City in Florida, United States
Dunedin
(
) is a city in
Pinellas County, Florida
, United States. The name comes from
Dun Eideann
, the
Scottish Gaelic
name for
Edinburgh
, the capital of Scotland. Dunedin is part of the
Tampa?St. Petersburg?Clearwater metropolitan area
and is the fifth largest city in Pinellas County. The population was 36,068 as of the
2020 census
.
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.
[5]
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
[
citation needed
]
; a 1-mile (1.6 km) 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 6-mile (10 km) drive south on Edgewater.
History
[
edit
]
Richard L. Garrison was the first person given a land grant in Dunedin in 1850. The settlement was originally named "
Jonesboro
" by George Jones, the owner of the area mercantile. Two
Scotsmen
, J.O. Douglas and James Somerville, later named the settlement Dunedin after applying for the first post office in northern Pinellas County. The name is taken from Scottish Gaelic
Dun Eideann
, the Scottish Gaelic for
Edinburgh
. With a dock built to accommodate larger sailing vessels, Dunedin became an important trading center and at one time it had the largest fleet of sailing vessels in the state.
In 1899, it was incorporated as the "
Town of Dunedin
" mainly as a response to numerous complaints about pigs running rampant in the settlement, leading to a still-standing ban on livestock within city limits. By 1913, the town had a population of only 350.
[6]
It became incorporated as the "
City of Dunedin
" in 1926.
Dunedin and the Roebling Alligator
[
edit
]
During and shortly before
World War II
the
Food Machinery Corporation
(FMC) factory in Dunedin (now demolished) was the primary site for the production of the
Landing Vehicle Tracked
(LVT) developed by FMC Dunedin's Engineers and
Donald Roebling
of
Clearwater
from Roebling's own Alligator.
[7]
[8]
Initial training
[9]
on the LVT was done at the
FMC
factory under the auspices of the first Amphibian Tractor School, led by Major
William W. Davies
.
[10]
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. In mid-1944, the Marine unit in Dunedin was transferred to
Camp Pendleton
,
California
.
[11]
Geography
[
edit
]
The City of Dunedin is located at
28°01′31″N
82°46′31″W
/
28.025395°N 82.775348°W
/
28.025395; -82.775348
, 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
/
28.0118; -82.7879
.
[12]
According to the
United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 28.2 square miles (73 km
2
). 10.4 square miles (27 km
2
) of it is land and 17.8 square miles (46 km
2
) of it (63.20%) is water.
Dunedin is bordered by the city of
Clearwater
to the south and east, the
Gulf of Mexico
to the west, and by
Palm Harbor
(a
census-designated place
and
unincorporated community
of Pinellas County) to the north.
Neighborhoods
[
edit
]
- Amberlea
- Barrington Hills
- Braemoor
- Curlew Landings
- Dunedin Mobile Manor
- Fairway Estates
- Golden Acres
- Golden Crest
|
- Heather Ridge
- Lake Haven
- Lake Highlander
- New Athens City
- Osprey Place
- Piper's Glen
- Ranchwood Estates
- Spanish Acres
- Spanish Place
|
- Spanish Trails
- Spring Lakes
- Spring Lake South
- Stirling Heights
- Trails West
- Virginia Crossing
- Waterford Crossing
- Weathersfield
|
Climate
[
edit
]
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the
Koppen climate classification
, the City of Dunedin has a
humid subtropical climate
zone (
Cfa
).
Demographics
[
edit
]
Historical population
Census
| Pop.
| Note
| %±
|
1900
| 113
| | ?
|
---|
1910
| 256
| | 126.5%
|
---|
1920
| 642
| | 150.8%
|
---|
1930
| 1,435
| | 123.5%
|
---|
1940
| 1,758
| | 22.5%
|
---|
1950
| 3,202
| | 82.1%
|
---|
1960
| 8,444
| | 163.7%
|
---|
1970
| 17,639
| | 108.9%
|
---|
1980
| 30,203
| | 71.2%
|
---|
1990
| 34,012
| | 12.6%
|
---|
2000
| 35,691
| | 4.9%
|
---|
2010
| 35,321
| | ?1.0%
|
---|
2020
| 36,068
| | 2.1%
|
---|
2023 (est.)
| 35,930
| | ?0.4%
|
---|
As of the
2020 United States census
, there were 36,068 people, 17,794 households, and 9,370 families residing in the city.
