Philippe Park
Encyclopedia
Philippe Park is a Pinellas County park located in Safety Harbor, Florida
. The park is named after Count Odet Philippe
who is credited with introducing grapefruit
to the state of Florida in 1823. It is situated on 122 acre (0.49371692 km²) that was once part of Philippe's plantation. Philippe was the county's first non-native settler, arriving in 1842. Philippe is buried in the park but the exact location is undetermined.
A Tocobaga
Indian mound that is situated in the park is a National Historic Landmark
known as the Safety Harbor Site
.
The temple mound is one of the last remaining examples on the Pinellas Peninsula. Records indicate that in 1566 Pedro Menendez de Aviles, the founder of St. Augustine (1565), visited the site to help broker a truce between the Tocobago and the Culusa to the south. During the visit Pedro Menendez founded a Spanish outpost nearby, but by 1567 it was reported to have been wiped out by the Tocobago. Eventually the temple mound was deserted. The Tocobago succumbed to European diseases, and many were forced into slavery working in the Caribbean.
On your next visit to Philippe Park make sure you climb to the top to experience a spectacular view of Old Tampa Bay.
Safety Harbor, Florida
Safety Harbor is a city on the west shore of Tampa Bay in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It was incorporated in 1917. The population was 17,203 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 17,550....
. The park is named after Count Odet Philippe
Odet Philippe
One of the more colorful figures in Pinellas County’s past, Odet was the first permanent, non-native settler on the Pinellas County peninsula, acquiring of land in what is today Safety Harbor in 1842. He was a successful businessman who introduced cigar making and citrus to Tampa Bay...
who is credited with introducing grapefruit
Grapefruit
The grapefruit , is a subtropical citrus tree known for its sour fruit, an 18th-century hybrid first bred in Barbados. When found, it was named the "forbidden fruit"; it has also been misidentified with the pomelo or shaddock , one of the parents of this hybrid, the other being sweet orange The...
to the state of Florida in 1823. It is situated on 122 acre (0.49371692 km²) that was once part of Philippe's plantation. Philippe was the county's first non-native settler, arriving in 1842. Philippe is buried in the park but the exact location is undetermined.
A Tocobaga
Tocobaga
Tocobaga was the name of a chiefdom, its chief and its principal town during the 16th century in the area of Tampa Bay. The town was at the northern end of what is now called Old Tampa Bay, an arm of Tampa Bay that extends northward between the present-day city of Tampa and Pinellas County...
Indian mound that is situated in the park is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
known as the Safety Harbor Site
Safety Harbor Site
The Safety Harbor Site is a historic site in Safety Harbor, Florida, located in Philippe Park, at 2355 Bayshore Drive. It is the largest remaining mound in the Tampa Bay area, and is believed to have been the "capital city" of the Tocobaga. In 1964, it was declared a National Historic Landmark...
.
The temple mound is one of the last remaining examples on the Pinellas Peninsula. Records indicate that in 1566 Pedro Menendez de Aviles, the founder of St. Augustine (1565), visited the site to help broker a truce between the Tocobago and the Culusa to the south. During the visit Pedro Menendez founded a Spanish outpost nearby, but by 1567 it was reported to have been wiped out by the Tocobago. Eventually the temple mound was deserted. The Tocobago succumbed to European diseases, and many were forced into slavery working in the Caribbean.
On your next visit to Philippe Park make sure you climb to the top to experience a spectacular view of Old Tampa Bay.