Misplaced Pages

#598401

73-591: For centuries the Alafia was home to various native tribes, including the Tocobaga . From their settlement at the mouth of the river to their hunting camps upstream, the Indians left traces of their lives and activities. The Mocoso occupied the area around the mouth of the Alafia in the 16th century and were believed to speak Timucuan . In the sixteenth century, the expeditions of Pánfilo de Narváez and Hernando de Soto explored

146-405: A bluff overlooking Clear Water Harbor , which later became part of an early 20th-century residential development (now historic district) called Harbor Oaks . University of South Florida archaeologists excavated the site in 1977 after Alfred C. Wyllie discovered an underground ammunition bunker while digging a swimming pool on his estate. Clearwater would later become the first organized community on

219-606: A century. The Tampa Bay area was visited by Spanish explorers during Florida's early Spanish period . In 1528, an expedition led by Pánfilo de Narváez landed near Tampa Bay and soon skirmished with the indigenous population, probably at the principal town of the Tocobaga at the Safety Harbor site . Several years later, the Hernando de Soto Expedition likely landed on the southern shore of Tampa Bay in 1539, and passed through

292-572: A major impact on the islands, with the Hurricane of 1848 forming John's Pass between Madeira Beach and Treasure Island, a hurricane in 1921 creating Hurricane Pass and cleaving Hog Island into Honeymoon and Caladesi Islands, and 1985's Hurricane Elena sealing Dunedin Pass to join Caladesi with Clearwater Beach . Between the barrier islands and the peninsula are several bodies of water, through which traverses

365-577: A plantation near the site of the Tocobaga village in Safety Harbor. It was Philippe who first introduced both citrus culture and cigar -making to Florida. Around the same time, the United States Army began construction of Fort Harrison , named after William Henry Harrison , as a rest post for soldiers from nearby Fort Brooke during the Second Seminole War . The new fort was located on

438-713: A punitive expedition down the Suwannee River and along the Gulf coast, attacking Tocobaga and Pohoy, and killing many of their people, including both chiefs. The Tocobaga were weakened by the Spanish attack, and the Pohoy became the dominant power in Tampa Bay for a while. In 1677 a Spanish official inspecting the missions in Apalachee Province visited a village of Tocobaga people living on

511-487: A river in Florida is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Tocobaga Tocobaga (occasionally Tocopaca ) was the name of a chiefdom of Native Americans, its chief, and its principal town during the 16th century. The chiefdom was centered around the northern end of Old Tampa Bay , the arm of Tampa Bay that extends between the present-day city of Tampa and northern Pinellas County . The exact location of

584-656: A section of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway . From north to south they are: St. Joseph Sound between the islands and Dunedin, Clearwater Harbor between Clearwater and Clearwater Beach, and Boca Ciega Bay in the southern third of the county. Connecting Clearwater Harbor to Boca Ciega Bay is a thin, approximately 3.5-mile (5.6 km) stretch of water known as The Narrows, which runs next to the town of Indian Shores. Extending from northeastern Boca Ciega Bay , Long Bayou separates Seminole from St. Petersburg near Bay Pines. Long Bayou once extended significantly farther up

657-489: A small part of the mainland were incorporated into the new county. Aviation history was made in St. Petersburg on January 1, 1914, when Tony Jannus made the world's first scheduled commercial airline flight with the St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line from St. Petersburg to Tampa. The popular open-air St. Petersburg concert venue Jannus Live (formerly known as Jannus Landing) memorializes

730-594: Is thought to have explored the Tampa Bay area . By the early 18th century the Tocobaga had been virtually annihilated, having fallen victim to European diseases from which they had no immunity, as well as European conflicts . Later Spanish explorers named the area Punta Piñal (Spanish for "Point of Pines" or "Piney Point"). After trading hands multiple times between the British and the Spanish , Spain finally ceded Florida to

803-479: Is 17.8% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.3 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 45,258, and the median income for a family was $ 58,335. Males had a median income of $ 41,537 versus $ 35,003 for females. The per capita income for

