Between historic Tarpon Springs and Ozona sits Crystal Beach, a beautiful waterfront community. Our town, which hugs the Gulf of Mexico, is quaint, quiet and close-knit. There are no mailboxes in town. Instead, there is a small Post Office, which also serves as a spot for neighbors to meet and catch up. Next to the Post Office is the Pinellas Trail, where residents bike, jog and roller blade in the morning and evening. Crystal Beach is an older neighborhood with a mix of historic residences and more recent construction. At the end of Crystal Beach Ave. is Live Oak Park, our beach and the pier, which is a popular gathering place for neighbors, their pets and for some of the most beautiful sunsets.
Crystal Beach is an adorable and quaint place to live and play. It snuggles up against St Joseph Sound and along the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico. It is one of the original communities in Pinellas County, with homesteading beginning in the 1850's. Originally a fishing village, Crystal Beach was officially developed in 1912 as a vacation village. It was founded by Mr. Avery and Mr. Rebstock with their development company and named for Crystal Beach, Ontario, Canada. Crystal Beach in Canada was located on Lake Erie and was a health spa at one time and an amusement park. It too was known for its crystal-clear waters. Two gentlemen from Texas then took over the development and laid out the streets in squares and they made a seaside parkway so that all the residents of the town could enjoy the beauty of the Gulf. These men were Dr. J.D. Hanby and Mr. A.D. Powers. Thus, the Crystal Beach Development Company was born. In addition to Live Oak Park, Powers and Hanby established Gulf Drive, which is a waterfront pathway they created to ensure all Crystal Beach residents and visitors alike would have access to the waterfront. Their stated intent was to "forever hold this strip of land as a park for the use of the residents of Crystal Beach". Land was also set aside for Live Oak Park which at that time had a fountain and pool with fish in it. At one time the railroad stopped in Crystal Beach, Florida. That railroad has since been turned into the Pinellas Trail, a favorite playground for bikers and hikers alike! The Pinellas Trail runs north and south through Pinellas County, covering more than 47 miles. In the depression of 1929, many Crystal Beach residents lost their holdings to taxes and land became very cheap. It was at this time that the Markert family established the Faith Mission Orphanage in the former Blue Heron Hotel. They started with 28 children and grew to as many as 87 at one time. Each child learned to play musical instruments and were raised with a religious background. Sunday school and services were held on the beach until 1957. The modern church building was built by the Markert's, and the Crystal Beach Community Church was organized in 1958. It is the only waterfront church in Pinellas County and is a very popular choice for weddings today. Many of the area's environmental features include coastal waters, indigenous marine life, and a largely unsullied natural shoreline along St. Joseph's Sound and into the Sutherland and Avery Bayous. It contains wetlands, uplands and their associated vegetation with wildlife, as well as a large population of native birds. Mangroves border a shell path that runs along the Sound. The land to the west of this shell path is public land along its entire length Crystal Beach continues to grow over the years yet remains part of unincorporated Palm Harbor in Pinellas County.
