Dunedin, Florida
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Dunedin ( ) is a city in
Pinellas County, Florida Pinellas County (, ) is located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 959,107, making it the seventh-most populous county in the state. It is also the most d ...
, United States. The name comes from ''Dùn Èideann'', the
Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...
name for
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, the capital of Scotland. Dunedin is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater metropolitan area and is the fifth largest city in Pinellas County. The population was 36,068 as of the 2020 census. Dunedin is home to several beaches, including Dunedin Causeway,
Honeymoon Island A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds after their wedding to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase in a couple's ...
, and
Caladesi Island State Park Caladesi Island State Park is a Florida State Park located on Caladesi Island in the Gulf of Mexico, across St. Joseph Sound to the west of Dunedin, Florida, and north of Clearwater Beach. It is accessible by passenger ferry or by private boa ...
, which is consistently rated among the best beaches in the world. Dunedin is one of the few open waterfront communities from
Sarasota Sarasota () is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It is located in Southwest Florida, the southern end of the Tampa Bay area, and north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Its official limits include Sarasota Ba ...
to
Cedar Key Cedar Key is a city in Levy County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 687, down from 702 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Cedar Keys are a cluster of ...
where buildings do not completely obscure the view of the
Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a Navigability, inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, the ...
and the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
beyond; a stretch of Edgewater Drive (also known as Alternate
US 19 U.S. Route 19 or U.S. Highway 19 (US 19) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mex ...
) south of downtown offers views of St. Joseph Sound,
Clearwater Beach Clearwater Beach is on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County on the west-central coast of Florida, United States. Located just west over the Intracoastal Waterway by way of the Clearwater Memorial Causeway from the rest of th ...
, and Caladesi Island. Downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach are a drive south on Edgewater.


History

Richard L. Garrison was the first person given a land grant in Dunedin in 1850. The settlement was originally named "Jonesboro" by George Jones, the owner of the area mercantile. Two Scotsmen, J.O. Douglas and James Somerville, later named the settlement Dunedin after applying for the first post office in northern Pinellas County. The name is taken from Scottish Gaelic ''Dùn Èideann'', the Scottish Gaelic for
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
. With a dock built to accommodate larger sailing vessels, Dunedin became an important trading center and at one time it had the largest fleet of sailing vessels in the state. In 1899, it was incorporated as the "Town of Dunedin" mainly as a response to numerous complaints about pigs running rampant in the settlement, leading to a still-standing ban on livestock within city limits. By 1913, the town had a population of only 350. It became incorporated as the "City of Dunedin" in 1926.


Dunedin and the Roebling Alligator

During and shortly before
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
the
Food Machinery Corporation FMC Corporation is an American chemical manufacturing company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which originated as an insecticide producer in 1883 and later diversified into other industries. In 1941 at the beginning of US involvemen ...
(FMC) factory in Dunedin (now demolished) was the primary site for the production of the
Landing Vehicle Tracked The Amphibious Vehicle, Tracked (LVT or AMTRAC) is an amphibious warfare vehicle and Amphibious vehicle, amphibious landing craft, introduced by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. (The USN and USMC use ''L'' to designate ...
(LVT) developed by FMC Dunedin's Engineers and Donald Roebling of Clearwater from Roebling's own Alligator.William L. Davidson, Dunedin Thru the Years 1850–1978 (Charlotte, N.C.: Delmar Printing Co., 1978) Initial training on the LVT 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, which has served with distinction since. In mid-1944, the Marine unit in Dunedin was transferred to
Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
.


Geography

The City of Dunedin is located at , which is the approximate geographic center of the city. The middle of downtown (intersection of Main Street and Douglas Avenue) is located at . According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of . of it is land and of it (63.20%) is water. Dunedin is bordered by the city of Clearwater to the south and east, the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
to the west, and by Palm Harbor (a
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
and
unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...
of Pinellas County) to the north.


Neighborhoods


Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, the City of Dunedin has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
zone (''Cfa'').


Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 36,068 people, 17,794 households, and 9,370 families residing in the city. In 2020, there were 3,335 veterans living in the city. 8.4% were foreign born persons. 3.3% of the population were under 5 years old, 10.6% were under 18 years old, and 36.3% were 65 years and older. 54.3% were female persons. There were 1.95 people per household. In 2020, the median value of owner-occupied housing units was $248,200. The median gross rent was $1,178. 92.1% of households had a computer and 84.0% had a broadband internet subscription. 94.7% of the population aged 25 years or older had a high school degree or higher. 36.3% of the population aged 25 years or older had a bachelor's degree or higher. The median household income was $55,729. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for 12 months was $39,646. 9.7% of the population lived below the
poverty threshold The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
. As of the 2010 United States census, there were 35,321 people, 16,431 households, and 9,257 families residing in the city.


Local government


Administration

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. The city 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. Dunedin 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.


Law enforcement and fire

Dunedin Fire Department has 48 firefighters split into 16 members over three shifts. The department has 3 fire stations proving fire protection for Dunedin. Pinellas County Sheriff Office's North District Patrol provides law enforcement for Dunedin.


Economy

Dunedin previously hosted an office of
Nielsen Media Research Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
. In 2003, the company consolidated its employees in a new complex in
Oldsmar, Florida Oldsmar is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 14,898. The Oldsmar name dates to April 12, 1916, when automobile pioneer Ransom E. Olds purchased of land north of Tampa Bay to e ...
, with workers from Dunedin and other areas in
Pinellas County Pinellas County (, ) is located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 959,107, making it the seventh-most populous county in the state. It is also the most d ...
moving into the Oldsmar Building.Univision sues over Nielsen's meters
" ''
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
'' at the ''
St. Petersburg Times The ''Tampa Bay Times'', called the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It is published by the Times Publishing Company, which is owned by The Poynter Institute f ...
''. June 11, 2004. Retrieved on August 28, 2011.
Until early 2005, Dunedin was the home of
Nielsen Media Research Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
's production operations.
TD Ballpark TD Ballpark, originally Dunedin Stadium at Grant Field, is a baseball Playing field, field located in Dunedin, Florida. The stadium was built in 1990 and holds 8,500 people. It is the spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as hom ...
and
Englebert Complex The Bobby Mattick Training Center at Englebert Complex is a sports facility owned by the City of Dunedin, Florida. It is used primarily by the Toronto Blue Jays as a practice facility, and is home to their Rookie league affiliate, the Florida Com ...
are used by the Dunedin Blue Jays and spring training facilities for the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
since 1977. TD Ballpark was built on the former Grant Field c. 1930. The downtown business district is notable for its absence of large commercial signage, corporate franchise restaurants or chain retail stores. The
Pinellas Trail The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is a rail trail in Pinellas County, Florida. It stretches from Tarpon Springs in the north to St. Petersburg in the south, passing through the towns of Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Belleair, Clearwater, Largo, Semino ...
, a bicycle and pedestrian trail that traverses all of Pinellas County, bisects downtown Dunedin. A large portion of the trail lies on the former roadbed of the
Orange Belt Railway The Orange Belt Railway (later known as the Sanford & St. Petersburg Railroad) was a narrow gauge railroad established in 1885 by Russian exile Peter Demens in Florida. It was one of the longest narrow gauge railroads in the United States at t ...
, the first railroad in Pinellas County, which arrived in 1888.


Controversy

Dunedin has been accused of draconian fining of its residents. In one case, it sued a former resident to collect over a hundred thousand dollars for yard and swimming pool maintenance. There are cases where the city has charged tens of thousands of dollars over uncut grass or aesthetic city code violations. The city has a $250 to $500 per day accruing violation policy per city code § 22-79(d). "In 5½ years, the city has collected nearly $3.6 million in fines, sometimes tens of thousands at a time, for violating laws that prohibit grasses taller than 10 inches, recreational vehicles parked on streets at certain hours or sidings and bricks that don't match." The case was dropped about a month after it was initiated (in 2019) due to intense national scrutiny over the matter.


Culture


Traditions

The
sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inte ...
of Dunedin is
Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, and it has maintained and embraced its Scottish roots. Once a year,
Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Scottish Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared heritage and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure r ...
s descend upon the city for the Dunedin Highland Games. 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 Band A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums, used by military pipe bands is also common. The most common form of pipe band consists of a section of pipers playing the Great Highland bagpipe, ...
. In addition to the Highland Games, Dunedin hosts many other annual festivals. The most popular among these is Dunedin's
Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ; also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the final day of Carnival (also known as Shrovetide or Fastelavn); it thus falls on the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to it being ...
celebration, during which thousands of visitors descend on the small town.