SECTION 10

#1732848470599

876-593: Is a list of all cities, towns, and census-designated places in Pinellas County, Florida. Source: 2010 Florida Census of Population and Housing As of the 2020 United States census , there were 959,107 people, 413,239 households, and 232,884 families residing in the county. U.S. Census Bureau 2010 Ethnic/Race Demographics: In 2010, 6.5% of the population considered themselves to be of only American ancestry (regardless of race or ethnicity.) There were 415,876 households, out of which 19.89% had children under

949-570: Is now Pinellas County was that of the Tocobaga , who occupied a town and large temple mound, the Safety Harbor site , overlooking the bay in what is now Safety Harbor . The modern site is protected and can be visited as part of the County's Philippe Park . During the early 16th century Spanish explorers discovered and slowly began exploring Florida, including Tampa Bay. In 1528 Pánfilo de Narváez landed in Pinellas , and 10 years later Hernando de Soto

1022-508: Is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area . Clearwater is the county seat . St. Petersburg is the largest city in the county, as well as the largest city in Florida that is not a county seat. When Europeans first reached the Pinellas peninsula, the Tampa Bay area was inhabited by people of the Safety Harbor culture . The Safety Harbor culture area was divided into chiefdoms . One documented chiefdom in what

1095-704: The American Civil War , many residents fought for the Confederate States of America . Brothers James and Daniel McMullen were members of the Confederate Cow Cavalry , driving Florida cattle to Georgia and the Carolinas to help sustain the war effort. John W. Marston served in the 9th Florida Regiment as a part of the Appomattox Campaign. Many other residents served in other capacities. Otherwise

1168-487: The Orange Belt Railway was extended into the southern portion of the peninsula. Railroad owner Peter Demens named the town that grew near the railroad's terminus St. Petersburg in honor of his hometown . The town would incorporate in 1892. Other major towns in the county incorporated during this time were Clearwater (1891), Dunedin (1899), and Largo (1905). Construction of Fort De Soto , on Mullet Key facing

1241-600: The Wacissa River one league from the mission of San Lorenzo de Ivitachuco. There is no record of when the Tocobaga settled on the Wacissa River, but they appear to have been there for a while. When the Spanish official criticized the Tocobaga for having lived in a Christian province "for many years" without having converted, they replied that no one had come to teach them about Christianity, but that some twenty of their people had converted on their death beds and been buried at

1314-605: The blue jay , mockingbird , and crow . Ospreys are a commonly seen bird-of-prey , with other birds of prey like turkey vultures , red tailed hawks , great horned owls , screech owls , barn owls , and bald eagles , among others, seen as well. Gopher tortoises are found in many areas, the burrows they dig making them a keystone species . Coyotes , though often associated with the American West, are native-to and can be found in Pinellas. White-tailed deer , wild turkeys , bobcats , otters , and alligators can be found in

1387-459: The wild boar , which poses significant health and agricultural problems in Florida and can sometimes be found in Pinellas, and the monk parakeet , small flocks of which can sometimes be seen in flight or building nests on electrical poles or telecommunications towers. There is also a large flock of feral peacocks residing in St. Petersburg's Jungle Terrace, Jungle Prada and Disston Heights neighborhoods. Pinellas gained some national attention as

1460-520: The "Top 10 Bridges" in the World by the Travel Channel . The county operates a 21-acre (8.5 ha) living history museum called Heritage Village containing more than 28 historic structures, some dating back to the 19th century, where visitors can experience what life was once like in Pinellas. Pinellas County celebrated 100 years of existence on January 1, 2012. According to the U.S. Census Bureau ,

1533-576: The 17th century. Remnants of the Calusa, who lived to the south of the Tocobaga, were forced into extreme southern Florida. As Florida transitioned to British rule in 1763 following its defeat of France in the Seven Years' War, the Calusa emigrated with the evacuating Spanish, resettling with them in Cuba , possibly along with the remnants of the Tocobaga. In any case, the Tocobaga disappeared from historical records in

