Tierra Verde, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tierra Verde, Florida
|
|
|---|---|
Boats along the docks of Tierra Verde in 2010
|
|
Location in Pinellas County and the state of Florida
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Florida |
| County | Pinellas |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.61 sq mi (11.94 km2) |
| • Land | 1.24 sq mi (3.21 km2) |
| • Water | 3.37 sq mi (8.73 km2) |
| Elevation | 3 ft (1 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 3,836 |
| • Density | 3,098.55/sq mi (1,196.26/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
33715
|
| Area code(s) | 727 |
| FIPS code | 12-71825 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0304732 |
Tierra Verde is a special community in Pinellas County, Florida, USA. It's called a census-designated place (CDP) because it's a specific area counted by the government. In 2010, about 3,721 people lived there.
This community is on an island near the entrance of Tampa Bay. Bridges called the Pinellas Bayway connect it to both St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach. At the very south end of Tierra Verde, you'll find Fort De Soto, which is a popular county park.
Contents
About Tierra Verde
Where is Tierra Verde?
Tierra Verde is located at 27°40′53″N 82°43′28″W / 27.68139°N 82.72444°W. It covers a total area of about 12.6 square kilometers (4.6 square miles). Most of this area, about 9.5 square kilometers (3.7 square miles), is water. The land area is about 3.1 square kilometers (1.2 square miles).
Who Lives Here?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 3,836 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 3,574 people living in Tierra Verde. There were 1,661 households, which are groups of people living together. About 1,132 of these were families.
Most people living here were White (about 95.89%). Other groups included African American (1.79%), Asian (0.98%), and Native American (0.20%). About 3.41% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average household had about 2.15 people, and the average family had about 2.53 people. About 17% of households had children under 18. Many households (62.7%) were married couples living together.
The median age in 2000 was 48 years old. This means half the people were younger and half were older. About 13.8% of the population was under 18. About 14.4% were 65 or older.
In 2010, the median income for a household was $100,500. This means half the households earned more and half earned less. The median income for a family was $125,547.
History of Tierra Verde
Tierra Verde was once 15 separate islands. These islands were covered with mangrove trees, pines, and bushes. The largest island was called Cabbage Key, which was over 289 acres.
For many centuries, Native Americans used these islands for important ceremonies and as burial grounds. You can still find a marker on the east side of Pinellas Bayway. This is where Native American items were found when the road to Fort De Soto Park was built.
Early Explorers and Pirates
In 1513, Juan Ponce de León, a Spanish explorer, visited this area. He returned in 1521 and was wounded, later dying in Cuba. Other explorers like Narvaez and Hernando de Soto also explored here. Later, pirates and buccaneers, such as José Gaspar and Jean Lafitte, sailed these waters. People even rumored that a treasure was buried here!
In 1848, Robert E. Lee, who was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. army, suggested using Mullet Key for Florida's coastal defense. During the Spanish–American War in 1898, Fort De Soto was built on Mullet Key. You can still see parts of the fort today. In 1948, the government sold Mullet Key to Pinellas County. It became Fort De Soto Park.
Settlers and Development
In 1902, Cabbage Key was famous for a huge alligator caught there. It was 12 feet long and weighed 431 pounds! Early settlers included William Bunce, a sea captain, and Silas Dent, who had a dairy farm. Silas Dent lived on Cabbage Key until he passed away in 1952.
By 1920, Cabbage Key had a dairy farm with 36 cows. It also had the first wireless tower in Pinellas County.
In the mid-1950s, a doctor named Bradley "Doc" Waldron bought Pine Key, Cabbage Key, and Pardee Key from the State of Florida. He partnered with builders Hyman and Irving Green. They called their land "Green Land."
They planned to pump sand and shells from the bay to make the islands bigger. This would create one large island with canals. At first, you could only reach Tierra Verde by boat. A ferry ran from Pass-a-Grille to Madonna Boulevard.
Then, the state planned the Bayway. The Greens helped by giving land for the Fort De Soto part of the road. This made sure they would have a road to their new Tierra Verde. The road and bridge plans were approved in 1960.
The Berlanti Era
In 1960, Louis Berlanti and his son Fred, contractors from New York City, bought the islands. They started the Tierra Verde Community Association. By December 1962, there was a road and a bridge to Tierra Verde.
In January 1963, the Port O' Call Resort opened. Famous stars like Frank Sinatra and Marlene Dietrich performed there. Two episodes of the TV show Route 66 were filmed at the resort.
Sadly, Louis and Fred Berlanti died in a plane crash in August 1963. After their deaths, the Murchison family owned Tierra Verde for over 14 years. The Port O' Call Resort became less popular.
Modern Growth
In 1977, Frank E. Mackle III became president of the Tierra Verde Company. This company worked with international brokers to sell lots to people from other countries. Growth was still slow until 1984. That year, an exit ramp was built connecting the Pinellas Bayway to Interstate 275. This made it much easier to get to Tierra Verde. Property sales then increased a lot.
In January 1985, the community was turned over to the homeowners. Tierra Verde might have been named for the Green brothers, or for its "green land" (Tierra Verde means "Green Land" in Spanish).
Tierra Verde is an unincorporated part of Pinellas County. This means it's not officially a city. Both St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach have tried to make Tierra Verde part of their cities. However, the people of Tierra Verde have voted to stay independent.
The 15 original islands are now six main areas of Tierra Verde. These are Monte Cristo, Entrada, Pinellas Bayway, Sands Point, East Shore (Bayview), and West Shore (Oceanview).
In 1980, Tierra Verde's real estate was worth $15 million. By 2003, its value had grown to $632 million! Today, there are about 2,000 homes and businesses in Tierra Verde. It is expected that about 2,500 families will live there when it is fully developed.
Images for kids
-
Boats along the docks of Tierra Verde in 2010
-
Location in Pinellas County and the state of Florida
-
Tierra Verde 4th of July celebration in 2020