[16]
In 2020, there were 3,335 veterans living in the city. 8.4% were foreign born persons. 3.3% of the population were under 5 years old, 10.6% were under 18 years old, and 36.3% were 65 years and older. 54.3% were female persons. There were 1.95 people per household.
[17]
In 2020, the median value of owner-occupied housing units was $248,200. The median gross rent was $1,178. 92.1% of households had a computer and 84.0% had a broadband internet subscription. 94.7% of the population aged 25 years or older had a high school degree or higher. 36.3% of the population aged 25 years or older had a bachelor's degree or higher. The median household income was $55,729. The
per capita income
for 12 months was $39,646. 9.7% of the population lived below the
poverty threshold
.
[17]
As of the
2010 United States census
, there were 35,321 people, 16,431 households, and 9,257 families residing in the city.
[18]
Local government
[
edit
]
Administration
[
edit
]
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.
[19]
The chief executive officer, known as the city manager, oversees the ten departments and the annual budget.
The city 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.
Dunedin 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.
[20]
Law enforcement and fire
[
edit
]
Dunedin Fire Department
has 48 firefighters split into 16 members over three shifts.
[21]
The department has 3 fire stations proving fire protection for Dunedin.
Pinellas County Sheriff Office's North District Patrol provides law enforcement for Dunedin.
Economy
[
edit
]
Dunedin previously hosted an office of
Nielsen Media Research
. In 2003, the company consolidated its employees in a new complex in
Oldsmar, Florida
, with workers from Dunedin and other areas in
Pinellas County
moving into the Oldsmar Building.
[22]
Until early 2005, Dunedin was the home of
Nielsen Media Research
's production operations.
TD Ballpark
and
Englebert Complex
are used by the Dunedin Blue Jays and spring training facilities for the
Toronto Blue Jays
since 1977. TD Ballpark was built on the former Grant Field c. 1930.
The downtown business district is notable for its absence of large commercial signage, corporate franchise restaurants or chain retail stores. The
Pinellas Trail
, a 39-mile-long (63 km) bicycle and pedestrian trail that traverses all of Pinellas County, bisects downtown Dunedin. A large portion of the trail lies on the former roadbed of the
Orange Belt Railway
, the first railroad in Pinellas County, which arrived in 1888.
Controversy
[
edit
]
Dunedin has been accused of draconian fining of its residents. In one case, it sued a former resident to collect over a hundred thousand dollars for yard and swimming pool maintenance.
[23]
There are cases where the city has charged tens of thousands of dollars over uncut grass or aesthetic city code violations.
[24]
The city has a $250 to $500 per day accruing violation policy per city code § 22-79(d).
[25]
"In 5½ years, the city has collected nearly $3.6 million in fines, sometimes tens of thousands at a time, for violating laws that prohibit grasses taller than 10 inches, recreational vehicles parked on streets at certain hours or sidings and bricks that don't match."
[23]
The case was dropped about a month after it was initiated (in 2019) due to intense national scrutiny over the matter.
[26]
Culture
[
edit
]
Traditions
[
edit
]
The
sister city
of Dunedin is
Stirling
,
Scotland
, and it has maintained and embraced its Scottish roots. Once a year,
Scottish clans
descend upon the city for the Dunedin Highland Games. 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 Band
.
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 thousands of visitors descend on the small town.
City Hall
[
edit
]
Located on 737 Louden Avenue, the Dunedin City Hall house the offices of the
City Commission
,
City Manager
,
City Clerk
,
Communications
,
Community Development
,
Economic
&
Housing Development
,
Engineering
,
Finance
,
Human Resources
,
Information Technology
, and Utility Billing. The new city hall, opened in 2023, replaced the old city hall located at 542 Main Street.
[27]
The new Dunedin City Hall is designed with a concept based on a wave, suggesting Dunedin’s identity as a coastal city. This design also aligns with the city’s branding, which features a wave/nautical flag design. The building materials include natural
limestone
panels and manufactured ledgestone. The curtainwall across the front of the Commission Chambers reflects the "transparency of government."
[28]
Historic buildings
[
edit
]
Located on Edgewater Drive, the
Fenway Hotel
is a historic hotel that saw many famous guests throughout its lifetime.
