University of South Florida archaeologists excavated the site in 1962 after Mark Wyllie discovered an underground ammunition bunker while planting a tree in his yard.

[10] Early settlers included the Stevens, Stevenson, Sever and McMullen families, who claimed and farmed large tracts of land.

Originally part of Hillsborough County, the first road joining Clearwater and Tampa was built in 1849, which dramatically reduced the prior day-long commute between the cities.

During the American Civil War, Union gunboats repeatedly raided the community's supplies, as most of the able-bodied men were away fighting for the Confederate Army.

[9] The town began developing in the late nineteenth century, prompted by Peter Demens' completion of the first passenger railroad line into the city in 1888.

Plant built a sprawling Victorian resort hotel named Belleview Biltmore just south of Clearwater in 1897.

During World War II, Clearwater became a major training base for US troops destined for Europe and the Pacific.

[9] Vehicle traffic was regularly stopped for companies of soldiers marching through downtown, and nighttime blackouts to confuse potential enemy bombers were common practice.

Pre-development Sand Key was used as a target by U.S. Army Air Corps fighter-bombers for strafing and bombing practice.

Most of the annual rainfall comes in the wet season (June through September), when daily thundershowers erupt due to the strong solar heating.

Major employers include Morton Plant Hospital, Tech Data, and Honeywell.

[48] The most common job groups include Service, Sales & Office, Science, and Business.

Pre-Capitol Theatre, a bandstand stood at 405 Cleveland Street in Downtown Clearwater, where the community gathered to listen to music.

Headliners included Sally Rand, Fred Stone and his daughter, and Lum and Abner (of radio).

When Plitt Southern did not renew their contract in 1979, Bill Neville and Jerry Strain tried to save the theatre with film classics and reduced prices.

[63] In January 2009, the City of Clearwater and Ruth Eckerd Hall joined forces to purchase the theatre (renamed Capitol Theatre) as well as the neighboring Pat Lokey building as part of a renovation and revitalization of the historic Capitol Theater.

[51] In 1911, the city of Clearwater witnessed a vast population increase as well as acquiring telephones, electricity, paved streets and an ice factory.

Its popularity and support led to the request of $10,000 from the Carnegie Foundation to build a public library.

As a vacation town, the library provided free access to materials for all residents and winter visitors.

To account for this increase, the Librarian and Board President Traver Bayly made an appeal to the City Commission for additional space.

[65] As a result of segregation, the Clearwater Public Library was for White patrons only from its founding in 1911 to the mid-twentieth century.

Designed by Architect Eugene Beach, the new library allowed access for the city's African American population to many information sources.

Rescued as a calf in 2005, Winter was one of the first dolphins to have been fitted with a prosthetic tail after losing it due to entanglement in a crab trap.

The aquarium is also home to other dolphins, otters, pelicans, nurse sharks, and turtles among several species of fish and other marine life.

Animals that have stranded are rehabilitated, and if possible, released back into the wild once they have made a full recovery.

The Center features live rehabilitated birds of prey, reptiles, amphibians and aquatic wildlife.

The council is responsible for setting policies and making decisions on local government issues including tax rates, annexations, property code variances and large contract awards.

According to an investigation by the Tampa Bay Times, "The [Church of Scientology], its members and companies they control now own 185 properties that cover 101 acres in the center of downtown.

[104] Beginning in the 1970s under the code-name Project Normandy, the Church of Scientology began targeting Clearwater in order to "establish area control" of the city and county.

The operations were exposed in a Pulitzer Prize winning series of articles in the Clearwater Sun.