SECTION 20

#1732848470599

1606-676: The Alafia Scrub Nature Preserve and the Riverview Civic Center. Williams Park and Mosaic Park are on the river near its mouth. The Alafia River Reserve is in Polk County near Mulberry. In 1997 a dam atop a gypsum stack at a Mulberry Phosphates fertilizer plant broke, spilling 56 million gallons of acidic wastewater into the North Fork of the Alafia. Virtually everything in the 42 miles between Mulberry and Hillsborough Bay

1679-628: The Bomb-a-Dears, holding dances, socializing with recruits, and selling war bonds. After the war many of these same soldiers remembered their wartime experience in Pinellas well, and returned as tourists or residents. With the end of the Second World War, Pinellas would enter another period of rapid growth and development. In 1954 the original span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was opened, replacing earlier ferry service. By 1957 Clearwater

1752-489: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection. After closure, Mosaic will be responsible for maintaining the stacks for the next 50 years. In 2016 an additional 215 million gallons entered the aquifer through the stack through a sinkhole. Mosaic publicly stated that no additional water would be released into the Alafia, but soon thereafter started diluting and releasing additional water contaminated with phosphates into

1825-496: The Safety Harbor people made little or no use of maize, and instead gathered most of their food and resources from the bountiful coastal waters.) The name "Tocobaga" first appears in Spanish documents in 1567, when Pedro Menéndez de Avilés visited what was almost certainly the Safety Harbor site. Menéndez had contacted the Calusa and reached an accommodation with Carlos , the Calusa king. Menéndez married Carlos's sister. As Carlos

1898-496: The South side of the river around what is now US Highway 301 at the site that later became known as Peru . Shortly thereafter the Barnes family took up residence around Bell Shoals. These early settlers were able to claim land under the "Armed Occupation Act of Florida" which was passed in 1842 and granted 160 acres of land to any head of family or any single man who would bear arms and live on

1971-412: The Spanish returned to San Marcos de Apalachee in 1718, they found a few Tocobaga living along the Wacissa River. The Spanish commander persuaded the Tocobaga to move to the mouth of the St. Marks River under the protection of a battery . In August that year 25 to 30 Pohoy attacked the Tocobaga settlement, killing eight and taking three away as captives. A small number of Tocobaga continued to live in

2044-493: The Tampa Bay estuary and numerous gulf seagrass beds. The county also maintains several artificial reefs . Numerous bird species can be sighted in Pinellas, either as permanent residents or during the winter migration, including wading birds like great blue herons , egrets , white ibises and roseate spoonbills , aquatic birds like brown pelicans , white pelicans , and cormorants , numerous species of shorebirds , and very-common birds like seagulls and passerines like

2117-480: The United States in 1821, and in 1823 the U.S. Army established Fort Brooke (later Tampa ). In 1834 much of west central Florida, including the Pinellas peninsula (then known simply as West Hillsborough ), was organized as Hillsborough County . The very next year Odet Philippe , a French Huguenot from Charleston, South Carolina became the first permanent, non-native resident of the peninsula when he established

2190-419: The age of 18 living with them, 40.33% were married couples living together, 11.86% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.67% were non-families. 35.42% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.14% (4.53% male and 10.61% female) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.79. The age distribution

2263-409: The area in the 1500s. The Tocobaga and their neighbors disappeared from the historical record by the early 1700s, as endemic diseases carried by European explorers decimated the local population. They had no medical acquired immunity to these new diseases. Survivors were displaced by the raids and incursions of other indigenous groups from the north. The Tampa Bay area was virtually uninhabited for over

Alafia River - Misplaced Pages Continue

2336-404: The area. During the war, the area's tourist industry collapsed, but thousands of recruits came to the area when the U.S. military decided to use the area for training. Area hotels became barracks. The Vinoy Park Hotel was used as an Army training school. The area's women and girls participated in the war effort as well. Hundreds of girls from the area's most prominent families formed a group called