City Hall

Located on 737 Louden Avenue, the Dunedin City Hall house the offices of the
City Commission City commission government is a form of local government in the United States. In a city commission government, voters elect a small commission, typically of five to seven members, typically on a plurality-at-large voting basis. These commissio ...
,
City Manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...
,
City Clerk A clerk (pronounced "clark" /klɑːk/ in British and Australian English) is a senior official of many municipal governments in the English-speaking world. In some communities, including most in the United States, the position is elected, but in ma ...
,
Communication Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether Intention, unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not onl ...
s,
Community Development The United Nations defines community development as "a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems." It is a broad concept, applied to the practices of civic leaders, activist ...
,
Economic An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...
&
Housing Development A housing estate (or sometimes housing complex, housing development, subdivision or community) is a group of homes and other buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Popular throug ...
,
Engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...
,
Finance Finance refers to monetary resources and to the study and Academic discipline, discipline of money, currency, assets and Liability (financial accounting), liabilities. As a subject of study, is a field of Business administration, Business Admin ...
,
Human Resources Human resources (HR) is the set of people who make up the workforce of an organization, business sector, industry, or economy. A narrower concept is human capital, the knowledge and skills which the individuals command. Similar terms include ' ...
,
Information Technology Information technology (IT) is a set of related fields within information and communications technology (ICT), that encompass computer systems, software, programming languages, data processing, data and information processing, and storage. Inf ...
, and Utility Billing. The new city hall, opened in 2023, replaced the old city hall located at 542 Main Street. The new Dunedin City Hall is designed with a concept based on a wave, suggesting Dunedin’s identity as a coastal city. This design also aligns with the city’s branding, which features a wave/nautical flag design. The building materials include natural
limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
panels and manufactured ledgestone. The curtainwall across the front of the Commission Chambers reflects the "transparency of government."


Historic buildings

Located on Edgewater Drive, the Fenway Hotel is a historic hotel that has seen many famous guests throughout its lifetime. Other historic structures in Dunedin: * Andrews Memorial Chapel, built in 1888 * J. O. Douglas House, built in 1880 * Willis S. Blatchley House, built in 1916 * Dunedin Golf Club 11th Hole Bridge, 1926


