Dunedin, Florida
Encyclopedia
Dunedin is a city in Pinellas County
Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which have the area code 813...

, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

, the capital of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

. The population was 35,691 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 36,632. 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. 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
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach is a resort area located on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County on the west central coast of Florida in the United States. It is a part of the city of Clearwater. The geographic latitude is 27.57 N and longitude 82.48 W...

, and Caladesi Island. Downtown Clearwater
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...

 and Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach is a resort area located on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County on the west central coast of Florida in the United States. It is a part of the city of Clearwater. The geographic latitude is 27.57 N and longitude 82.48 W...

 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. 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
Pinellas Trail
The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is a pathway in Pinellas County in the U.S. state of Florida. It stretches from Tarpon Springs in the north to St. Petersburg in the south, passing through the towns of Crystal Beach, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, Bay Pines, South Pasadena and...

, 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.
Since 1977, Dunedin is the spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....

, as well as the class-A Minor League Dunedin Blue Jays
Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team based in Dunedin, Florida. They play in the Florida State League, and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club...

 of the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...

. 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
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...

's production operations.

The city is also home to Dunedin Brewery, Florida's oldest Microbrewery
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....

.

Geography

Dunedin is located at 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 28.0118°N 82.7879°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the city has a total area of 28.2 square miles (73 km²). 10.4 square miles (26.9 km²) of it is land and 17.8 square miles (46.1 km²) of it (63.20%) is water.

Dunedin is bordered by Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...

 to the south and east, the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...

 to the west, and by Palm Harbor, Florida
Palm Harbor, Florida
Palm Harbor is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 59,248.-Culture:...

 (an unincorporated community of Pinellas County) to the north.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 35,691 people, 17,258 households, and 9,543 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 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
Pinellas County Schools
Pinellas County Schools is a school district serving Pinellas County, Florida, USA and based in Largo.-Organization:Pinellas County Schools has about 102,000 students and more than 13,000 employees. Dixie M. Hollins was the county's first superintendent of 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
Dunedin High School
Dunedin High School is a high school in Dunedin, Florida, U.S.A. It is operated by the Pinellas County Schools school district. The school mascot is Freddie the Falcon...

). There are 2 charter schools ([Athenian Academy 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, Dunedin was also the home of the main campus of Schiller International University
Schiller International University
Schiller International University is a private American university with its main campus and administrative headquarters in Largo, Florida. It has campuses on two continents in five countries, each offering its own unique experiences to students: Largo; Paris, France; Madrid, Spain; Heidelberg,...

. Now the university main campus is in Largo
Largo, Florida
Largo is the third largest city in Pinellas County, Florida, USA and is part of the Tampa Bay Area. Centrally located, it is the crossroads of the county. As of the 2000 census, the City had a total population of 69,371. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau was...

.

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
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...

. In 2003 the company moved into its Oldsmar
Oldsmar, Florida
Oldsmar is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,910 at the 2000 census. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the population to be 13,401 as of 2008....

 complex and consolidated its employees there, with workers from Dunedin and other areas in Pinellas County
Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which have the area code 813...

 moving into the Oldsmar building.

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
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 the Food Machinery Corporation Factory in Dunedin (now demolished) was the primary site for the production of the Landing Vehicle Tracked
Landing Vehicle Tracked
The Landing Vehicle Tracked was a class of amphibious vehicles introduced by the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Army during World War II. Originally intended solely as cargo carriers for ship to shore operations, they rapidly evolved into assault troop and fire support vehicles as well...

 developed by FMC Dunedin's Engineers and Donald Roebling
Donald Roebling
Donald Roebling was an eccentric twentieth century American philanthropist and inventor. He is most famous for inventing the amtrac in 1937, which he originally intended to be a hurricane rescue device...

 of Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...

 from Roebling's own Alligator.

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
Combat Assault Battalion
Combat Assault Battalion is a mechanized battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Their primary weapon systems are the Amphibious Assault Vehicle, LAV-25 and various engineering vehicles. CAB is a subordinate element part of the 3rd Marine Division and the III Marine Expeditionary Force...

, which has served with distinction since.

Traditions

Sister city to Stirling, Scotland
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...

, Dunedin has maintained and embraced its Scottish roots, and evidence of this heritage can be seen everywhere. Once a year, Scottish clan
Scottish clan
Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...

s 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
  • Cub Scouts Pack 10 - Chartered by First Presbyterian Church of Dunedin

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
Shinty
Shinty is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread, being once competitively played on a widespread basis in England and other areas in the...

 club, Dunedin Camanachd.

Notable people from Dunedin

  • John G. Hanna
    John G. Hanna
    John Griffin Hanna was a sailboat designer, famous for designing the Tahiti ketch. Hanna was born in Galveston, Texas, on October 12, 1889. Around 1917, he settled in Dunedin, Florida, and was greatly influenced by the Greek double-ended sponge boats found in nearby Tarpon Springs, Florida...

    , sailboat
    Sailboat
    A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...

     designer, designed the Tahiti ketch
  • Mike "Pinball" Clemons, player and coach of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts
    Toronto Argonauts
    The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...

    , was born and raised in Dunedin, and graduated from Dunedin High School.
  • David Nutter
    David Nutter
    David Nutter is an American television and film director and television producer. He is best known for directing pilot episodes for television series, being known as "the pilot whisperer."-Career:...

    , popular writer for television's the X Files, was a graduate of Dunedin High School.
  • George Lowe
    George Lowe
    George Lowe is an American voice actor/comedian.He is perhaps best known for his role as the voice of Space Ghost on the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast, a role which he played for all 110 episodes spanning fourteen years before the series ended in 2008, along...

    , TV actor who is known to audiences as the voice of Space Ghost
    Space Ghost
    Space Ghost is a fictional superhero created by Hanna-Barbera Productions and designed by Alex Toth for CBS in the 1960s. In his original incarnation, he was a superhero who, with his sidekick teen helpers Jan, Jace, and Blip the monkey, fought supervillains in outer space...

     on the animated talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast
    Space Ghost Coast to Coast
    Space Ghost Coast to Coast is an American animated parody talk show hosted by the 60s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. The show premiered on April 15, 1994 on Cartoon Network...

    and its sequel Cartoon Planet
    Cartoon Planet
    Cartoon Planet is an animated variety show that premiered in 1995 on Superstation TBS, and ran afterward from 1996 to 1997 on Cartoon Network....

    in the 1990s

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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