2409-613: The city and a glimpse of the peninsula's original state. Geologically, Pinellas is underlain by a series of limestone formations, the Hawthorne limestone and the Tampa limestone . The limestone is porous and stores a large quantity of water. The Hawthorne formation forms a prominent ridge down the spine of the county, from east of Dunedin, south to the Walsingham area and east towards St. Petersburg. The 35 miles of beaches and dunes which make up

2482-656: The coastal areas of Tampa Bay and visited the Indians, making the first written account and charting the first maps of the Alafia River. On an early map the name 'Alafia' does not appear, but rather the translation, Hunting River . The 'Alafia' is a native word meaning "River of Fire", likely due to the river glowing at night due to high phosphoric content. After the end of the Second Seminole War, white settlers began to arrive, starting with Benjamin Moody in 1843. They settled on

2555-417: The county as well. Sea turtles nest on the shores or Pinellas' barrier islands and have been threatened by development. Offshore, dolphins , sharks , and manatees are numerous as well, while closer inshore stingrays are a common sight, leading those in-the-know to do the "stingray shuffle" (shuffling up the sand to scare nearby stingrays off) when entering gulf waters. Species of fish commonly caught in

2628-568: The county has a total area of 608 square miles (1,570 km ), of which 274 square miles (710 km ) is land and 334 square miles (870 km ) (55.0%) is water. It is the second-smallest county in Florida by land area, larger than only Union County . Pinellas forms a peninsula bounded on the west by the Gulf of Mexico and on the south and east by Tampa Bay . It is 38 miles (61 km) long and 15 miles (24 km) wide at its broadest point, with 587 miles (945 km) of coastline. Elevation in

2701-499: The county ranges from mean sea level to its highest natural point of 110 feet (34 m) near the intersection of SR 580 and Countryside Blvd. in Clearwater. Due to its small size and high population, by the early 21st century Pinellas County has been mostly built out , with very little developable land left available. The county has maintained a fairly large system of parks and preserves that provide residents and visitors retreat from

2774-482: The county seat, across the bay in Tampa, was generally an overnight affair and the automobiles that existed on the peninsula at that time would frequently become bogged down in the muck after rainstorms. Angry at what was perceived as neglect by the county government, residents of Pinellas began a push to secede from Hillsborough. They succeeded, and on January 1, 1912, Pinellas County came into being. The peninsula, along with

2847-884: The county was $ 28,742. About 8.1% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those aged 65 or over. In 2010, 11.2% of the county's population was foreign born , with 50.3% being naturalized American citizens . Of foreign-born residents, 33.6% were born in Europe , 32.1% were born in Latin America , 20.9% born in Asia , 9.8% in North America , 3.0% born in Africa , and 0.6% were born in Oceania . As of 2000, there were 921,482 people, 414,968 households, and 243,171 families residing in

2920-409: The county's 11 barrier islands provide habitat for coastal species, serve as critical storm protection for the inland communities, and form the basis of the area's thriving tourism industry. The islands are dynamic, with wave action building some islands further up, eroding others, and forming entirely new islands over time. Though hurricanes are infrequent on this part of Florida's coast, they have had

2993-445: The county's average temperatures. St. Petersburg, further south on the peninsula, tends to have warmer daily average lows (by about 3 degrees) than areas such as Dunedin and Palm Harbor further north, though daily highs are very close. The north of the county also has fewer overall days of rain, but higher total annual precipitation when measured in inches, the county's south being prone to shorter, more frequent thunderstorms especially in

Alafia River - Misplaced Pages Continue

3066-476: The county. The population density was 1,271/km (3,292/sq mi), making it the most densely populated county in Florida. There were 481,573 housing units at an average density of 1,720 per square mile (660/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 85.85% White (82.8% were Non-Hispanic White ,) 8.96% Black or African American , 0.30% Native American , 2.06% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 1.14% from other races , and 1.64% from two or more races. 4.64% of

3139-430: The early 18th century. Pinellas County, Florida Pinellas County ( US : / p ɪ ˈ n ɛ l ə s / , pih-NEL-əss ) is located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida . As of the 2020 census , the population was 959,107, making it the seventh-most populous county in the state. It is also the most densely populated county in Florida, with 3,491 residents per square mile. The county

