Philippe Park
2525 Philippe Parkway
Safety Harbor, FL 34695
I was going through old photos and discovered these forgotten photos from Philippe Park, Safety Harbor, Florida. I hope you enjoy this trip from the archives. It is a lovely park in Pinellas County; it's also the oldest park in Pinellas County, Florida. The land in the park was once part of a large plantation built
by Count Odet Philippe, one of the more colorful figures in Pinellas
County’s past. Odet was the first non-native, permanent settler on the
Pinellas peninsula. He owned a 160-acre plantation and introduced
citrus growing to the area in 1842. (Pinellas County is a peninsula on a
peninsula. Fun Fact)
The original inhabitants were a people known as the Tocobaga Indians of
Tampa Bay. The Tocobaga lived in small villages at the northern end of
Tampa Bay from 900 to the 1500s. In approximately 1528, Pánfilo de
Narváez, a Spanish explorer, arrived in the Tampa Bay area. He and his
men discovered the Tocobaga. Like many other indigenous people, the
arrival of Europeans brought disease and violence to the tribe’s
peaceful existence. The Tocobaga were hunters not warriors. As a result,
the Tocobaga Indians became extinct within the next 100 years.
In the park, there is a Temple Mound that was built by the Tocobaga. It
is the largest remaining mound in the Tampa Bay region and is listed in
the National Register of Historic Landmarks. The mound was made of
alternating layers of shell and sand. Remains of posts indicate there
was at least one structure on top, possibly used for ceremonial purposes
or the chief’s dwelling. Archaeologists believe the ramp led to a “town
plaza” at the base of the mound. For more information, click here.
The park has 8 shelters, a playground, fishing, a boat ramp, a softball field, and a mile of Tampa Bay shoreline.
I like sitting and watching the bay. It’s a lovely place to spend some quiet time.
Majestic shade trees welcome visitors.
It’s also a great place to watch a Florida sunset.
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