Editing Apollo Beach, Florida

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
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 | population_total         = 26002
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}}

'''Apollo Beach''' is an unincorporated [[census-designated place]] in [[Hillsborough County, Florida|Hillsborough County]], [[Florida]], United States. The population was 14,055 at the 2010 census,<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1201675| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Apollo Beach CDP, Florida| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=May 1, 2017}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> up from 7,444 at the 2000 census.

==Geography==
Apollo Beach is located in southern Hillsborough County and bordered to the north by [[Gibsonton, Florida|Gibsonton]], to the northeast by [[Riverview, Florida|Riverview]], to the east by [[Balm, Florida|Balm]], to the southeast by [[Sun City Center, Florida|Sun City Center]], to the south by [[Ruskin, Florida|Ruskin]], and to the west by [[Tampa Bay]]. The unincorporated community of [[North Ruskin, Florida|North Ruskin]] is in the northern part of the CDP. [[U.S. Route 41]] crosses the center of the CDP, and [[Interstate 75]] passes through the eastern portion, with access from Exit 246 at the northern edge of the CDP. Downtown [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]] is {{convert|17|mi}} to the north, and [[Bradenton, Florida|Bradenton]] is {{convert|25|mi}} to the south.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Apollo Beach CDP has a total area of {{convert|57.7|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|51.4|km2|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|6.3|km2|order=flip}}, or 10.97%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1970= 1042
|1980= 4014
|1990= 6025
|2000= 7444
|2010= 14055
|2020= 26002
|footnote=source:<ref>
{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 27, 2009}}
</ref>
}}
As of the 2010 census, there were 14,701 people in Apollo Beach and 5,886 households, an increase of nearly 75% in both categories over the 2000 census. New families came in with new construction, with the population of aged five years and under increasing by over 150%. The racial makeup of the community was 87% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 6% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 3% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 14% of the population.

There were 5,886 households, of which 27% had children under the age of 18 living with them, and 63% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, both higher than the state average.

==History==
The history of Apollo Beach started in 1923 on land owned by the Dickman family, then used annually for farming and grazing pasture. Much of the land was [[mangrove]] and low-elevation and was considered uninhabitable.

In the 1930s, Paul Dickman conceived the idea of a waterfront community. He felt the location was ideally located equidistant between Tampa and Bradenton along [[U.S. Route 41 in Florida|U.S. Route 41]].

The Dickmans secured the services of Radar Engineering of [[Miami]] to design a subdivision including roads, canals, schools, recreation areas, and community services.

In the early 1950s, Dickman negotiated the sale of the land to three men from New York: Turner, Dean and Clark. They named the land "Tampa Beach", believing the association with Tampa would attract interested persons more readily than a name which did not properly locate the area geographically.

Construction began on the Flamingo Canal near U.S. 41 and proceeded toward Fairway Boulevard. It was their intention to extend the canal to [[Tampa Bay]] so as to achieve access to open water. The task became too large for the amount of capital they had invested and for the abilities of the persons involved, and in 1956 they notified Dickman they could not go through with the project.

In 1957, Francis Corr, a retired businessman from [[Michigan]], purchased the land. Corr renamed the area "La Vida Beach". Legend has it that in 1958 Corr's wife Dorothy suggested a new name, "Apollo Beach", for the area's greatest benefit — sunshine.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.ospreyobserver.com/local-history/history-of-apollo-beach/| title=History of Apollo Beach| work=Osprey Observer}}</ref> Mr. Corr started construction of 50 homes in the area between U.S. 41 and Golf & Sea Boulevard.
[[File:1959 Looking East Towards Apollo Beach.jpg|thumb|1959 Looking East towards Apollo Beach]]
[[File:1959 Looking Southeast at Apollo Beach.jpg|thumb|1959 Looking Southeast at Apollo Beach]]
In early 1958, Corr reached an agreement with Robert E. Lee, a [[South Carolina]] contractor, to join in the development. Lee was to continue the dredging of canals, and in exchange was to receive parcels of land.

In the early 1960s, Francis Corr sold his company and the Apollo Beach land to a Miami company known as Flora Sun Corporation. Flora Sun sold some of the land on the northern end to the [[Tampa Electric Company]] for a power plant site on the land's northern border, which is now the [[Big Bend Power Station]]. Flora Sun failed in its obligations in the purchase of the land from the Corr family, and about seven years later the family got the land back out of bankruptcy court.

In the mid-1960s, Corr's son Thomas moved his young family to the area to continue work on the Apollo Beach project; however, while the land was in bankruptcy proceedings from Flora Sun, the dredge and fill permits required to construct the canal system expired.

The Corr family continued to struggle with the development over the years, facing regulatory hurdles and tightening growth policy in Florida with the passage of the growth management act in 1972 and expanded policies in 1984.

Thomas Corr continued to develop the community and donated land for parks and schools and preserving hundreds of acres of mangrove swamps and environmental areas. He started a community bank, a chamber of commerce, civic clubs and festivals. Thomas Corr died in 1998.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flsenate.gov/data/session/1998/House/bills/billtext/pdf/h9519.pdf |title=A resolution honoring Thomas Paul Corr.
 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=1998 |website=archive.flsenate.gov |publisher=[[Florida Senate]] |access-date=June 30, 2015 }}</ref> In 2006, Hillsborough County honored the work of Thomas Corr by naming the new elementary school on Big Bend Road the Thomas P. Corr Elementary School.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.observernews.net/archive/111303/story2.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907121229/http://www.observernews.net/archive/111303/story2.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 7, 2012 |title=Observer News Online |work=observernews.net }}</ref>

Today Apollo Beach is a thriving waterfront community with year-round boating, fishing, and other water activities. The estimated {{convert|55|mi}} of canals lead to Tampa Bay.

==Education==
The schools that serve Apollo Beach are:
* Apollo Beach Elementary
* Inez Doby Elementary
* Waterset Charter School (K-8)
* Eisenhower Middle School
* [[East Bay High School]]
* Dorothy C. York Innovation Academy

== Famous Landmark: Big Bend ==
Apollo Beach is famous for the Big Bend Power Station which provides power to the Tampa Bay area. The power plant is visible across Tampa Bay and especially in Apollo Beach.

==Notable people==
* [[Nick Carter]], singer-songwriter, dancer, entertainer and actor best known as one of the lead vocalists of the Backstreet Boys; grew up in Apollo Beach<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musictory.com/music/Nick+Carter/Biography|title=Nick Carter Biography|work=musictory.com}}</ref>
* [[Debra Lafave]], teacher who pleaded guilty to [http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0800-0899/0800/Sections/0800.04.html lewd or lascivious battery] after having sex with a 14-year-old student<ref>{{cite web |url= http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/flyer.do?personId=43558 |title=DEBRA JEAN BEASLEY - Florida Sexual Offender  |work=offender.fdle.state.fl.us  |access-date=June 2, 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110716064625/http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/flyer.do?personId=43558| archive-date= July 16, 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref>
* [[Tessa Ludwick]], actress, attended first grade at Apollo Beach Elementary<ref>{{cite news|date=September 9, 1994|work=[[St Petersburg Times]]|title=Talk Back|pages=Tampa Today section, 5B|no-pp=y}}</ref>
[[Image:Appollo Beach1.JPG|thumb|right|Apollo Beach]]

==Climate==
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Apollo Beach has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=747881&cityname=Apollo+Beach%2C+Florida%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Apollo Beach, Florida]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Hillsborough County, Florida}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Hillsborough County, Florida]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Florida]]
[[Category:Populated places on Tampa Bay]]