DUNEDIN
In 1852, 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 the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh. Dunedin was incorporated in 1925.
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.
“Delightful” Dunedin’s village-like atmosphere and a relaxed lifestyle has lured people from around the world for decades. The downtown business district is notable for its absence of large commercial signage, corporate franchise restaurants or chain retail stores.
Dunedin’s quality of life is linked to its appreciation of its diverse and colorful past, and to the country that helped shape it future…Scotland. In commemoration of its ancestral ties Dunedin has chosen Stirling, Scotland, and Summerside, Prince Edward Island as its sister cities.
Dunedin is proud of its “firsts” which are chronicled in “Dunedin Through the Years” by William L. Davidson. The amphibious tractor, the Alligator, assembled in Dunedin and used in WWII, played a decisive role in the Pacific phase of the war. Frozen orange juice concentrate, and the “Pram” sailboat racer both originated here. Dunedin was the first home of the prestigious PGA (Professional Golfers Association). The first radio signals from Pinellas County were sent from Dunedin. The oldest continuous garden club on Florida’s west coast is the Dunedin Garden Club.
Dunedin is home to several beaches, including Dunedin Causeway, Honeymoon Island, and Caladesi Island State Park, which is consistently rated among the best beaches in the world. It is also one of the few open waterfront communities where buildings do not obscure the view of the Intercoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico beyond.
According to the US Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.2 square miles, of which 10.4 square miles is land and 17.8 square miles is water. The 2020 Census reported the population to be 36,537.
In 2020 there were 1,013 properties sold with an average sales price of $323,526 and an average of 41 days on the market. There are currently 65 properties for sale with an average list price of $555,358.
Check us out again next week when we take a closer look at Gulfport!