The Depression - Freedom Magazine Presents The History of Clearwater Florida Part VII

A Haven of Relaxation

CLEARWATER BEACH, BY THE OLD PALM PAVILION: Clearwater possessed never-ending attractions for tourists from all over the country and the world — pristine beaches and a mild winter climate.

Despite the difficult times, Clearwater’s population grew during the Depression. Its citizens’ efforts to keep the city expanding paid off.

The area possessed never-ending attractions for tourists from all over the country and indeed the world—pristine beaches and a mild winter climate. These served as a constant boon to the local economy through the rough years. Vacationers from the north, “snowbirds” as they came to be called, continued to come to Clearwater.

The allure of the area was evident at the 1934 opening of the Carlouel Yacht Club at the north end of Clearwater Beach. The club became a place to enjoy many leisure-time activities.

As Michael Sanders describes it in his book, Clearwater: A Pictorial History: “Carlouel served as a headquarters for yachting, swimming, tennis playing, dancing and other functions.”

Sanders explains that Carlouel “was derived from the first names of the wives of the founders—[Car]olyn Hobart, [Lou]ise Palmer and [El]eanor Randolph.”