How Dade City Became our County Seat

With its proud heritage and promising future, how did Dade City become our permanent county seat?

Prior to 1887, there was no Pasco County. Instead, we were part of what was then known as Hernando County-- encompassing all of today’s Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco Counties. On June 2, 1887, because of its sheer size and an enthusiasm among the residents for division, Florida Gov. Edward A. Perry signed into law a bill to divide Hernando and make the counties of Citrus and Pasco. When Governor Perry signed the bill, he designated Dade City as the temporary county seat and appointed our first board of county commissioners and other officials. From there, the new board eventually convened in a temporary courthouse offered by Dade City businessmen Coleman and Ferguson, until a permanent county seat could be determined and permanent courthouse…

• Photos (1)

Pasco County’s Claim to Golfing Fame

Gene Sarazen and the advent of the modern sand wedge.

With places like Innisbrook, Cheval, and Saddlebrook, here in the Tampa Bay area we are no strangers to the game of golf. But, did you know that Pasco County’s past history actually has a connection and claim to golfing fame? That connection is professional golfer Gene Sarazen, who in the late 1920s, considered New Port Richey his winter home. Locally, Sarazen not only managed New Port Richey’s Jasmin Point Golf Course, but it was here that his invention of the modern sand wedge, with steel shaft, came to life. From Eugenio Saraceni to Gene Sarazen Born February 27, 1902, in Harrison, New York, Eugenio Saraceni was the son of an Italian carpenter from Rome. With his family suffering financially, according to biographies, in 1910, at age 8…

•  5 Comments
• Photos (3)

Jeff Cannon

12:12 am on Sunday, July 15, 2012

Yes, it is behind Venom Motorcycles!!!   more ›

From Deer Island to Green Key

Today, Green Key is only one of four Pasco County parks to have Gulf frontage

This week we explore what could possibly be considered one of Pasco County’s last frontiers—Deer Island. Now known as Green Key, less than 90 years ago, Deer Island was nothing more than mangroves and saw grass. But today, with its paved causeway, county park, and Gulf access, you’d be hard pressed to find a deer on Deer Island. So, how was it that this little piece of no man’s land came to be one of only four Pasco County parks with Gulf frontage? Deer Island, the Homestead In the mid 1920s, Deer Island became one of the last pieces of federally homesteaded lands in Pasco County, which is where the history of our little island begins. Consisting of a little more than 42 acres, it was in the 1920s when John Gippson “Gip” Brown and his wife…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (2)

Jeff Cannon

11:21 pm on Saturday, July 7, 2012

Christy, thanks for your comments. Yes, part of the island is sitll privately owned-- three lots in total. I believe the only reason is because they were purchased before the court order to divide the land equally between Pasco County, the City of New Port Richey, and the Pasco County School Board. These lots have been privately owned since the 1940s.   more ›

Preserving Pasco’s Rural Post Offices

Under a new U.S.P.S. strategic plan, five historic post offices in Pasco County could see a reduction in hours or discontinuation.

On May 9, 2012, the U.S. Postal Service announced a new strategic plan that could save the nation’s smallest post offices, while providing a framework to achieve significant cost savings in an effort to return the organization to financial stability. The plan which includes the Pasco offices of Crystal Springs, Lacoochee, Saint Leo, Trilby, and Aripeka, would keep the existing offices in place but with modified hours to match customer use. According to the Tampa Tribune, U.S. Postal Service spokeswoman Enola Rice said the reduction of hours are to the number of hours the postmaster works, and not necessarily the hours the post offices are open to customers. According to a Postal Service press release, “Access to the retail lobby and to PO …

• Photos (1)

What’s in a Name?: Fillman Bayou

Named for one of Pasco's pioneers, Fillman Bayou is a name with great historical significance.

All along Pasco County's west coast are inlets, bayous, coves, and creeks that bear unique names—some of which have significant meaning to our local history. One such name with great historical significance is that of Fillman Bayou located west of Old Dixie Highway, near Aripeka. Named for one of west Pasco’s pioneers — Martin D. Fillman — this natural bayou has been the scene of activity for more than a century. So, who was Martin D. Fillman and what impacts did he have on this region of Pasco County? Fillman’s Military Career & Controversy Born December 12, 1833, in Columbia County, Florida, Martin D. Fillman was a true Florida pioneer. While little is known about his early childhood, muster rolls show that at age 21 he enlisted at Fort …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (3)

Spotlight on Pasco's June Historical Events Includes Juneteenth

Plan your June weekends around history.

