Pasco County History: What’s in a Name?

First settled in the 1870s, how did the small coastal community of Hudson come to be named?

Few realize is how the dedication of Hudson’s namesake family made the coastal area what it is today. This week, we look back at the beginnings of Hudson and the efforts put forth by the Hudson family to establish and name what eventually became the thriving settlement that we now know. The Hudson Family The Hudson family first arrived to Pasco County ca. 1869. However, their first choice in residency wasn’t the coast; instead they opted for 40 acres in the small, east Pasco community of Chipco where they lived for about 8 years. After Isaac Washington Hudson Sr. became stricken with bronchial troubles, believed to have been caused by the many un-drained swamps and bay-heads around Chipco, the family sought a healthier climate. Believing …

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Moving Forward, Looking Back

Legendary Comedian Phyllis Diller Has Ties to Our Community

Remembering the legendary Phyllis Diller and her local connections to Pasco County.

The entertainment world lost a legend with the passing of Phyllis Diller. According to TMZ.com, the 95-year-old comedian died in her sleep at her Brentwood home in Los Angeles, where she was surrounded by family. While most sources cite Diller as being survived by her son, Perry; her daughters, Sally Diller and Suzanne Mills; four grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter, she also had a large extended family which spanned the United States and even reached places like Pasco County. Among that extended family is our very own local connection to the Queen of Comedy, Realtor Steve Diller, who fondly shared with me a few memories of his legendary aunt. But first, let’s take a look back at the early years. Born in Lima, Ohio on July 17, 1917…

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Moving Forward, Looking Back

An Iconic Beast: The Lion of Sims Park

Known as Leo the Lion, many youngsters are brave enough to stick their heads in his mouth for a sip of water.

Following a Patch reader inquiry, this week I’ve taken a step back from my regular weekly column to give some background on a well known fixture at the Sims Park playground—the lion in the park, more commonly known as Leo the Lion. OK, so it’s not a real live lion, but if you have children or have visited the playground, there’s no doubt you’ve seen the brave little youngsters sticking their head in the mouth of this beast to get a refreshing sip of water. So, where did this unique and well-known drinking fountain come from and why a lion? Simply put, this was a project kicked off by the Cotee River Lions Club in 1993, according to the West Pasco Press. The idea came about during the annual Chasco Fiesta event when Ken Huber, an officer of…

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Preserving the Memories of the Bee Tree Branch Cemetery

Located off of St. Joe Road in east Pasco, today the historic Bee Tree Branch has almost faded to nothing but a memory.

Historically speaking, here in Pasco County, we’ve documented eight known African-American cemeteries. These sites, surviving from the days of segregation, not only represent the final resting place for black Americans, but they are also the storage house of our local African-American history. What might be a surprise to some is the fact that of these eight historic African-American cemeteries, only five still exist while the others have been completely destroyed by agricultural and residential development. And, barely hanging on is the Oaks Cemetery on St. Joe Road in eastern Pasco, more commonly known as the Bee Tree Branch African-American Cemetery. So, this week, in an effort to preserve the history and heritage of the Bee Tree Branch …

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Jeff Cannon

9:47 am on Sunday, August 12, 2012

There is actually a Florida Statute that allows a local municipality to maintain a cemetery that hasn't received maintenance in excess of six months. However, our local government will not step up to the plate in fear that if they maintain one site they'll have to maintain others. It truly is a shame that our local veterans are treated in this manner!   more ›

Riding Down Memory Lane on Our First Local First Mass Transit System

The history of our local railroad actually begins in 1909 with the formation of the Tampa and Gulf Coast Railway, created to construct and operate a standard-gage single-track from Lutz to Tarpon Springs.

High-speed and commuter rail have been hot topics. To me, it all seems reminiscent of the days before automobiles, when the train emerged as the dominant mode of transportation and New Port Richey became an active railroad hub. By 1900, Florida boasted more than 3,000 miles of railroad tracks. In the summer of 1913, those rickety tracks and whistling steam locomotives reached New Port Richey. The history of our local railroad actually begins in 1909 with the formation of the Tampa and Gulf Coast Railway, created to construct and operate a standard-gage single-track from Lutz to Tarpon Springs. On September 17, 1909, the railway started with a purchase of 10-miles of logging trams from the Gulf Pine Company, which operated sawmills near …

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Moving Forward, Looking Back

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 …

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Namesake, Mysteries of Gower’s Corner

This week we explore the origins of the unincorporated community and the man behind its early development—William Arthur Gower.

Situated at the major intersections of U.S. 41 and State Road 52, every day there are thousands who pass through the unincorporated community of Gower’s Corner. But, what these travelers may be unaware of is how this former piece of no-man’s land came to be called Gower’s Corner and how it developed into an active roadside stop. So, this week we explore the origins of Gower’s Corner and the man behind its early development: William Arthur Gower. Who was William Arthur Gower? Born January 6, 1881, according to the Tampa Tribune, at age 13, the Georgia native went to work for pioneer lumberman Martin F. Amourous, partaking in fistfights to beat out other applicants for a job as office boy. From there, the relationship between employer and …

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Moving Forward, Looking Back

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, …

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The Story Behind Pasco County's Name

New to Patch? Interested in history? Check out Jeff Cannon's regular column on Saturdays. Here's an interesting one you may have missed.

Salt Springs: Not Just Natural Beauty

Salt Springs holds a vast amount of history, but, due to limited access, still remains a hidden secret to most.

Tucked away within Werner-Boyce Salt Springs Park is a small tidal spring from which the park takes its name. It holds a vast amount of history but remains a hidden secret to most passers-by. Few realize or could ever imagine that Salt Springs was once the location of an active salt works that operated during the Civil War, curing the abundant saltwater into the precious commodity of salt. During the Civil War, Florida was not only a main supplier of beef cattle to frontline Confederate troops but it was also one of the top producers of salt. Prior to the invention of refrigerators, salt was used to preserve a variety of meats, such as pork, fish, and of course the beef cattle shipped to the frontline troops. The war caused an increasing …

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