The 114 acres of land that now make up Chinsegut Hill and its surrounding preserve were first owned by a Colonel Pearson in 1842. Ten years later Pearson sold the property and the home he had built there to Colonel Francis N. Ederington. Ederington’…

In 1946, Newton Perry and a group of investors made the decision to use Weeki Wachee as the site for their new attraction. Perry had previously been in the U.S. Navy and had experience training Navy Frogmen. This experience would lend itself well to…

In 1852, the Armed Occupation Act proposed a deal: families were encouraged to go to Florida, build a dwelling, and farm on the land, then after 5 years the government would officially sign the land over to you. As seen on an 1847 land survey, the…

The Safety Harbor Resort and Spa has been an attraction in the city since its earliest days. Currently, the spa serves as a relaxing getaway location for tourists, a wedding destination, and a recreational facility for local residents with a…

Visitors to Pinellas County’s oldest park, Philippe Park, are in for a treat. Along with beautiful scenic views of Tampa Bay guests can witness a Florida rarity: a hill! This is no natural hill, however. The Safety Harbor Site is a shell mound…

Located along the lovely Bayshore Boulevard, the Safety Harbor Museum and Cultural Center is a local hub of arts, culture, and history for the surrounding community. The museum is home to a permanent collection of artifacts relating to Safety…

One of the most popular drinks in Ybor City, café con leche has been a part of the city's history almost as long as Ybor has been around. The drink originated in Spain, though the exact details surrounding its creation remain unknown. After…

Whether you know it as devil crab or deviled crab, these spicy croquettes are a dish unique to Ybor much like the Cuban sandwich and is closely tied to the cigar factories and immigration. While many point to the cigar factory strike of 1920 as…

Arroz con pollo has a long history dating back to the 700s when the Moors invaded Spain. One of the dishes the Moors brought over, arroz con pollo became a hit in Spain where it was adopted as a Spanish dish. Similar to paella, arroz con pollo…

As the relationship between Giuseppina and Fernando developed, Fernando sought and received permission from her parents to propose marriage. Giuseppina readily accepted his proposal. Mr. Licata then offered to bring Fernando into the family…