46 km2)
Elevation	20 ft (6 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	17,072
• Estimate  (2021)	16,987
• Density	3,467.10/sq mi (1,338.66/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	34695
Area code(s)	727
FIPS code	12-62425
GNIS feature ID	0290124

Safety Harbor is a city on the west shore of Tampa Bay in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It was settled in 1823 and incorporated in 1917. The population was 17,072 at the 2020 census.

History

The area has been inhabited since the Stone Age. In June 2008, a 6,000-year-old spearhead was found at Marshall Street Park. The inhabitants of the area at the time of Spanish exploration were the Tocobaga people, who lived in villages around Tampa Bay. The adaptation of this culture relied on wild resources. Safety Harbor sites have yielded pottery, and artifacts of copper, shell, and stone. The Tocobaga were known for constructing various ceremonial and communal mounds to bury the dead. Most of these mounds were destroyed in the early 1900s due to development. However, one of these ceremonial mounds is still visible in Safety Harbor's Phillippe Park (see photo). Shells found in these mounds were used to pave city streets.

In 1528 Spanish explorer Pánfilo de Narváez landed in the area, followed by Hernando de Soto in 1539. Safety Harbor (formerly known as Worth's Harbor and Green's Springs) was first homesteaded by Count Odet Philippe, a French nobleman who is credited with introducing the grapefruit to Florida in 1823. The name Safety Harbor originated from the early 18th century, when pirates were a substantial influence in the area. Once ships reached this area of the bay, all threats from pirates were gone, and it was commonly referred to as a "Safe Harbor".

Springs

Safety Harbor is the home of the historic Espiritu Santo Springs, or "Springs of the Holy Spirit", a natural mineral spring. Its waters were given this name in 1539 by the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, who was supposedly searching for the mythical "Fountain of Youth". Prior to the Spanish exploration of Florida, the Tocobaga and Timuquan tribes are believed to have fished and bathed in the spring's waters.

In the 20th century, Espiritu Santo water was bottled and sold commercially, and later a health spa and hotel were built over the springs. The Safety Harbor Resort and Spa, as it is now known, continues to be a prominent visitor attraction in Pinellas County. In 1964, the site was designated a Historical Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior and, in 1997, a Florida Heritage Landmark.

Geography

The city is located on the west side of Safety Harbor, a waterway connected to Tampa Bay.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13 km²), of which 4.9 square miles (13 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (2.57%) is water.

Demographics

Tocobaga Indian Mound in Philippe Park

2010 and 2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 17,072 people, 6,903 households, and 4,781 families residing in the city.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 16,884 people, 7,073 households, and 4,750 families residing in the city.

Arts and culture

Library

The Safety Harbor Public Library was founded in 1938 by the Women's Civic Club of Safety Harbor with funds from the federal Works Progress Administration program (WPA). The library was originally housed inside the Community House located at 2nd St. N and 6th Ave N. On November 25, 1938, Daisy Cahow was appointed by the WPA as the First Librarian. To supply the library collection, the Women's Civic Club paid the transportation charges to borrow 50 books from the state and return them at regular intervals. As the collection was expanded it quickly outgrew the space. In 1946, Dr. Salem Baranoff, owner of the Safety Harbor Spa, purchased and donated two empty lots on 2nd St. N and 5th Ave N for the new library. Construction for the new building began on March 4, 1949 and the library opened in November 1949. The Women's Civic Club continued to operate the library in its new building, however, by 1978 it had become difficult for the club to provide adequate funding on its own. The property was deeded to the City of Safety Harbor in exchange for yearly funding, and the Civic Club continued to operate the library until October 1980 when full operation was taken over by the City. As the population of the city continued to grow, the library again outgrew the space and construction of a new building began in 1993 at its current location on 2nd Ave N with the new library opening on October 1, 1994. In February 2024, construction began on a second-floor addition to the current library. Safety Harbor Public Library is part of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative.

Education

Safety Harbor Middle School

There are two public schools within the city: Safety Harbor Elementary School for grades one to five, and Safety Harbor Middle School for grades 6 to 8.

Infrastructure

The CSX railroad branch line from Tampa to St. Petersburg bisects Safety Harbor. Passenger trains last used the line in 1984.

Notable people

• Matt Geiger, NBA professional basketball player
• Alan Lomax, collector of folk music, folklorist, and writer
• Dave Martinez, MLB professional baseball player and manager
• Taffy Nivert, singer and songwriter with Starland Vocal Band
• Robin Zander, musician with Cheap Trick
• Calvin Heimburg, professional disc golfer on Disc Golf Pro Tour

See also

In Spanish: Safety Harbor para niños