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New Port Richey FL - The McNeil Homestead 1882 in Starkey Park

By
Real Estate Agent with Sailwinds Realty
New Port Richey FL- We took a walk through the beautiful and peaceful Starkey Park in New Port Richey one afternoon last week. It was a lovely day in the low '80's. We were walking the trail to the Mc Neil homestead, not having been to the site before, we were surprised by what we found. The peacefulness of the gravesite made us reflect on what might have happened to them. The area was a wilderness that is now bounded by Starkey Blvd (think of the German Autobahn) and the traffic can be heard at the homestead.  If you have the time and a beautiful day, take a walk through Starkey Park and discover this parcel of history.

Originally surveyed in 1847 by Deputy Surveyor George Watson for the newly-formed state of Florida, this plat later became known as the Mc Neil Homestead.  A board was formed to encourage settlement in the area and decrease the threat of Indian attacks while also improving roads.  Click to advance slides.

The parcel was bought by James Mc Neil, a Civil War veteran (Confederate, Florida Infantry), in 1882. Since there are Mc Neil family members that were buried on the property before 1880, I'm sure the Mc Neil family lived there for some time prior to purchasing the land. Mc Neil used the land for farming, and possibly turpentine production. A Pasco County Historic Landmark registered with the Florida Master Site File (

click here for more info on historical markers); it's preservation was accomplished by the BSA Explorer Post 604 and members of the BSA of West Central Florida Council and various civic organizations in the area. The property passed through several owners including J.B. Starkey and is currently owned by SWFWMD.

Orange Slice - www.tweidman.com



A Slice of New Port Richey history by Toni Weidman. See more




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 New Port Richey - FL  The McNeil Homestead 1882 Florida

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Thinking of Selling Your Home in Trinity-New Port Richey to Hudson?
Craig and I have been selling in this area for 20+ years.
Call Me or email my assistant, Shayna.
 
 
Toni Weidman-New Port Richey FL Shayna Weidman
Toni Weidman
 Broker-associate
Florida Luxury Realty
Trinity, FL 34655
727-237-0083
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 email: homesbytoni@gmail.com                            
 
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Comments (4)

Sandy Shores FL Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate
M & M Realty of Brevard Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Brevard County Real Estate, Florida's Space Coast

Craig and Toni,  I love Florida history. It's so interesting - so much to learn.

Oct 25, 2010 03:45 AM
Toni Weidman
Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL
20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Me too, Sandy. There's so much around us and we don't know about it.

Oct 25, 2010 04:29 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

When I think about Florida from my childlike memory I only knew it was a place where rich kids got to visit Disneyland and old people with money got to retire.

When I think about Florida in the prime of my life I only knew it was a great place with sandy beaches and an awesome place to spend the rest of your life if you were retired.

Your pictures show a different side of Florida rich in history, with similar stories of people who made sacrifices to live and die in a place they loved to call home.

Thank you for the enlightenment and for sharing! :)

Oct 25, 2010 07:30 AM
Toni Weidman
Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL
20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Thank you, Patricia. I'm a history buff and I just love to find these hidden places. I'm sure Flower Mound has a story behind it.

Oct 25, 2010 08:37 AM