Recreation

The city of Dunedin contains a Parks & Recreation 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, Dunedin opened its newest and largest recreation facility, the Dunedin Community Center at a cost of just over $10 million. The project was mostly paid for by the "Penny for Pinellas" tax. The St. Petersburg Times wrote that Marston "figured that since the county needs recreation programs of its own and the city needs a new community center, why not ask the county to pay for the project in exchange for access to the new facility." Marston's proposal marked a turning point for the city as it saved Dunedin taxpayers millions, and allowed Dunedin officials to replenish vital strategic reserves. The center features classrooms / multi-purpose rooms, dance and exercise rooms, fitness center, gymnasium, kids area, gaming room, library, playground, rental facility, stage. The Dunedin Fine Art Center (DFAC), opened in 1975, has grown to be one of the most renowned centers for visual art instruction and exhibition in the southeastern United States. At nearly , DFAC houses five galleries, 15 studio classrooms, the Gallery Gift Shop, the Palm Cafe and the DLM Children's ART Museum. ''Tampa Bay Times'' writer Lennie Bennett says that DFAC is ''"the artistic equivalent of a village square,"'' offering quality experiences to people of all ages. Since 1977, Dunedin has been the
spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...
home of the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
, as well as the class-A
Dunedin Blue Jays The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpark, ...
of the
Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
. In April and May 2021, the Toronto Blue Jays played their regulation games at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, due to COVID-19 cross-border restrictions. Dunedin is one of the smallest communities used by Major League spring training teams, although surrounded by a large metropolitan area.
TD Ballpark TD Ballpark, originally Dunedin Stadium at Grant Field, is a baseball Playing field, field located in Dunedin, Florida. The stadium was built in 1990 and holds 8,500 people. It is the spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as hom ...
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. The stadium was built as a replacement to Grant Field, the Blue Jays' first spring training ball park. The library was founded in 1895 and is the oldest public library in Pinellas County. Other recreation facilities includes: * Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center – classrooms, game room, gymnasium, outdoor basketball courts, picnic area, playground, rental space, skate park, teen room * Hale Seniors Activity Center – ballroom event rooms, classrooms, meeting rooms, exercise room, computer room, game room, gift shop, rental rooms * Dunedin Nature Center * Highlander Pool Complex/Kiwanis Spraygrounds – outdoor pool open from April to September * Dunedin Country Club – a semi-private golf course with 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 has a large athletic base, with community soccer, baseball, hockey, and softball teams. Dunedin reflected the Gaelic origins of its name by playing host to a short lived American
shinty Shinty () is a team sport played with sticks and a ball. It is played mainly in the Scottish Highlands and among Highland migrants to the major cities of Scotland. The sport was formerly more widespread in Scotland and even played in Northern ...
club, Dunedin Camanachd, in the mid-2000s. In 2011, the City of Dunedin passed ordinance 2011-04 which authorized the street-legal use of golf carts across approximately 60% of the city. City owned parks include: * Achieva Paw Park * Amberlea Park and Playground * Dunedin Recreation Center and Playground * Eagle Scout Park * Edgewater Park and Playground - waterfront park with marinas and kayak launch area * Elizabeth Skinner-Jackson Park and Playground - features a basketball court * Hammock Park and Playground - located next to baseball fields used by Greater Dunedin Little League * Happy Tails Dog Park (closed February 2019) * Highlander Park * Josiah Cephas Weaver Park and Playground * Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center and Playground * Scotsdale Park and Playground * VFW Playground
Honeymoon Island State Park Honeymoon Island State Park is a Florida State Park located on Honeymoon Island, a barrier island across St. Joseph Sound from Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Ozona, and Crystal Beach. The park is in land area with submerged and of beach. It lies ...
and
