Clearwater, situated on Florida's Gulf Coast, is a progressive city that is rife with history and known for its breathtaking landscape.
Early settlers, which included the Timucuan, Calusa, and Apalachee tribes, had plentiful fresh springs along its shore, and called the area "Pocotopaug," meaning Clear Water Harbor. After Florida had been seceded by the Spanish, early developers and speculators drew tourists and new residents touting Clearwater as a resort community with a comfortable climate. Opportunity and adventure brought many pioneering families, citrus farmers, railroad barons, and land developers to the area, and today, Clearwater is a locality that continues to move forward while preserving its distinct past.
Images of America: Clearwater
is a unique collection of photographs and facts that brings the history of this thriving city to life. Photographs culled from a variety of sources, including the Clearwater Historical Society and Hillsborough County Public Library's archives, showcase the people, places, and events that have contributed to the foundation of this special Florida community. Readers can take a visual journey to the unincorporated town of yesteryear to see how the "father of Clearwater" James Stevens, Rev. C.S. Reynolds, and Henry Plant's grand hotel, the Belleview Biltmore, turned Clearwater into a prosperous city.