Right: Coe's Casino, which later became Trinity College, from which Billy Graham graduated. Left: Military equipment on display on Cleveland Street.

City Involved

Each morning, Clearwater’s finest sons would meet at the bus station to travel to Camp Blanding for basic training. New soldiers also disembarked from trains at the Atlantic Coastline Railroad depot downtown, now known as Clearwater Station Square. For most, the first duty was marching across the street for a milkshake at the Dairy Store.

In the afternoons, downtown streets were filled with servicemen on brief respites from their training, drilling and preparation. “Eligible” males might have been scarce elsewhere in the country, but on the weekends in Clearwater young ladies were rarely wanting for suitable companionship. Soon these young men were called for active duty away from their country, and with that call came a rush of weddings, as shown in the county clerk’s records.

Clearwater’s American Red Cross chapter was making surgical dressings and clothing, and teaching First Aid. Clearwater’s Little Theater players were invited to present programs at MacDill Field in Tampa and at the Maritime Training School in St. Petersburg. Blood Bank drives began at Morton F. Plant Hospital. National Defense Through Agriculture became the theme of the County Fair at the Largo Fairgrounds.

Clearwater’s library felt the pressure of wartime as well and expanded its facilities to add a small museum in 1942. The demand for reading material was higher than ever. Special library cards were issued to the many servicemen and their families stationed in the area.

Clearwater’s industry boomed as War Department orders poured in. And Clearwater’s city government worked tirelessly to better coordinate local businesses in the national war effort.