Caladesi Island State Park Caladesi Island State Park is a Florida State Park located on Caladesi Island in the Gulf of Mexico, across St. Joseph Sound to the west of Dunedin, Florida, and north of Clearwater Beach. It is accessible by passenger ferry or by private boa ...
are located in Dunedin along St. Joseph Sound on the west side. The city-owned Dunedin Marina has 194 boat slips and is one of the finest municipal marinas on the West Coast of Florida. The marina is located on the Intracoastal Waterway between Dunedin Causeway and Clearwater Causeways. It is home to the Dunedin Boat Club, one of Florida's oldest Sailing Clubs.


Library

The Dunedin Public Library has two branches, the Dunedin Main Library (located at 223 Douglas Ave) and the Friends Branch Library (located at 1920 Pinehurst Road), which opened in 2007. The library is considered the oldest library in Pinellas County. In 1895, Christopher B Bouton, a resident from Cleveland, gave the city of Dunedin 200 books for public use. Mr. Bouton's brother owned the town's meeting hall but gave ownership of it to the Dunedin Library Association to house the public library and a reading room. The building became known thereafter as Library Hall. Belle Culton (Mrs. S. Arthur) Davies was named Dunedin's first librarian in 1920 after the Dunedin Woman's Club took over the running of the library. By this point, the library's collection had grown from 200 books to over 2,000. In 1935, the City of Dunedin took over the Library when the collection grew to be 7,000 titles. As the population of Dunedin and the usage of the library grew, the facility was in need of more space. Two new libraries were built, one in 1956, on Louden Avenue and another in 1964, on Main Street. Mary (Mrs. William Lovett) Douglas, who was appointed as head librarian in 1935, retired and was replaced by Annie Elizabeth (Mrs. W. Dwight) Niven in 1957. Niven would later be officially appointed as library director in 1959 as the collection continued to grow. In late 1972, Niven retired and was originally going to be replaced by Elizabeth Bradley, but was later replaced by Lucy Eddy in early 1973. After serving for a little over a year, Eddy was replaced by Sydniciel Shinn in July 1974. In 1976, the Library leased and moved into a vacant space in the Douglas Plaza Shopping Center, which was purchased by the City of Dunedin for the Library in 1986. After Shinn’s retirement in March 1988, Julia J. (Mrs. Raymond L.) Noah was appointed as the new library director after working as a library employee for 10 years. In 1989, the estate of Franklin Chase Milliken, a retired attorney, was left to the City of Dunedin to benefit the Dunedin Public Library. After years of planning, the City Commission approved funding for a 38,000 square foot building in 1994, costing approximately $3.5 million. Beginning in 1992, the library paved way to the introduction of the internet and new technologies. They began to replace old systems with new public computers and converted their library services, such as the catalog and circulation checkouts, to be available online. Noah later retired as director in July 1994, replaced by Wendy (Mrs. James P.) Foley in October of that year. Soon after the Library's centennial in April 1995, the collection was moved into trailers while the old building was torn down and a new one was built in the same location. The new building opened to the public on September 3, 1996. As part of their offerings and services, the Dunedin Public Library offers monthly delivery service to homebound residents of Dunedin. Other offerings include a seed library where patrons can check out seeds for gardening, Wi-Fi hotspots available for checkout, and technology assistance. The Dunedin Public Library initiated a
Little Free Library Little Free Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes neighborhood book exchanges, usually in the form of a public bookcase. More than 150,000 public book exchanges are registered with the organization and branded as Little Free ...
movement in Pinellas County. There are currently fifteen Little Free Libraries within Dunedin. The Literacy Council of Upper Pinellas, Inc., which promotes adult literacy in North Pinellas County, is headquartered in the Dunedin Public Library. Dunedin Public Library is currently a part of the
Pinellas Public Library Cooperative Pinellas County (, ) is located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 959,107, making it the seventh-most populous county in the state. It is also the most densely populated county in ...
(PPLC), a coalition of all public libraries within Pinellas County, Florida.


