- Dunedin, Florida
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Dunedin, Florida — City — Dunedin downtown
Location in Pinellas County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 28°1′31″N 82°46′31″W / 28.02528°N 82.77528°WCoordinates: 28°1′31″N 82°46′31″W / 28.02528°N 82.77528°W Country United States State Florida County Pinellas Area – Total 28.2 sq mi (73.1 km2) – Land 10.4 sq mi (26.9 km2) – Water 17.8 sq mi (46.2 km2) Elevation 30 ft (9 m) Population (2000) – Total 35,691 – Density 1,265.6/sq mi (488.2/km2) Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) – Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4) ZIP codes 34697-34698 Area code(s) 727 FIPS code 12-18575[1] GNIS feature ID 0281860[2] Website www.dunedingov.com Dunedin (
/dəˈniːdɨn/) is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The population was 35,691 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 36,632.[3] Dunedin is home to several beaches, including Dunedin Causeway, Honeymoon Island, and Caladesi Island State Park, which is consistently rated among the best beaches in the world.[4] Dunedin is one of the few open waterfront communities from Sarasota to Cedar Key where buildings do not completely obscure the view of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico beyond; a 1-mile stretch of Edgewater Drive (also known as Alternate US 19) south of downtown offers views of St. Joseph Sound, Clearwater Beach, and Caladesi Island. Downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach are a six mile drive down Edgewater.The quaint, but thriving downtown business district has become a model for many other west-central Florida cities[original research?]. It is striking in comparison to neighboring Florida communities for its absence of commercial signage and corporate franchise restaurants and retail stores. The Pinellas Trail, a 39-mile long bicycle and pedestrian trail that traverses all of Pinellas County, bisects downtown Dunedin. Bicyclists are a common sight in the business district.
Bandstand at Edgewater Park.
Since 1977, Dunedin is the spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as the class-A Minor League Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League. Dunedin is one of the smallest communities used by Major League spring training teams. Dunedin Stadium is situated next to the Dunedin Public Library a few blocks south of downtown on Douglas Avenue, and is just two blocks east of Edgewater Drive. Dunedin Stadium was built as a replacement to Grant Field, the Blue Jays' first spring training ball park.
Until early 2005, Dunedin was the home of Nielsen Media Research's production operations.
The city is also home to Dunedin Brewery, Florida's oldest Microbrewery.
Contents
Geography
Location of Dunedin in Pinellas County, FloridaDunedin is located at 28°01′31″N 82°46′31″W / 28.025395°N 82.775348°W, which is the approximate geographic center of the city. The middle of downtown (intersection of Main Street and Douglas Avenue) is located at 28°00′42″N 82°47′16″W / 28.0118°N 82.7879°W.[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.2 square miles (73 km2). 10.4 square miles (27 km2) of it is land and 17.8 square miles (46 km2) of it (63.20%) is water.
Dunedin is bordered by Clearwater, Florida to the south and east, the Gulf of Mexico to the west, and by Palm Harbor, Florida (an unincorporated community of Pinellas County) to the north.
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 35,691 people, 17,258 households, and 9,543 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,438.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,327.6/km²). There were 19,952 housing units at an average density of 1,922.0 per square mile (742.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.88% White, 2.00% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.
There were 17,258 households out of which 18.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.63.
In the city the population was spread out with 15.6% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 29.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 84.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,813, and the median income for a family was $47,620. Males had a median income of $31,876 versus $27,072 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,460. About 4.8% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Pinellas County Schools operates public schools.
Within the city limits of Dunedin, there are 4 public elementary schools (Curtis Fundamental, Dunedin, Garrison-Jones, San Jose), 1 public middle school (Dunedin Highland), and 1 public high school (Dunedin High School). There are 2 charter schools ([Athenian Academy [6] of Pinellas and Academie DaVinci]) and two private schools (Anchor Academy and Dunedin Academy) and one Catholic school, Our Lady of Lourdes.
Until July 2006,[citation needed] Dunedin was also the home of the main campus of Schiller International University.[7] Now the university main campus is in Largo.[8]
86.6% of the city's 36,000 have a high school Diploma, 22.4% bachelor's degree or higher, 7.1% graduate degree.
Economy
Dunedin previously hosted an office of Nielsen Media Research. In 2003 the company moved into its Oldsmar complex and consolidated its employees there, with workers from Dunedin and other areas in Pinellas County moving into the Oldsmar building.[9]
History
Scottish families originally settled the City of Dunedin in the Nineteenth Century. Two Scotsmen, J.O. Douglas and James Sumerville named the settlement Dunedin, the original name of Edinburgh, their hometown in Scotland.
Dunedin became Incorporated as the City of Dunedin in 1899 in part as a response to numerous complaints about Pigs running rampant in the Settlement, Leading to a still standing ban on Livestock within city limits.
Dunedin and the Roebling Alligator
During and shortly before World War II the Food Machinery Corporation Factory in Dunedin (now demolished) was the primary site for the production of the Landing Vehicle Tracked developed by FMC Dunedin's Engineers and Donald Roebling of Clearwater, Florida from Roebling's own Alligator.[10]
Initial training on the LVTs was done at the FMC factory under the auspices of the first Amphibian Tractor School, led by Major William W. Davies. Until barracks and maintenance facilities were completed the School and its students were housed in the Hotel Dunedin. After training the Marines from the first Amphibian Tractor School were sent to flesh out the 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion, which has served with distinction since.
