Even before Dr. Beach’s annual rankings, the Church of Scientology, and even the railroad, Clearwater has pretty much always been a major destination in the Tampa Bay area. These vintage photos from the State of Florida archives show just how far the Clearwater area has come in the last century.
Clearwater’s first railroad. Photo taken sometime in the 1890s.Old Public Wharf – Clearwater, Florida. Photo taken sometime in the 1890s.Cleveland Street. Published in 1895.Bridge to Clearwater Beach. Published in 1900.Parade scene. Published 1914.Men playing on the world’s largest checker board – Clearwater, Florida. Photo taken sometime in the 1920s.Clearwater Beach pavilion. Published 1920.Service station – Clearwater, Florida. Published sometime in the 1920s.Group of women at Clearwater Beach. Date unknown.Construction of the Memorial Causeway and bridge leading to Clearwater Beach. Date unknown.View of beach erosion – Clearwater Beach, Florida. Date unknown.Clearwater Beach Hotel. Published 1921.Clearwater Beach. 1923.Beauty contest winners – Clearwater Beach, Florida, 1930.Beauty parade – Clearwater Beach, Florida, 1931.Fourth of July crowd at Clearwater Beach, 1931.Clearwater post office dedication. Published 1933.Bird’s eye view of Clearwater Lawn Bowling Club and Memorial Causeway bridge. Published 1935.Aerial view – Clearwater, Florida. Published 1948.Fort Harrison Avenue – Clearwater, Florida. Published 1948.Orange Blossom Groves in Clearwater, Florida. Date unknown.Clearwater beach scene, 1949.Pier and yacht basin at Clearwater. Published 1954.Miss Clearwater 1956, Jil Kirk, and her court pose with fishing officials at the Fun in the Sun Festival – Clearwater, Florida, 1956.Girls swimming contest during the Fun in the Sun Festival – Clearwater, Florida, 1956.Palms on Clearwater beach. Published 1958.Bridge fishing in Clearwater. Date unknown.Commerce CollectionClearwater Beach pavilion. Date unknown.Clearwater beach scene. Published 1958.Miss Clearwater 1960, Helen Smith, at the Tri-city suncoast festival – Clearwater Beach, Florida. Published 1960.Clearwater Bridge. Published 1964.Crest Lake park – Clearwater, Florida. Photo published 1965.Motels in Clearwater. Published 1965.Hotels in Clearwater Beach. Date unknown.Clearwater Lawn Bowling Club. Date unknown.Clearwater beach scene. Published 1963.Hotel Fort Harrison. Date unknown.Little Pass Bridge – Clearwater Beach. Published 1965.Clearwater beach scene. 1965.Aerial view of the beach looking towards the causeway – Clearwater, Florida. Photo taken sometime in the 1960s.Riviera Apartment Motel. Date unknown.View towards Clearwater Beach. Published 1966.Clearwater marina and yacht basin. Date unknown.Clearwater Beach. Published 1966.Frank Hooper at Clearwater Beach with Margaret Cook from England 1972.Grant Motel. Date unknown.Street scene – Clearwater, Florida. 1974.Aerial view of residential area – Clearwater, Florida. 1978.Beach scene – Clearwater, Florida. Date unknown.Crowded Clearwater beach. Date unknown.The harbor – Clearwater, Florida. Date unknown.Clearwater beach scene. 1979.Aerial view – Clearwater, Florida. 1979.Sunset Bluff Center in Clearwater. Photo taken sometime in the 1970s.Aerial view of Clearwater Beach. Date unknown.Woman and toddler feeding birds at Clearwater Beach, 1976.Clearwater beach pier, 1976.Statues and fountains at Kapok Tree restaurant – Clearwater, Florida, 1981.Clearwater Beach. Date unknown.Water skiing at Clearwater Beach. Date unknown.Bird’s eye view looking down Clearwater Beach. Photo taken sometime before 1969.Star Dust Restaurant – Clearwater, Florida. Date unknown.Swing set on the beach, 1976.Visitors enjoy The Grand Ballroom in The Kapok Tree Inn – Clearwater, Florida. Date unknown.View showing the Sea View Hotel at 18 Bay Esplanade in Clearwater Beach, Florida., 1982.Mandalay Pharmacy at 499 Mandalay Ave. in Clearwater Beach, Florida, 1982. Credit: Photo via Florida Memory
