Pinellas Park, Florida

[6] Davies used promotional brochures to lure northerners, especially Pennsylvanians, to the town, noting the pleasant climate in the winter and the agreeable agricultural conditions.

[9][10] Though not on the original Orange Belt Railway, Pinellas Park did have a train depot, razed in 1970, on the line between Clearwater and St. Petersburg.

Because of the city's relatively low elevation between major bodies of water, and its generally flat topography, it has historically been subject to flooding.

Through construction of a network of drainage canals and other measures by the Pinellas Park Water Management District, flooding in the city has been greatly mitigated.

The museum houses a unique working full-scale replica of the first self-propelled mechanical vehicle, the fardier of Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot.

Car and truck aficionados display their prized vehicles nearly weekly on 49th Street and compete in the regularly scheduled shows.

[22] Nearby on the aptly-named Automobile Boulevard is Tampa Bay Grand Prix, where youth and young adults race high-speed go carts on an indoor track.

[23] Pinellas Park is known throughout the Tampa Bay area for a series of community events held annually in a city-owned bandshell located behind City hall.

The festival's popularity stems from its wide array of events, such as arts and crafts shows, NASCAR displays, popular amusement park rides, and multi-artist day-long concerts, and the fact that parking, entry to the festival, and attendance of the concert are all free of charge.

Due to its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay, Pinellas Park is home to many marine businesses, from manufacturing to service and supplies.

[27] Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' Pinellas Park facility specializes in metal forming, fabrication and assembly of components for military and civilian aircraft.

Current and prior projects include the F/A-22, F-16, C-130J, C-5, U2, Northrop's E-2C Hawkeye, the Gulfstream G5, Goodrich Aerospace, Piper, the P-3, Atlas Launch Vehicle, Space Shuttle, and B-52 Bomber.

[29] Several of the largest employers in Pinellas County occupy parcels contiguous with the city, including Raymond James Financial, Transamerica Financial, Cisco, FIS (credit card services), Valpak (advertising mailers), Orbital ATK (defense electronics), and Home Shopping Network.

At the western edge of the city, near 66th Street and Belcher Road, are more big box retailers, ethnic specialty shops and restaurants, and the enormous Wagon Wheel and Mustang flea markets.

The population includes those with recent ancestors from Germany, Poland, Eastern Europe, Russia, Armenia, India, Lebanon, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.

The Pinellas Park Chamber of Commerce promotes the interests of local and nearby businesses, contributing to the overall vitality and cooperative nature of the mid-county economy.

Pinellas Park's original police department was founded on May 27, 1915, with its only member being the appointed Marshal George W. Williams Sr.

[33] In 2015, Mike Haworth assumed the position previously held by Dorene Thomas, the first female police chief in the county.

[34] The city announced in its 2020 budget that it will begin work on a $25 million construction project of a new Police and Fire Operations Center.

It includes a simulation hospital unit for its nursing program, a patient-care clinic of dental hygiene, and an orthotics and prosthetics lab space.

The current library was built in 1969,[39] and is located at 7770 52nd St, across the street from City Hall and Pinellas Park Elementary School.

The library was last remodeled in 2001 and has undergone several additions that expanded the original 7,000 square feet interior into 30,972 square feet, which includes over 26 adult desktop computers, 11 children desktop computers, a teen lounge, a quiet room, and two meeting rooms for rentals and programs.

The Barbara S. Ponce Public Library hosts programs for community residents with many designed for children and teens.

), American Sign Language, Origami, and Ukulele classes are also hosted by members of the community in conjunction with the library.

Korean War memorial in Freedom Lake Park
Barbara S. Ponce Public Library