3212-532: The eastern and southern shores of Tampa Bay were likely affiliated with other chiefdoms, such as the Pohoy , Uzita , and Mocoso . Study of archaeological artifacts has provided insight into the everyday life of the Safety Harbor culture. Little is known about the political organization of the early peoples of the Tampa Bay area. The scant historical records come exclusively from the journals and other documents made by members of several Spanish expeditions that traversed

3285-422: The eastern part of Safety Harbor territory after occupying the village of Uzita . Garcilaso de la Vega (known as el Inca ), in his history of de Soto's expedition, relates that Narváez had ordered that the nose of the chief of Uzita be cut off, indicating that the two explorers had passed through the same area. Another town near Uzita encountered by de Soto was Mocoso , but evidence suggests that, while Mocoso

3358-465: The flight. The early 1920s saw the beginning of a land boom in much of Florida, including Pinellas. During this period municipalities issued a large number of bonds to keep pace with the needed infrastructure, such as roads and bridges. The travel time to Tampa was cut in half—from 43 to 19 miles (69 to 31 km)—by the opening of the Gandy Bridge in 1924, along the same route Jannus' airline used. It

3431-458: The garrison at Tocobaga found the town deserted, and all the Spanish soldiers dead. In 1608 an alliance of Pohoy and Tocobaga may have threatened Potano people who had converted to Christianity. In 1611 a raiding party from the two chiefdoms killed several Christianized Natives carrying supplies to the Spanish mission (Cofa) at the mouth of the Suwannee River . In 1612, the Spanish launched

3504-582: The home of the Mystery Monkey of Tampa Bay , a non-native, feral rhesus macaque that had been on the loose for approximately three years in the south of the county. No one was sure where the monkey came from, and a Facebook page set up for the monkey had over 84,000 likes (as of October 2012). The monkey was the subject of a sketch on the March 11, 2010, episode of the Colbert Report . As of February 2012,

3577-492: The land in a house for five years. By 1867, a ferry was operated by a Methodist preacher Reverend LeRoy Lesley. A second ferry near Lithia Springs was operated by John Carney. Due to the river's tendency to undergo moderate to high-level flooding approximately twice a year, numerous residences in the vicinity have been constructed on stilts. Parks on the river with Hillsborough County include Alafia River State Park , Alderman's Ford Regional Park , Lithia Springs Regional Park ,

3650-594: The late summer. Freezing temperatures occur only every 2–3 years, with freezing precipitation occurring extremely rarely . Springs are usually short, mild, and dry, with occasional late-season cold fronts. Summertime weather is very consistent, with highs in the low 90s °F (around 32 °C), lows in the mid-70s °F (around 24 °C), accompanied by high humidity and an almost daily chance of afternoon thundershowers. The area experiences significant rainfall during its summer months (approximately May through October), with nearly two-thirds of annual precipitation falling between

3723-517: The locals to Christianity. He intended to build a relationship between the Spanish and indigenous Floridians in the aftermath of earlier visits by aggressive conquistadors. Despite being cautioned to avoid the Gulf Coast, Father Cancer's expedition came ashore just south of the mouth of Bahia Espiritu Santo (Tampa Bay) in May 1549. There they encountered apparently peaceful and receptive Natives who told them of

SECTION 50

#1732848470599

3796-460: The many populous villages around Tampa Bay. Father Cancer decided to continue north to visit these towns and was met with violent resistance. Most members of the expedition were killed or captured, and Father Cancer was clubbed to death soon after reaching modern day Pinellas County. Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda , a shipwreck survivor who lived with the Natives of southern Florida from 1549–1566 and

3869-586: The mission in Ivitachuco. The Tocobaga were engaged in transporting produce from Apalachee Province to St. Augustine , carrying it in canoes along the coast and up the Suwannee River and, probably, the Santa Fe River . Other people carried it overland the rest of the way to St. Augustine. The village was listed again in 1683, but it is not clear what happened when Apalachee Province was overrun by English Carolinian colonists and their Native allies in 1704. When

