Pinellas County Historical Background

The Pinellas County Historical Background is intended to provide a unified natural and cultural history of Pinellas County. This document aims to serve both as an educational tool for County residents and as support for continued implementation of goals in the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan to protect and restore Pinellas County’s natural and cultural heritage.

The Pinellas County Historical Background explains the major historical, political, and economic events and activities that have shaped the growth and development of the Pinellas peninsula. It provides a historical perspective of the County by describing what brought people to Pinellas, the major economic influences, how the county transitioned from countryside to cities to suburbs, and the challenges of urbanization. The publication breaks the County’s history into several major periods, beginning with the early history of the pre-Columbian Era to 1880, which covers the Native American cultures of the area, the Spanish Era, the first settlers and formation of communities, and early transportation problems. It then describes the period of transition that occurred between 1880-1900, when communities were first established after the coming of the railroad. It continues with the peninsula’s growth and development in the early 20th Century that leads to secession from Hillsborough County in 1912. The docuument discusses the boom, bust and depression of the 1920’s and 1930’s followed by the war years, and elaborates on the rapid urbanization and its challenges that transformed Pinellas County from the 1950s through the next half century.

View the Pinellas County Historical background (15 Mb)