New Port Richey, Florida. The Gateway to Tropical Florida

Location of New Port Richey, Florida

PORT RICHEY AND NEW PORT RICHEY, West Pasco's dual coastal communities, are best known today as booming retirement centers, but both towns had more basic origins. PORT RICHEY was started in 1883 by Missourian Captain A. M. Richey, who homesteaded on an island at the mouth of the Pithlachascottee River. NEW PORT RICHEY, once Hickory Hammonds, made the name concession in 1914 when the Port Richey Company began heavy development.

WHERE TO START: HEAD NORTH ON FL 595 (South Boulevard) from FL 518 (Trouble Creek Road), which connects with US19 five miles south of Port Richey.

Photograph of Gulf harbors, New Port Richey


On your right after a mile you'll see the (1) FIRST BANK OF ELFERS (1925), a Boom Town bank in the town started by J. M. Mitchell, developer of the first sizing citrus machine. Just south of High Street, on the right is (2) OLD GULF HIGH SCHOOL (1922), used later by Pasco-Hernando Community College. If you travel to 520 High Street, you'll see the attractive (3) OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE CHURCH (1919), started by Rev. Father Ulrich, and featuring an Italian marble Shrine of Fatima (1954) by Wilson Cornell. The original one-story frame church is at 6710 Washington Street.

If you drive around Elfers, you should look at: OLD EDENFIELD STORE(1932), 4049 Grand Boulevard, a landmark of native rock and concrete; theOLD ELFERS SCHOOL (1914), 4136 Barker Drive, a two-story limerock and white brick Adult Center; and the PORTER L. PIERCE HOUSE (1913), 4121 Redleaf Drive, a frame house with tongue and groove walls.

A worthwhile sidetrip is to Centennial Park at 5740 Moog Road to see the SAMUEL BAKER HOUSE, the oldest Cracker vernacular in West Pasco County and a unique house with no structural frame.

Crossing the Pithlachascotee River into the commercial district of New Port Richey, you'll note at 315 South Boulevard, (4) THE NEW PORT RICHEY TOURIST CLUB. By Nebraska Avenue is the (5) THOMAS MEIGHAN THEATER (1925), 203 South Blvd., named for a silent film star and brother of architect James Meighan who also built the Palms Theater in 1927 on East Main.

New Port Richey, Florida Courthouse

Across the street is another fine Mediterranean Revival structure, the (6) PASCO BUILDING (1921), with an octagonal corner tower. Down Main Street is the CHASCO INN

(1923), 5743 Main Street, the oldest downtown commercial building. At 5728 Main Street is the MICHAEL MILBAUER BUILDING (1919), the first brick building in New Port Richey.

TURN LEFT ON MAIN STREET. On your right a few blocks, TURN INTO THE ENTRANCE WAY of the: (7) HACIENDA HOTEL (1927), 5621 West Main Street, once a 55 room tourist complex designed by James Meighan. Early investors included Gloria Swanson, Joe E. Brown, and Mary Pickford. Ed Wynn emceed the grand opening and for two decades it was a social center. As the Christian Hotel in the 1940's, Rev. Billy Graham was a waiter.

EXIT VIA BANK STREET GOING NORTH toward the (8) PORT RICHEY MUSEUM, 6431 Circle Boulevard, once the SEVEN SPRINGS SCHOOL and open on weekend afternoons. The WEST PASCO HISTORICAL SOCIETY (847-0680) meets here. On your left is SIMS PARK and ahead is ORANGE LAKE surrounded by Circle Boulevard. The playground is one of the best in the region.

Main Street, New Port Richey, Florida