3942-514: The monkey had apparently taken up semi-permanent residence behind a family's home at an undisclosed location in St. Petersburg, according to the Tampa Bay Times . Efforts to capture the monkey were reignited after it reportedly bit a woman living near where it had taken up residence, and the monkey was captured in late October 2012 and eventually was sent to live at Dade City's Wild Things, a 22-acre (8.9 ha) zoo north of Tampa. Pinellas, like

4015-516: The months of June and September. The area is occasionally affected by tropical storms and hurricanes, but has not suffered a direct hit since 1921 . Fall, like spring, is usually mild and dry, with the hurricane season extending through November and sometimes affecting the area. Many portions of south Pinellas, especially near the bay and gulf, have tropical microclimates. Tropical trees such as coconut palms and royal palms and fruit trees like mangoes grow very well in these microclimates. The following

4088-482: The mouth of Tampa Bay, was begun in 1898 during the Spanish–American War to protect Tampa Bay from potential invading forces. The fort, a subpost of Fort Dade on adjacent Egmont Key (which lies in the mouth of Tampa Bay), was equipped with artillery and mortar batteries. Even into the early years of the 20th century, West Hillsborough had no paved roads, and transportation posed a major challenge. A trip to

4161-660: The peninsula as well as the site of its first post office. The Armed Occupation Act , passed in 1842, encouraged further settlement of Pinellas, like all of Florida, by offering 160 acres (0.65 km ) to anyone who would bear arms and cultivate the land. Pioneer families like the Booths, the Coachmans, the Marstons, and the McMullens established homesteads in the area in the years following, planting more citrus groves and raising cattle. During

4234-551: The peninsula had virtually no significance during the war, and the war largely passed the area by. On September 27, 1848, a strong hurricane struck the West Coast of Florida. It separated the barrier island on the coast and created a waterway known today as John's Pass. John Levique, along with Joseph Silva, was the one who discovered it and named it after himself and is now a federally owned canal. Tarpon Springs became West Hillsborough's first incorporated city in 1887, and in 1888

4307-459: The peninsula until the northern portion was sealed off to create Lake Seminole . Extending further still from Long Bayou, the Cross Bayou Canal traverses the peninsula, crossing Pinellas Park in a northeasterly direction before emptying into Tampa Bay on the northwest side of St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport . Source: Boyd Hill Nature Preserve : A 245-acre (99 ha) park on

4380-444: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 414,968 households, out of which 22.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.80% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.40% were non-families. 34.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

4453-402: The principal town is believed to be the archeological Safety Harbor site . This is the namesake for the Safety Harbor culture , of which the Tocobaga are the most well-known group. The name "Tocobaga" is often applied to all of the native peoples of the immediate Tampa Bay area during the first Spanish colonial period (1513–1763). While they were culturally very similar, most of the villages on

SECTION 60

#1732848470599

4526-406: The rest of the Tampa Bay area, has a humid subtropical climate , resulting in warm, humid summers with frequent thunderstorms, and drier winters. Pinellas County's geographic position- lying on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico introduces large amounts of humidity into the atmosphere and serves to moderate temperatures. The geography of the peninsula also causes some variance in

4599-511: The river. Jules Verne used the Alafia as the site of the fictional moon launch in his 1865 novel From the Earth to the Moon . He described the moon shot taking place from 1,800-foot bluffs overlooking the Alafia, around what is now today's Bell Shoals Nature Preserve. This Hillsborough County, Florida location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to

4672-916: The shores of Lake Maggiore in south St. Petersburg, operated by the city and featuring a nature center, bird-of-prey aviary, and over three miles of trails through a variety of ecosystems. Hillsborough County extends along the shipping channel towards Egmont Key and into the Gulf of Mexico, separating Pinellas County from Manatee County. Several natural communities exist within the county, including areas of freshwater wetlands (dominated by bald cypresses and ferns), coastal mangrove swamps, sporadic hardwood hammocks (dominated by laurel oaks and live oaks , cabbage palms , and southern magnolias ), low-lying, poorly drained pine flatwoods (dominated by longleaf pines and saw palmettos ), and well-drained, upland sandhills (dominated by longleaf pines and turkey oaks ) and sand pine scrub (dominated by sand pines , saw palmettos, and various oaks). Offshore ecosystems include

