Nancy Meador of the McMullen clan tells of the effects on Pinellas which was blessed on three sides by warm Gulf breezes: Uncle Birt McMullen had a grove back at Badwater (near St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport) back then. This property was beautiful with huge oak trees and a creek running through it. During the freeze of 1894-95 much of the local citrus froze; his didnt freeze at all. Ordinarily, citrus brought $1.50 a crate; after the freeze he got $15 a crate. The after-effects of the Great Freeze were reported in the Tampa Morning Tribune in 1897: Before proceeding any further we will say right here that the cold wave of 1895 did but little damage to the old seedlings on the West Coast nor were the budded trees hurt as badly by the frost as those farther inland. In fact many of the old budded groves have almost entirely recovered, so much so, that none but an expert could tell that there was any damage at all.

When J.N. McClung built the first ice factory in Clearwater in 1900, he also began the first water system for the community by installing a water main from his ice factory to the corner of Cleveland Street and Fort Harrison Avenue. The system was further developed through the decade and purchased by the City in 1910.

The third Clearwater railroad depot, circa 1910, was the community's first brick depot and a central point in the life of the city.

In order to attract more people to Clearwaters beautiful bay, a recreational pier and pavilion were built at the foot of Cleveland Street in 1902, both of which were donated to the city several years later.

The year 1900 also marked the beginning of the telephone communications in Clearwater. Dennis Coopers History of General Telephone Company, the People Machine, relates that John R. Davey Sr. built a one-wire line connecting his orange groves near Safety Harbor with Coachmans Store in downtown Clearwater. A telephone exchange to serve other residents was built three years later. The first switchboard was set up in the home of L.N. Fowler on Haven Street with Mrs. Fowler as the original telephone operator.