Other historic structures in Dunedin:
[29]
Recreation
[
edit
]
The city of Dunedin contains a Parks & Recreation 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, Dunedin opened its newest and largest recreation facility, the Dunedin Community Center at a cost of just over $10 million. The project was mostly paid for by the "Penny for Pinellas" tax. The St. Petersburg Times wrote that Marston "figured that since the county needs recreation programs of its own and the city needs a new community center, why not ask the county to pay for the project in exchange for access to the new facility." Marston's proposal marked a turning point for the city as it saved Dunedin taxpayers millions, and allowed Dunedin officials to replenish vital strategic reserves. The center features classrooms / multi-purpose rooms, dance and exercise rooms, fitness center, gymnasium, kids area, gaming room, library, playground, rental facility, stage.
[30]
The
Dunedin Fine Art Center
(DFAC), opened in 1975, has grown to be one of the most renowned centers for visual art instruction and exhibition in the southeastern United States. At nearly 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m
2
), DFAC houses five galleries, 15 studio classrooms, the Gallery Gift Shop, the Palm Cafe and the DLM Children's ART Museum.
Tampa Bay Times
writer Lennie Bennett says that DFAC is
"the artistic equivalent of a village square,"
offering quality experiences to people of all ages.
Since 1977, Dunedin has been the
spring training
home of the
Toronto Blue Jays
, as well as the class-A
Dunedin Blue Jays
of the
Florida State League
. In April and May 2021, the Toronto Blue Jays played their regulation games at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, due to
COVID-19 cross-border restrictions
.
[31]
Dunedin is one of the smallest communities used by Major League spring training teams, although surrounded by a large metropolitan area.
TD Ballpark
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. The stadium was built as a replacement to Grant Field, the Blue Jays' first spring training ball park. The library was founded in 1895 and is the oldest public library in Pinellas County.
[32]
Other recreation facilities includes:
- Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center
? classrooms, game room, gymnasium, outdoor basketball courts, picnic area, playground, rental space, skate park, teen room
- Hale Seniors Activity Center
? ballroom event rooms, classrooms, meeting rooms, exercise room, computer room, game room, gift shop, rental rooms
[33]
- Dunedin Nature Center
- Highlander Pool Complex/Kiwanis Spraygrounds
? outdoor pool open from April to September
- Dunedin Country Club
? a semi-private golf course with 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 has a large athletic base, with community soccer, baseball, hockey, and softball teams. Dunedin reflected the Gaelic origins of its name by playing host to a short lived American
shinty
club,
Dunedin Camanachd
, in the mid-2000s.
In 2011, the City of Dunedin passed ordinance 2011-04 which authorized the street-legal use of golf carts across approximately 60% of the city.
[34]
City owned parks include:
- Achieva Paw Park
- Amberlea Park and Playground
- Dunedin Recreation Center and Playground
- Eagle Scout Park
- Edgewater Park and Playground - waterfront park with marinas and kayak launch area
- Elizabeth Skinner-Jackson Park and Playground - features a basketball court
- Hammock Park and Playground - located next to baseball fields used by Greater Dunedin Little League
- Happy Tails Dog Park (closed February 2019)
- Highlander Park
- Josiah Cephas Weaver Park and Playground
- Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center and Playground
- Scotsdale Park and Playground
- VFW Playground
Honeymoon Island State Park
and
Caladesi Island State Park
are located in Dunedin along
St. Joseph Sound
on the west side.
The city-owned Dunedin Marina has 194 boat slips and is one of the finest municipal marinas on the West Coast of Florida. The marina is located on the Intracoastal Waterway between Dunedin Causeway and Clearwater Causeways. It is home to the Dunedin Boat Club, one of Florida's oldest Sailing Clubs.
