City of Clearwater, Florida
Location in Pinellas County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 27°58′25″N 82°45′51″W / 27.97361, -82.76417
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Pinellas
First Incorporation	1891
Second Incorporation	1915
Government
- Mayor	Frank Hibbard
Area
- City	37. Pinellas County is a county located in the US state of Florida. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The political units and divisions of the United States include The 50 states (four of these being officially styled as Commonwealths) which are typically Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the ImageFlorida counties mappng|thumb|right|400px|Florida counties (clickable map poly 42 38 86 40 79 44 74 47 71 55 69 69 74 72 76 87 77 90 87 97 87 102 87 108 78 111 77 115 80 117 Pinellas County is a county located in the US state of Florida. Frank V Hibbard is a Republican politician in Florida. He is Mayor of Clearwater Florida. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status 7 sq mi (97. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 7 km²)
- Land	25. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 3 sq mi (65. 5 km²)
- Water	12. 4 sq mi (32. 2 km²)
Elevation	30 ft (9 m)
Population (2005)
- City	108,687
- Density	4,295. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 9/sq mi (1,659. 4/km²)
- Metro	4 million
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s)	727
FIPS code	12-12875[1]
GNIS feature ID	0280543[2]
Website: http://www.clearwater-fl.com

Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, USA, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central UTC−5 is the Time offset used in the North American Eastern Time Zone during Standard time and in the North American Central Time Zone during Daylight saving time ( DST UTC−4 is the Time offset used in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone in Canada in winter and the North American Eastern Time Zone during A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks Area code 727 covers Pinellas County, Florida (excluding the majority of Oldsmar) including St Federal Information Processing Standards ( FIPS) are publicly announced standards developed by the United States Federal government for use by all non-military The Geographic Names Information System ( GNIS) is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Pinellas County is a county located in the US state of Florida. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the St Petersburg (often shortened to St Pete) is a city in Pinellas County Florida, United States. 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. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census ^[3] It is the county seat of Pinellas County. A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. ^[4] Clearwater is the smallest of the three principal cities in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area, most commonly referred to as the Tampa Bay Area. The Tampa Bay Area, or Tampa Bay, after the body of water it surrounds is the second most populated metropolitan region in the state of Florida, the The four-county area is home to 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. Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region

History

Clearwater at daybreak, as seen from Clearwater Beach

Present-day Clearwater was originally the home of the Tocobaga people. Tocobaga is the name of a group of Native Americans who lived in Chiefdoms along the middle Gulf coast of the Florida peninsula at the time of Around 1835, the U.S. Army began construction of Fort Harrison as an outpost during the Seminole wars. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Fort Harrison was an important component of the Confederate defenses of Richmond during the American Civil War. The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between various groups of Native Americans collectively known as 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. The University of South Florida ( USF) known within its system as USF Tampa, is a public research University system located in Tampa, Florida 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. A city hall or town hall is the chief administrative building of a City or Town 's administration and usually houses the city or 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.

View north from Sand Key toward Clearwater Beach

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. Hillsborough County is a County located in the US state of Florida. The first US Post Office for Pinellas County was built on the site of the present Turner Street 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. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 The city began booming in late nineteenth century, prompted by Peter Demens building the first passenger railroad line into the city 1888. Peter Demens ( – January 21, 1919) born Pyotr Alexeyevitch Dementyev (Петр Алексеевич Дементьев is one of the founders of the Clearwater was incorporated as a town in 1891 and James E. Crane became the town's first mayor. ^[5] The town's reputation as a tourist destination grew in popularity when Plant built the Belleview Biltmore in 1897. The Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa is a large historic

Pinellas County Courthouse in Clearwater

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. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Pinellas County is a county located in the US state of Florida. Also in 1915, a bridge was built across Clearwater Harbor, joining the city with modern-day Clearwater Beach. Clearwater Beach is located on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County on the west central coast of Florida in the United States. 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. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including 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. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC was the predecessor of the U

Geography

Clearwater is located at 27°58′25″N, 82°45′51″W (27. 973644, -82. 764271). ^[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 97. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 7 km² (37. M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here 7 mi²). The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 65. 5 km² (25. 3 mi²) of it is land and 32. 2 km² (12. 4 mi²) of it (32. 98%) is water.

Demographics

Sightseeing and fishing boats docked at the Clearwater Marina

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 108,787 people, 48,449 households, and 27,422 families residing in the city. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The population density was 1,660. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 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. ^[8][9]

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. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country About 8. 4% of families and 12. 3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country 8% of those under age 18 and 7. 9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Clearwater City Hall looking up and east from the foot of the bluff toward the rear of the building.