4745-500: The vicinity of San Marcos through the 1720s and 1730s. The population of Tocobaga declined severely in the 17th century, due mostly to the spread of infectious diseases brought by the Europeans, to which the native people had little resistance, as they had no acquired immunity. In addition, all of the Florida tribes lost population due to the raids by the Creek and Yamasee around the end of

4818-621: The waters surrounding the county include spotted seatrout , red drum or redfish, snook , pompano , sheepshead , Spanish mackerel , grouper , mullet , flounder , kingfish , and tarpon . Like much of Florida, Pinellas County is home to several invasive species that propagate easily outside their (and their natural predators') native range. Examples of commonly seen invasives include Brazilian pepper , water hyacinth , Australian pine , melaleuca and air potato . These species are considered serious pests, and varying methods have been tried to eradicate them. Examples of invasive animals include

4891-541: Was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.77. In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.30% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 22.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 91.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.80 males. In 2000, 87.8% of persons age 25 or above were high school graduates, slightly above Florida's average of 84.9% for Florida. 26.7% of persons age 25 or above held

4964-474: Was America's fastest growing city. Tragedy struck on May 9, 1980, when the southbound span of the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge was struck by the freighter MV Summit Venture during a storm, sending over 1,200 feet (370 m) of the bridge plummeting into Tampa Bay. The collision caused seven personal vehicles and a Greyhound bus to fall 150 feet (46 m) into the water, killing 35 people. The new bridge opened in 1987 and has since been listed as #3 of

5037-473: Was anxious to gain an advantage over his enemy Tocobaga, Menéndez took Carlos and 20 of his warriors to Tocobaga by ship. Menéndez persuaded Tocobaga and Carlos to make peace. He recovered several Europeans and a dozen Calusa being held as slaves by Tocobaga. Leaving a garrison of 30 men at Tocobaga ( to encourage the people of the town to convert to Christianity), he returned Carlos and the other Calusa to their town. In January 1568, Spanish boats taking supplies to

5110-488: Was in the Safety Harbor culture area together with Uzita and Tocobaga, the Mocoso people spoke a different language, possibly Timucua . Neither Narvaez nor de Soto remained in the area for long, as they each traveled north in search of gold after several violent encounters with the Tocobaga and their neighbors. The missionary expedition of Father Luis de Cancer visited the Tampa Bay area in 1549 to attempt to peacefully convert

5183-454: Was killed. In addition to killing millions of fish and hundreds of acres of vegetation, the spill dumped 350 tons of nitrogen into Tampa Bay. Rather than pay fines, Mulberry Phosphates declared bankruptcy. Five years later, only $ 3.7 million was recovered from the company's insurance company. In 2002, Mosaic took over maintenance of the stack. In 2007, the cost of closing both stacks was estimated to be $ 48 million, which will be paid to Mosaic by

5256-447: Was rescued from the Calusa by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés , described Tocobaga, Abalachi ( Apalachee ) and Mogoso (Mocoço) as "separate kingdoms" from the Calusa. Ucita and Mocoço at the time of de Soto's visit were subject to a chief named Urriparacoxi or Paracoxi (also given as Urribarracuxi). De Soto marched to the town of Paracoxi, which appears to have been inland from Tampa Bay, where he found maize being cultivated. (By contrast,

5329-622: Was the longest automobile toll bridge in the world at the time. Prohibition was unpopular in the area and the peninsula's inlets and islands were used by rum-runners bringing in liquor from Cuba. Others distilled moonshine in the County's still plentiful woods. As was the case in much of Florida, the Great Depression came early to Pinellas with the collapse of the real estate boom in 1926. Local economies came into severe difficulties, and by 1930, St. Petersburg defaulted on its bonds. Only after World War II would significant growth return to

#598401