We’re gearing up for the end of school and the onslaught of summer time in Pasco. If you’re looking for something to do in June, why not learn a little bit about our history? This week, we highlight some of the numerous history-related events planned around the county for June 2012.   When: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 at 6 p.m. Where: Zephyrhills Train Depot, 5024 20th Street. Zephyrhills, FL Cost: FREE to the public What: This month, the Zephyrhills Historical Association has planned another great program. This month former Zephyrhills High School teacher Vivian Johns will speak to the group about her many years in Zephyrhills. Vivian arrived to the community in the 1960s and through the years has witnessed many changed. For more information …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Jeff Cannon

5:40 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012

UPDATE: I just received information that the June 16, 2012 Mount Carmel Cemetery clean-up has been postponed until later in the year. As soon as I learn more about the clean-up being re-scheduled I will let everyone know.   more ›

Dredging Up Hudson’s Past

For nearly two decades Hudson residents petitioned the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the Hudson Channel, from Hudson Spring to the Gulf via Hudson Creek.

In May 2011, Governor Rick Scott and the Florida cabinet unanimously approved a 50 year lease and dredging of state-owned submerged land to joint applicants Pasco County and Sun West Acquisition Corp. According to WUSF, permits outline the dredging of a recreational boat channel nearly five miles long and five feet deep that will run through 27-acres of delicate sea-grass beds. The new channel would separate a planned 313 acre county park from the proposed private development SunWest Harbourtowne, which plans to build a marina with 500 boat slips, 250 hotel rooms, retail space, and up to 2,500 homes. While the project received the blessings of the Governor and Florida cabinet, there is still the major hurdle of getting approval from the U.…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Moving Forward, Looking Back

What’s in a Name? — Bob Hill Springs

The story of pioneer Robert “Bob” Madison Hill.

So, you’ve probably heard of Crystal Springs or even Salt Springs here in Pasco County, but have you ever heard of Bob Hill Springs? Located in a hammock about 600 feet north of the Pasco-Hernando County line, the little Bob Hill Springs is privately owned by the Holiday Springs RV Resort, which converted the surrounding property into a modern recreational and camping facility. During development of the RV resort in the 1970s, the natural setting of Bob Hill Springs was transformed into a 100-by-200 foot oval pool with concrete walls and perimeter walkways. According to the Bureau of Geology, today, depths of the spring reach 15 feet with its discharge flowing west to the Gulf via Bayou Creek and Bayou Lake. A prominent boil was reported …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (2)

Jeff Cannon

9:25 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Kyle, thanks for your comments and clarification. The Bureau of Geology actually refers to it as Bobhill Springs, which is a slight variation from Bob Hill. It is such a great piece of Florda's natural history.   more ›

Spotlight on Pasco's May Historical Events

Plan your May weekends around history!

If you’re looking for something to do during the month of May and want to learn a little more about Pasco County's history, we have got a deal for you. This week, we highlight some of the numerous events planned around the county in May 2012 that showcase local history. When: Friday, May 4, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. Where: Historic Pasco County Courthouse, 918 Meridian Avenue, Dade City Cost: FREE to the public What: Pasco County Sheriff’s Office presents the 2012 Fallen Officers Memorial Service to remember the sacrifice of fallen law enforcement officers. Officers being memorialized include John Mecklenburg, (a Hernando County deputy who died in Pasco) Constable Arthur Fleece Crenshaw, Sheriff’s Deputy William Henry Nix, Constable John Herbert …

• Photos (2)

The Florida Tuberculosis Sanatorium

Located in the northeastern community of Trilby, the Florida Tuberculosis Sanatorium is believed to be the first TB sanatorium in Florida.

Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases, lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacterium. Spread through the open air when people with the active infection cough, sneeze, or otherwise transmit their saliva, the TB disease typically attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, TB caused the most widespread public concern as an endemic disease of the urban poor. And, after finding it contagious in the 1880s, this fatal disease was added to the list of notifiable diseases in Britain and other countries, and aggressive campaigns began to ban spitting in public places. But, prior to the introduction of antibiotic streptomycin in 1946, the only …

• Photos (2)