[35]
[36]
Library
[
edit
]
Building in Dunedin, Florida
The Dunedin Public Library has two branches, the Dunedin Main Library (located at 223 Douglas Ave) and the Friends Branch Library (located at 1920 Pinehurst Road), which opened in 2007. The library is considered the oldest library in Pinellas County. In 1895, Christopher B Bouton, a resident from Cleveland, gave the city of Dunedin 200 books for public use. Mr. Bouton's brother owned the town's meeting hall but gave ownership of it to the Dunedin Library Association to house the public library and a reading room. The building became known thereafter as Library Hall. In 1935, the City of Dunedin took over the Library when the collection grew to be 7,000 titles. As the population of Dunedin and the usage of the library grew, the facility was in need of more space. Two new libraries were built, one in 1956, on Louden Avenue and another in 1964, on Main Street. In 1976, the Library leased and moved into a vacant space in the Douglas Plaza Shopping Center, which was purchased by the City of Dunedin for the Library in 1986. In 1989, the estate of Franklin Chase Milliken, a retired attorney, was left to the City of Dunedin to benefit the Dunedin Public Library. After years of planning, the City Commission approved funding for a 38,000 square foot building in 1994, costing approximately $3.5 million. Soon after the Library's centennial in April 1995, the collection was moved into trailers while the old building was torn down and a new one was built in the same location. The new building opened to the public on September 3, 1996.
[37]
As part of their offerings and services, the Dunedin Public Library offers monthly delivery service to homebound residents of Dunedin. Other offerings include a seed library where patrons can check out seeds for gardening, a knitting and crocheting group, and genealogy assistance. The Dunedin Public Library initiated a
Little Free Library
movement in Pinellas County. There are currently thirteen Little Free Libraries within Dunedin. The Literacy Council of Upper Pinellas, Inc., which promotes adult literacy in North Pinellas County, serves the Dunedin Public Library.
[38]
Dunedin Public Library is currently a part of the
Pinellas Public Library Cooperative
(PPLC), a coalition of all public libraries within Pinellas County, Florida.
[39]
Infrastructure
[
edit
]
Dunedin's major highway
US Route 19 Alternate
connects the city with the rest of Florida, while Main Street and Pinellas County Road 1 provides local connections.
The closest airport is
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
located southeast of Dunedin.
Notable people
[
edit
]
- Clayton Andrews
, former
MLB
pitcher
- Nadia Azzi
, classical pianist, child prodigy
- Sean Burnett
, former MLB relief pitcher
- Mike "Pinball" Clemons
, football player and coach of the
Canadian Football League
Toronto Argonauts
; born and raised in Dunedin, and graduated from
Dunedin High School
[40]
- Ron DeSantis
,
Governor of Florida
- Sylvia Earle
,
oceanographic
explorer and
marine biologist
- John G. Hanna
,
sailboat
designer, designed the Tahiti ketch
- Jim Hendry
, special assistant to the
New York Yankees
, former GM of the
Chicago Cubs
- Doron Jensen
, restaurateur and co-founder of
Homestyle Buffet
- Michael D. Knox
, psychologist,
antiwar activist
, and scholar
- George Lowe
, TV actor best known for playing
Space Ghost
on the comedic animated TV series
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
- Daniel Norris
, MLB pitcher for the
Detroit Tigers
- David Nutter
, TV director for numerous series, including
Game of Thrones
and
The X-Files
; graduate of Dunedin High School
- Donnie Scott
, former MLB catcher
- Frank Sprogell
, professional golfer and golf course architect
- Lari White
, country singer
- Mike White
, head coach for the
Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball
team
- Henry S. Whitehead
, author of
weird fiction
, fantasy, and horror stories, mainly published in
Weird Tales
magazine
- Bobby Wilson
, former MLB catcher; catching coordinator for the
Texas Rangers
- Don Zimmer
, former MLB baseball player, coach and manager for
Brooklyn Dodgers
,
New York Mets
,
Chicago Cubs
,
New York Yankees
and
Tampa Bay Rays
Gallery
[
edit
]
-
Dunedin High School
-
Dunedin Causeway looking west. Honeymoon Island is on the viewer's right.
-
Band shell in the park in downtown Dunedin
-
The Dunedin Public Library
-
The Dunedin Garden Club Butterfly Garden at the Dunedin Public Library
-
The Dunedin Public Library patio
-
Bandstand at Edgewater Park
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
October 31,
2021
.
- ^
"QuickFacts: Dunedin city, Florida"
.
census.gov
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
May 18,
2024
.
- ^
"U.S. Census website"
.
United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
January 31,
2008
.
- ^
"US Board on Geographic Names"
.
United States Geological Survey
. October 25, 2007
. Retrieved
January 31,
2008
.
- ^
http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1021783.ece
tampabay.com
- ^
"Fire Department History | Dunedin, FL"
.
www.dunedingov.com
.