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. A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a City, in a council-manager form of city government

The Clearwater City Council comprises the Mayor and four Council members each of whom serves a three year term. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government 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. This is a List of Mayors that served the City of Clearwater Florida. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the

Annual events

Clearwater Beach sunset

• Imagine International Film Festival
• Fun N Sun Festival (April - May)
• Clearwater Celebrates America (July 4)
• Clearwater Jazz Holiday (October)
• Hispanic Heritage Festival (October)
• Ford Ironman World Championship 70. Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples 3^[10] (November 2006-2010)

Transportation

Tampa International Airport and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport are in the area and serve Clearwater. Tampa International Airport is a public Airport located six miles (10 km) west of the Central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough St Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is a joint civil-military Airport located in unincorporated Pinellas County Florida, six miles (10 km north

Art and culture

Clearwater Beach, looking south from Pier 60.

Clearwater Public Art and Design Program

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.

International Arts and Film Foundation

(Official Site)

Colleges

• Clearwater Christian College
• St. Petersburg College
• Florida Metropolitan University
• Pinellas Technical Education Center

Famous current and former residents

• Evel Knievel, Stunt King^[11]
• Ricky Carmichael Retired supercross/motocross racer^[12]
• Hulk Hogan maintains a large estate in neighboring Belleair and a beach house in Clearwater Beach. Template talkInfobox Union for usage --> The International Arts and Film Foundation is Clearwater Christian College (CCC is a Non-denominational Christian college in Clearwater Florida. St Petersburg College (commonly referred to as SPC, formerly known as St Everest University, formerly Florida Metropolitan University is a system of For-profit universities with most of their campuses located in the state of Florida in This article is about the stunt performer For the wooden roller coaster by the same name see Evel Knievel (roller coaster Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel Ricky Carmichael (born November 27, 1979 in Clearwater Florida) is a former professional Motocross and supercross racer now transitioning Supercross is a cycle racing sport involving Racing specialized high performance off-road Motorcycles on an artificially made dirt tracks consisting of steep jumps Motocross is a form of Motorcycle sport or All-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed Off road circuits Terrance "Terry" Gene Bollea (born August 11 1953 better known by his Ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Actor, and retired professional Belleair is a town in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. Clearwater Beach is located on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County on the west central coast of Florida in the United States. ^[13]
• Underoath, a successful Alternative Metal band began in and around the Clearwater region in the late 1990s. Underoath (sometimes stylized as underOATH) is a Grammy -nominated Metalcore band from Tampa Florida, formed in 1998

Sister cities

Clearwater has city partnerships with the following cities:

• Nagano, Japan
• Kalamaria, Greece

Scientology

Church of Scientology Clearwater headquarters. the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, is located in the northern part of the prefecture near the confluence of the Chikuma and the Sai rivers on the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Kalamariá (Greek Καλαμαριά is an affluent suburban city in the Thessaloniki Prefecture located about 5 km southeast of downtown Thessaloniki. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Fort Harrison Hotel on left. The Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the flagship building of the Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology 's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater Florida New Super Power Building on right. The Super Power Building is an Edifice in Clearwater Florida that will be the Church of Scientology 's largest property in the city when completed Taken looking north from a couple of blocks south on Fort Harrison Avenue.

The worldwide "spiritual headquarters" of the Church of Scientology is located in the city of Clearwater, Florida. The Church of Scientology is the largest organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. Officially known in Scientology as Flag Land Base, this international headquarters was founded in the late 1970s when an anonymous Scientology-founded group called "United Churches of Florida" purchased the Fort Harrison Hotel for $3 million. Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices initially created by American Science fiction author L 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. Gabe Cazares (1920-2006 was the former mayor of Clearwater Florida, a civil rights advocate and a critic of the Church of Scientology. This article does not discuss "cult" in the original sense of "veneration" or "religious practice" for that usage see Cult (religious practice ^[14] In the years since its foundation, Flag Land Base has expanded as the church has gradually purchased additional property in the downtown Clearwater area. Scientology's largest project in Clearwater has been the construction of a huge high-rise complex called the "Super Power Building", an enormous structure whose highest point, when completed, will be a huge Scientology cross that will tower over the city. The Super Power Building is an Edifice in Clearwater Florida that will be the Church of Scientology 's largest property in the city when completed Its relationship with the city has not always been smooth (such as the 1997 protest against Chief Klein and the Clearwater Police Department). ^[15]

References

External links

• City of Clearwater
• Clearwater, Florida is at coordinates 27°58′25″N 82°45′51″W / 27.973644, -82.764271 (Clearwater, Florida)Coordinates: 27°58′25″N 82°45′51″W / 27.973644, -82.764271 (Clearwater, Florida)