Traditions
Dunedin's Scottish-American Society maintains Dunedin's Scottish heritage.Sister city to Stirling, Scotland, Dunedin has maintained and embraced its Scottish roots, and evidence of this heritage can be seen everywhere. Once a year, Scottish clans descend upon the city for the Dunedin Highland Games. The sound of bagpipes is commonly heard throughout the city. Both Dunedin High School and Dunedin Highland Middle School have competition-level pipe and drum bands. The high school's marching band is known as the Scottish Highlander Band and both teen and adult members make up the City of Dunedin Pipe and Drum Corps. In addition to the Highland Games, Dunedin hosts many other annual festivals. The most popular among these is Dunedin's Mardi Gras celebration, during which by thousands of visitors descend on the small town.
Youth Organizations
- Cub Scouts Pack 422 - Chartered by Our Lady of Lourdes [11]
- Cub Scouts Pack 10 - Chartered by First Presbyterian Church of Dunedin [12]
Dunedin government
The City of Dunedin currently operates under a nonpartisan commissioner-manager form of government. The commission comprises four commissioners and a mayor, who are elected by the registered voters under a staggered system.
The chief executive officer, known as the City Manager, oversees the ten departments and the annual budget.
Currently, the Dunedin City Commission is made up of Mayor Dave Eggers, Vice Mayor Dave Carson, Commissioner Julie Ward-Bujalski, Commissioner Julie Scales, and Commissioner Ron Barnette. The City Manager is Rob Dispirito.
The City of Dunedin Government is made up of ten departments with various divisions and sections. The departments are Administration, Human Resources, Information Services, Public Works, Parks & Recreation, Fire, Library, Community Services, Economical Development, Planning/Development and Finance. The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) oversees downtown projects and the needs of downtown Dunedin merchants and tourism.
The City of Dunedin also boasts an extensive Volunteer Services section, and enables all citizens the chance to have their opinions expressed and tended to. Currently, there are 39 boards and committees that serve as advisory groups to the City Manager and the City Commission.
Recreation
The City of Dunedin contains a large Leisure Services Department, which provides low-cost recreation programming to the City's residents. The City operates four recreation facilities, each one designed to provide resources for a specific age group.
In 2007, the City of Dunedin opened its newest and largest recreation facility, the Dunedin Community Center, at a cost of just over $10 million, mostly paid for by the "Penny For Pinellas" tax.
Other recreation facilities include the Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center, the Hale Activity Center, Dunedin Nature Center, and the Highlander Pool Complex.
The Dunedin Country Club golf course is semi-private. There are memberships available and the course is open to the public.
The course was deeded to the city of Dunedin for recreational purposes in 1930 by the Contract Investment Company.
The City also has a large athletic base, with community soccer, baseball, hockey, and softball teams.
The City reflects the Gaelic origins of its name by playing host to a new American shinty club, Dunedin Camanachd.
Notable people from Dunedin
- John G. Hanna, sailboat designer, designed the Tahiti ketch
- Mike "Pinball" Clemons, player and coach of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, was born and raised in Dunedin, and graduated from Dunedin High School.[13]
- David Nutter, popular writer for television's the X Files, was a graduate of Dunedin High School.
- George Lowe, TV actor who is known to audiences as the voice of Space Ghost on the animated talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast and its sequel Cartoon Planet in the 1990s
Gallery
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Dunedin High School
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Dunedin Causeway looking west. Honeymoon Island is on the viewer's right.
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Sign Welcoming visitors to Dunedin on Edgewater Drive
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Band shell in the park in downtown Dunedin
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2004-04-12.xls census.gov
- ^ http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1021783.ece tampabay.com
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "Home." Athenianacademy.org
- ^ Helfand, Lorri. "Largo makes Schiller a priority." Clearwater Times (Edition of St. Petersburg Times). Thursday February 23, 2006. Page 1. Retrieved from Google News (83 of 108) on August 28, 2011.
- ^ "Home." Schiller International University. Retrieved on August 28, 2011. "Main Campus 8560 Ulmerton Road Largo, Florida 33771 "
- ^ "Univision sues over Nielsen's meters." Associated Press at the St. Petersburg Times. June 11, 2004. Retrieved on August 28, 2011.
- ^ William L. Davidson, Dunedin Thru the Years 1850-1978 (Charlotte, N.C.: Delmar Printing Co., l978)
- ^ "Home." Dunedin Pack 422
- ^ "Home." Dunedin Pack 10
- ^ Morgan, Nancy (2001-09-16). "CFL's Clemons recalls growing up in Dunedin". St. Petersburg Times. http://www.sptimes.com/News/091601/NorthPinellas/CFL_s_Clemons_recalls.shtml. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
External links
Tampa Bay Area Topics Tampa Bay · Climate · History · Media · Sports · Tampa International Airport · Hillsborough County Schools · Pinellas County Schools · University of South Florida
Central cities Smaller communities Pinellas Park · Temple Terrace · Brandon · Zeyphrhills · Plant City · Largo · Dunedin · Tarpon Springs · Lutz · Greater Sun CenterCities in wider region Counties in MSA Counties in wider region Region Outlying regions Southwest Florida · Florida Heartland · Big Bend ·
Fun CoastSee also:
FloridaMunicipalities and communities of Pinellas County, Florida Cities Belleair Beach | Belleair Bluffs | Clearwater | Dunedin | Gulfport | Indian Rocks Beach | Largo | Madeira Beach | Oldsmar | Pinellas Park | Safety Harbor | St. Pete Beach | St. Petersburg | Seminole | South Pasadena | Tarpon Springs | Treasure Island
Towns CDPs Unincorporated
communitiesCrystal Beach | Gandy | Highpoint | Ozona
Categories:- Cities in Pinellas County, Florida
- Populated coastal places in Florida
- Beaches of Florida
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