- ^
William L. Davidson, Dunedin Thru the Years 1850?1978 (Charlotte, N.C.: Delmar Printing Co., 1978)
- ^
"Museum Exhibit - Florida Remembers WWII @ Florida OCHP"
.
www.museumoffloridahistory.com
. Archived from
the original
on November 29, 2010.
- ^
"- YouTube"
.
www.youtube.com
. Archived from
the original
on February 1, 2014.
- ^
Wynne, Nick; Moorhead, Richard (2010).
Florida in World War II: Floating Fortress
. History Press.
ISBN
9781596299290
.
- ^
"St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search"
.
news.google.com
.
- ^
"US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990"
.
United States Census Bureau
. February 12, 2011
. Retrieved
April 23,
2011
.
- ^
"Census of Population and Housing"
. Census.gov
. Retrieved
June 4,
2015
.
- ^
"P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Dunedin city, Florida"
.
United States Census Bureau
.
- ^
"P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Dunedin city, Florida"
.
United States Census Bureau
.
- ^
"S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Dunedin city, Florida"
.
United States Census Bureau
.
- ^
a
b
"QuickFacts Dunedin city, Florida"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
January 13,
2023
.
- ^
"S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Dunedin city, Florida"
.
United States Census Bureau
.
- ^
"City commission"
.
City of Dunedin
. 2013.
- ^
"Volunteer Services"
. City of Dunedin. Archived from
the original
on June 10, 2012
. Retrieved
May 31,
2012
.
- ^
"Fire Administration | Dunedin, FL"
.
www.dunedingov.com
.
- ^
"
Univision sues over Nielsen's meters
."
Associated Press
at the
St. Petersburg Times
. June 11, 2004. Retrieved on August 28, 2011.
- ^
a
b
"A Florida woman was fined $100,000 for a dirty pool and overgrown grass. When do fines become excessive?"
.
Yahoo Finance
. August 26, 2018
. Retrieved
October 16,
2019
.
- ^
Berry, Michael (May 14, 2019).
"Florida Man Faces Foreclosure Due To Big Fines For Uncut Grass"
. Retrieved
October 16,
2019
.
- ^
"Chapter 22 - Code Enforcement"
.
Municode Library
. Retrieved
October 16,
2019
.
- ^
"Florida city, under fire for imposing massive fines on homeowners, drops lawsuit against woman"
.
USA TODAY
. August 27, 2019
. Retrieved
April 29,
2021
.
- ^
"New Dunedin City Hall Officially Opens Doors Tuesday: Video"
.
Dunedin, FL Patch
. March 14, 2023
. Retrieved
June 16,
2024
.
- ^
Behance (October 2023).
"Harvard Jolly Dunedin City Hall"
.
Behance
. Retrieved
June 16,
2024
.
- ^
"Historic Preservation | Dunedin, FL"
.
www.dunedingov.com
. Archived from
the original
on February 19, 2019.
- ^
"Community Center | Dunedin, FL"
.
www.dunedingov.com
.
- ^
Topkin, Mark (April 7, 2021).
"It's time for Blue Jays to play ball ? in Dunedin"
.
Tampa Bay Times
.
Archived
from the original on April 7, 2021.
- ^
"Pinellas Public Library Cooperative-Member Libraries"
. Archived from
the original
on February 13, 2019
. Retrieved
March 3,
2014
.
- ^
"Hale Senior Activity Center | Dunedin, FL"
.
www.dunedingov.com
.
- ^
"Golf Carts in the City"
.
City of Dunedin
. Retrieved
August 11,
2018
.
- ^
"Dunedin Marina | Dunedin, FL"
.
www.dunedingov.com
.
- ^
"Dunedin FL ? Photo contest"
.
- ^
"History of the Library"
.
Dunedin, FL
. Retrieved
April 13,
2020
.
- ^
"Dunedin Library Services"
.
Dunedin, FL
. Retrieved
October 7,
2020
.
- ^
"Public Libraries | PPLC"
. Retrieved
March 16,
2022
.
- ^
Morgan, Nancy (September 16, 2001).
"CFL's Clemons recalls growing up in Dunedin"
.
St. Petersburg Times
. Retrieved
October 5,
2008
.
External links
[
edit
]
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Topics
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| |
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| |
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