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Clearwater is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida, USA, nearly due west of Tampa. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787; however, according to the 2005 U.S. Census Bureau's estimates, the city's population fell slightly to 108,687. It is the county seat of Pinellas County. It is the smallest of the three large cities that constitute the Tampa Bay area. Clearwater is a part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area, most commonly referred to as the "Tampa Bay Area". The four-county area is composed of roughly 2.7 million residents, making it the second largest metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the state, and the third largest in the Southeastern United States.
History
Present-day Clearwater was originally the home of the Tocobagan Indian tribe. Around 1835, the U.S. Army began construction of Fort Harrison as an outpost during the Seminole wars. The fort was located on a bluff overlooking Clearwater Harbor in an area known today as Harbor Oaks. University of South Florida archeologists excavated the site in 1977 after Alfred C. Wyllie discovered an underground ammunition bunker while digging a swimming pool on his estate.
The area's population grew in 1842, after the Federal Armed Occupation Act of 1842 offered 160 acres to anyone who would bear arms and cultivate the land. Early settlers included the Stevens, Stevenson and McMullen families, who claimed and farmed large tracts of land. Prior to 1906, the area was known as Clear Water Harbor. The name "Clear Water" is thought to have come from a fresh water spring flowing from near where the City Hall building is located today. There were many other freshwater springs that dotted the bayfront, many in the bay itself, which were the reason for the crystal clear water found there.
Originally part of Hillsborough County, the first road joining Clearwater and Tampa was built in 1849, which dramatically reduced the prior day-long commute between the cities. The first US Post Office for Pinellas County was built on the site of the present Turner Steet Dock Park, circa 1859.
During the U.S. Civil War, Union gunboats repeatedly raided the city's supplies as most of the able-bodied men were away fighting for the Confederate States of America army. The city began booming in late nineteenth century, prompted by Henry B. Plant building the first passenger railroad line into the city 1888. Clearwater was incorporated as a town in 1891 and James E. Crane became the town's first mayor . The town's reputation as a tourist destination grew in popularity when Plant built the Belleview Biltmore in 1897.
By the early 1900s, Clearwater's population had grown to around 400, ballooning to nearly 1,000 in the winter. Clearwater was reincorporated, this time as a city, on May 27, 1915, and made the county seat for Pinellas County, which broke from Hillsborough County in 1912. Also in 1915, a bridge was built across Clearwater Harbor, joining the city with modern-day Clearwater Beach. Remnants of the original bridge still remain as boating hazards in the harbor's shallows.
During World War II, Clearwater became a major training base for U.S. troops destined for Europe and the Pacific. Virtually every hotel in the area, including the historic Belleview Biltmore and Fort Harrison Hotel, became luxury barracks for new recruits. Vehicle traffic regularly stopped for companies of soldiers marching through downtown, and nighttime blackouts to confuse potential enemy bombers were common practice. The remote and isolated Dan's Island, now Sand Key, was used as a target for US Army Air Corps fighter-bombers for strafing and bombing practice.
Geography
Clearwater is located at (27.973644, -82.764271).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 97.7 km² (37.7 mi²). 65.5 km² (25.3 mi²) of it is land and 32.2 km² (12.4 mi²) of it (32.98%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 108,787 people, 48,449 households, and 27,422 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,660.8/km² (4,302.1/mi²). There were 56,802 housing units at an average density of 867.2/km² (2,246.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.85% White, 9.79% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.64% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.48% from other races, and 1.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.97% of the population.
There were 48,449 households out of which 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,494, and the median income for a family was $46,228. Males had a median income of $31,067 versus $25,066 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,786. About 8.4% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.8% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Population history of Clearwater from the U.S. Census Bureau
Source: United States Census Bureau
Government
The City of Clearwater is administered by a Council-Manager form of government, and the City Manager serves as the Chief Executive and Administrative Officer of the City.
The Clearwater City Council comprises the Mayor and four Council members each of whom serves a three year term. The Council is responsible for setting policies and making decisions on local government issues including tax rates, annexations, property code variances and large contract awards. The Council strives to maintain Clearwater's reputation as an innovative leader in the delivery of municipal services while developing programs, practices, policies and procedures that work within a conservative budget and strives to achieve a high level of citizen satisfaction.
The City Manager and City Council are supported by the various City Departments, each of which provides valuable public services to the successful operation and improvement of the City of Clearwater, its residents, businesses, and visitors.
See also: List of Mayors of Clearwater, Florida.
Annual events
Art and culture
The Clearwater Public Art and Design Program, adopted by City Council in 2005, is funded through a 1% allocation on all City capital improvement projects valued at more than $500,000 and includes a similar, citywide requirement on all private development projects valued in excess of $5,000,000. Eligible private developers have two options to satisfy the Public Art Ordinance: dedicate 1% of the project’s aggregate job value toward the installation of on-site public art; or contribute 0.75% of the project’s aggregate job value to the City’s Public Art Discretionary Fund, to be used to supplement and initiate public art projects throughout the city. The Public Art and Design Program is overseen by a seven-member Board, appointed by City Council and composed of local arts supporters and administrators, design professionals and private citizens. The Program seeks to “enhance Clearwater for those who visit and live within the city and to contribute to a legacy for generations to come” through the commission of unique, public artworks that enhance the City’s diversity, character and heritage.
Colleges
Famous residents
Scientology
The worldwide spiritual headquarters of the Church of Scientology is the Flag Land Base a.k.a. the Flag Service Organization, located in Downtown Clearwater. It was opened in 1975 when an anonymous Scientology-founded group called "The United Churches of Florida" purchased the Fort Harrison Hotel for $3 million. The citizens and City Council of Clearwater did not realize that the building's owners were actually the Church of Scientology until after the building's purchase. Clearwater citizens groups, headed by Mayor Gabe Cazares, rallied against Scientology establishing a base in the city (repeatedly referring to the organization as a cult), but Flag Land Base was established nonetheless.
Clearwater is considered the mecca of Scientology as some of the most advanced services offered are available here and some of the churches most highly trained specialist in their respective fields are stationed at Flag. Only members of the Sea Organization man the base. Delivery of churches services, many of which are exclusively entrusted to Flag takes place in a complex of over 40 buildings, enough to accommodate over 1,500 parishioners a day.
The largest building in the base is Fort Harrison Hotel, but in late 2008, the Super Power Building will be completed after many years of delays and will be connected to the Fort Harrison via walkway.
It is because of Flag that Clearwater boasts the world's largest community of Scientologists outside of Los Angeles.
The Clearwater Police Department conducted an ongoing investigation of the Church of Scientology for years, resulting in strained relations between the two organizations. Starting in January, 2000, the Church began hiring off-duty police officers as security guards. This has brought criticism on the Police Department as compromising the Department's impartiality.
Scientology and various members have been involved in many real estate acquisitions in downtown Clearwater.
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