Safety Harbor: Yesterday and Today

Comfortably nestled along the northwest edge of Old Tampa Bay in Pinellas County, Safety Harbor enjoys a unique place in the history books and in the hearts of its citizens and visitors. The first inhabitants were the Timucuan Indians who called the area Tocobaga. In 1528 Spanish adventurers led by the explorer Navarez landed on our shores. Safety Harbor is the home of the historic Espiritu Santo Springs. Given this name in 1539 by the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, who was searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth, these natural springs have attracted attention worldwide for their curative powers. Today, 22 acres of pristine Florida coastline houses the famous Safety Harbor Resort and Spa which remains one of the world's finest spa destinations and continues to attract health conscious visitors to the area. Safety Harbor was first homesteaded by Count Odet Philippe, a French surgeon in Napoleon's navy, who is credited with introducing citrus growing to Florida. Established in 1823 the Count's homestead is now the site of Philippe Park a 122-acre Pinellas County owned and operated facility that is very popular among our residents and visitors. Safety Harbor was formally incorporated as a City in 1917 with a population of 200 persons. Today 17,000 persons call Safety Harbor their home. Primarily a residential community the City has maintained the character of a family oriented community while preserving our environmentally sensitive lands and revitalizing our historic downtown Business District.

General Information and Demographics

Population

17,800

Median Age

39.5 Years

Median Income

$35,772

Number of Housing Units

7,212

Persons per Household

2.52