Infrastructure

Dunedin's major highway US Route 19 Alternate connects the city with the rest of Florida, while Main Street and Pinellas County Road 1 provides local connections. The closest airport is St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport located southeast of Dunedin.


Notable people

*
David Muse David Muse (July 27, 1949 – August 6, 2022) was an American musician. He performed and recorded with numerous artists including Firefall, The Marshall Tucker Band, Pam Rose, Bertie Higgins, Navarro, Boulder County Conspiracy, and Tonal Alch ...
, Founding member of counrty/rock band
Firefall Firefall is an American soft rock band that formed in Boulder, Colorado, in 1974. It was founded by Rick Roberts (musician), Rick Roberts, former member of the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Jock Bartley, who had been Tommy Bolin's replacement ...
, touring/recording member (12 years) of
The Marshall Tucker Band The Marshall Tucker Band is an American rock band from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Noted for incorporating blues, country and jazz into an eclectic sound, the Marshall Tucker Band helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s. Wh ...
, graduate of Dunedin High School * Clayton Andrews, former
MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
pitcher * Nadia Azzi, classical pianist, child prodigy *
Sean Burnett Sean Richard Burnett (born September 17, 1982) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Washington Nationals. Amateur ca ...
, former MLB relief pitcher *
Mike "Pinball" Clemons Michael Lutrell "Pinball" Clemons (born January 15, 1965) is an American-Canadian sports executive and former running back and return specialist who serves as general manager for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He ...
, football player and coach of the
Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...
; born and raised in Dunedin, and graduated from
Dunedin High School Dunedin High School is a high school in Dunedin, Florida, United States. It is operated by the Pinellas County School Board. The school mascot is Freddie the Falcon. The official school colors are red and white, though red and black have become ...
*
Ron DeSantis Ronald Dion DeSantis (; born September 14, 1978) is an American politician, attorney, and former United States Navy, naval officer serving as the 46th List of governors of Florida, governor of Florida since 2019. A member of the Republican Pa ...
,
Governor of Florida The governor of Florida is the head of government of the U.S. state of Florida. The Governor (United States), governor is the head of the Government of Florida#Executive branch, executive branch of the government of Florida and is the comman ...
*
Sylvia Earle Sylvia Alice Earle (born August 30, 1935) is an American marine biologist, oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer. She has been a National Geographic Explorer at Large (formerly Explorer in Residence) since 1998. Earle was the first fem ...
,
oceanographic Oceanography (), also known as oceanology, sea science, ocean science, and marine science, is the scientific study of the ocean, including its physics, chemistry, biology, and geology. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of top ...
explorer and
marine biologist Marine biology is the scientific study of the biology of marine life, organisms that inhabit the sea. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology clas ...
* John G. Hanna,
sailboat A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture. Types Although sailboat terminology ...
designer, designed the Tahiti ketch *
Jim Hendry James Hendry (born July 27, 1955) is an American baseball coach and executive. He is a special assistant for New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, and is a former general manager of the Chicago Cubs. Hendry was promoted to Cubs gen ...
, special assistant to the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
, former GM of the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
*
Gunnar Hoglund Gunnar Thomas Hoglund (born December 17, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). Hoglund played college baseball for the Ole Miss Rebels and made his MLB debut in 2025. Amateur career ...
, MLB pitcher *
Doron Jensen Doron Richard Jensen (born September 1, 1958) is an American restaurateur who was the principal founder of Timber Lodge Steakhouse, Homestyle Buffet, and Old Country Buffet. Early life Doron Richard Jensen was born in Dubuque, Iowa, to pastors ...
, restaurateur and co-founder of Homestyle Buffet * Michael D. Knox, psychologist, antiwar activist, and scholar *
George Lowe George Edward Lowe (November 10, 1957 – March 2, 2025) was an American voice actor and comedian whose voice roles included Space Ghost on the animated series ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' and its spin-off, '' Cartoon Planet''. He continued ...
, TV actor best known for playing
Space Ghost Space Ghost is a superhero created by Hanna-Barbera Productions in the 1960s for TV network CBS. He was designed by Alex Toth. In his original incarnation, he was a superhero who, with his teen sidekicks, Jan and Jace, and Blip the monkey, f ...
on the comedic animated TV series ''
Space Ghost Coast to Coast ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' is an American live-action/ adult animated hybrid television series created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and first broadcast in 1994. It takes the form of a surreal parody of talk shows, hosted by a reimagi ...
'' * Daniel Norris, MLB pitcher *
David Nutter David Nutter (born 1960) is an American television and film director and television producer. He is best known for directing pilot episodes for television. In 2015, he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Seri ...
, TV director for numerous series, including ''
Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy Drama (film and television), drama television series created by David Benioff and for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of high fantasy novels by ...
'' and ''
The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...
''; graduate of Dunedin High School *
Donnie Scott Donald Malcolm (Donnie) Scott (born August 16, 1961) is an American former professional baseball catcher. From through , Scott played a role as backup and part-time catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners ...
, former MLB catcher * Frank Sprogell, professional golfer and golf course architect *
Lari White Lari Michele White Cannon (, ; May 13, 1965 – January 23, 2018) was an American country musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her debut in 1988 after winning ''You Can Be a Star'', a televised talent competition o ...
, country singer * Mike White, head coach for the
Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball The Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball program is the men's college basketball team representing the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Established in 1905, the team has competed in the Southeastern Conference since the conference’s ince ...
team * Henry S. Whitehead, author of
weird fiction Weird fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction originating in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Weird fiction either eschews or radically reinterprets traditional antagonists of supernatural horror fiction, such as ghosts, vampires, ...
, fantasy, and horror stories, mainly published in ''
Weird Tales ''Weird Tales'' is an American fantasy and horror fiction pulp magazine founded by J. C. Henneberger and J. M. Lansinger in late 1922. The first issue, dated March 1923, appeared on newsstands February 18. The first editor, Edwin Baird, printe ...
'' magazine * Bobby Wilson, former MLB catcher; catching coordinator for the Texas Rangers *
Don Zimmer Donald William Zimmer (January 17, 1931 – June 4, 2014) was an American infielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). Zimmer was involved in professional baseball from 1949 until his death, a span of 65 years, across 8 d ...
, former MLB baseball player, coach and manager for
Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...
,
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
,
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
,
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
and
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...


Gallery

Image:Dunedin, Florida High School pmr01.jpg, Dunedin High School Image:Dunedin Causeway pmr01.jpg, Dunedin Causeway looking west. Honeymoon Island is on the viewer's right. Image:DunedinBandshell.jpg, Band shell in the park in downtown Dunedin Image:Dunedin Public Library.jpg, The Dunedin Public Library Image:Dunedin Garden Club Butterfly Garden at the Dunedin Public Library.jpg, The Dunedin Garden Club Butterfly Garden at the Dunedin Public Library Image:Dunedin Public Library patio.jpg, The Dunedin Public Library patio File:Dunedin, florida marina bandstand01.jpg, Bandstand at Edgewater Park


References


External links


City of Dunedin official website

City of Dunedin Tourism site
{{authority control Beaches of Florida Beaches of Pinellas County, Florida Cities in Florida Cities in Pinellas County, Florida Populated coastal places in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico Scottish-American history 1899 establishments in Florida