Safety Harbor Church

Safety Harbor Church. Built: 1905 - Moved: 1977. , Methodist Congregation , Originally this church building was in a central location in the growing community of Green Springs renamed Safety Harbor in 1917. Early church members included pioneer families of the upper Pinellas Peninsula, such as the McMullens and Booths. The congregation hosted many social events including a Methodist Coffee Hour and the always popular potluck dinners. Coffee hours included devotional readings, fellowship, refreshments and occasional entertainment. After outgrowing the church, this congregation opened a new sanctuary in 1960 and converted this structure into Sunday school classrooms and office space., Riding the Circuit , Circuit riding Methodist pastors served more than one church, traveling between congregations. Pastors from this church also conducted religious services for churches in Anona, Bay View (now part of eastern Clearwater), Curlew, Largo, Ozona, Sutherland (now Palm Harbor) and other locations., Building Nuts and Bolts , This simple and free structure emphasized function rather than elaborate ornamental design. The lumber for the tongue and groove planking along the walls, celling and floors came E.H. Coachman's sawmill at Philippe Hammock, now part of Philippe Park., An Uplifting Experience , Strong winds during the October 1921 hurricane lifted the entire church from the ground and repositioned it elsewhere on the property facing a new direction. It was left where it landed. Another hurricane in 1935 ripped off most of the roof. Amazingly the structure you see today contains its original pulpit and altar rail. In 1977 workers moving the church to Heritage Village removed the roof one last time - we hope., Tidbits from Time , Ministers and Musical Chairs , The Safety Harbor First United Methodist Church had 41 pastors during its 97 years but only 5 organists.