Pasco County is located on the west central coast of the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. According to the
2020 census, the population was 561,691.
Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
Dade City
Dade City is a city in and the county seat of Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is located in the Tampa Bay Area. The population was 6,437 at the 2010 census.
Dade City is popular with tourists for its antique stores, restaurants, and h ...
,
and its largest city is
Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. The population was counted at 17,194 in the 2020 census. It is a suburb of the Tampa Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area. Zephyrhills is also known as the headquarters of the Zephyrhil ...
. The county is named after
Samuel Pasco
Samuel Pasco (June 28, 1834March 13, 1917) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Florida.
Biography
Pasco was born in London, England, to a family of Cornish ancestry. His family moved to Prince Edward Island in 1841 befo ...
.
Pasco County is included in the
Tampa Bay Area
The Tampa Bay area is a major populated area surrounding Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida in the United States. It includes the main cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. It is the 18th largest metropolitan area in the Unite ...
and is primarily a
bedroom community
A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
for Tampa and St. Petersburg.
It includes numerous parks and trails located along rivers, the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
, lakes, and highway/railroad right-of-ways. Several
nudist resort
A naturist resort or nudist resort is an establishment that provides accommodation (or at least camping space) and other amenities for guests in a context where they are invited to practise naturism – that is, a lifestyle of non-sexual socia ...
s are located in Pasco. It has become known as the "naturist capital of the United States," beginning with a development in 1941. West Pasco includes retirement areas, commercial fishing, and suburbs of Tampa. The
Suncoast Parkway Suncoast may refer to:
* Florida Suncoast, a 1980s marketing term for peninsular (non-panhandle) Florida's Gulf of Mexico coastal counties
** Florida Suncoast Dome, the original name of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida
** Suncoast Center, ...
as well as U.S. 19, U.S. 41, U.S. 98, U.S. 301, and
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...
all pass through Pasco. The county is directly west of Polk and Sumter counties, north of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and south of Hernando County.
History
![SamuelPasco](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/SamuelPasco.jpg)
Pasco County was created on June 2, 1887, from the southern third of Hernando County. The same legislation also created Citrus County from the northern third of Hernando County. The county was named after
Samuel Pasco
Samuel Pasco (June 28, 1834March 13, 1917) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Florida.
Biography
Pasco was born in London, England, to a family of Cornish ancestry. His family moved to Prince Edward Island in 1841 befo ...
, who had just been elected to the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
.
Dade City was named the temporary county seat until a popular vote was held in 1889, at which time voters made Dade City the permanent county seat. As early as 1917, residents of the western part of the county proposed forming a separate county or merging with Pinellas County, as Dade City was not centrally located in the county. The issue was finally resolved in the late 1970s with the construction of identical government centers in both Dade City and New Port Richey.
The earliest towns were Anclote, Blanton,
Dade City
Dade City is a city in and the county seat of Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is located in the Tampa Bay Area. The population was 6,437 at the 2010 census.
Dade City is popular with tourists for its antique stores, restaurants, and h ...
, Earnestville, Fort Dade (not to be confused with
Fort Dade on
Egmont Key Egmont may refer to:
* Egmont Group, a media corporation founded and rooted in Copenhagen, Denmark
* Egmond family (often spelled "Egmont"), an influential Dutch family, lords of the town of Egmond
** Lamoral, Count of Egmont (1522–1568), the bes ...
), Macon (
Trilby
A trilby is a narrow-brimmed type of hat. The trilby was once viewed as the rich man's favored hat; it is sometimes called the "brown trilby" in Britain Roetzel, Bernhard (1999). ''Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style''. Barnes & Noble. and ...
),
Lacoochee,
St. Leo, and
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
. Citrus was an important industry when the county was formed, although a decline followed a freeze in 1895. Several large sawmills operated in the county in the early part of the 20th century.
During the Florida land boom of the 1920s, New Port Richey became the winter home of silent screen star
Thomas Meighan
Thomas Meighan (April 9, 1879 – July 8, 1936) was an American actor of silent films and early talkies. He played several leading-man roles opposite popular actresses of the day, including Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson. At one point he co ...
and golfer
Gene Sarazen; Meighan attempted to bring other Hollywood figures to the city. The county has experienced significant population growth since the 1960s. The growth began along the Gulf coast but is now occurring most rapidly in areas north of Tampa.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (14.0%) is water.
A portion of Eastern Pasco County contains rolling topography with elevations from , along with San Antonio and St. Leo.
Adjacent counties
*
Hernando County
Hernando County is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 194,515. Its county seat is Brooksville, and its largest community is Spring Hill.
Hernando County is incl ...
—north
*
Sumter County—northeast
*
Polk County Polk County is the name of twelve counties in the United States, all except two named after president of the United States James Knox Polk:
* Polk County, Arkansas
* Polk County, Florida
* Polk County, Georgia
* Polk County, Iowa
* Polk Count ...
—southeast
*
Hillsborough County—south
*
Pinellas County
Pinellas County (, ) is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 959,107. The county is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg– Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical ...
—southwest
Climate
The county has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(''Cwa'') and average temperatures in Dade City range from 59.2 °F in January to 82.1 °F in July and August while in Port Richey they range from 59.0 °F in January to 82.2 °F in August
PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University
Demographics
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 561,891 people, 209,483 households, and 139,278 families residing in the county.
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
, there were 344,765 people, 147,566 households, and 99,016 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 173,717 housing units at an average density of 233 per square mile (90/km
2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.70%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 2.07%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.35%
Native American, 0.94%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.03%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 1.52% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.38% from two or more races. 5.69% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
There were 147,566 households, out of which 23.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were
married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.90% were non-families. 27.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.20% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 26.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,969, and the median income for a family was $39,568. Males had a median income of $30,974 versus $23,802 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $18,439. About 7.60% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Though the county seat is in Dade City, duplicate county government offices and court facilities are also located in the New Port Richey area on the west side of the county.
Politically, the county has been a swing area over the past quarter century. However, three of the last four elections have trended strongly Republican in Presidential elections, with 2008 being the exception. Although the GOP had the most votes in 2008, it was by a much smaller margin than the previous 2004 election or the subsequent 2012 and 2016 elections.
Transportation
Aviation
*
Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (ZPH)
*
Pilot Country Airport
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
(X05)
*
Tampa North Aero Park
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...
(X39)
*
Hidden Lake Estates Airport (FA40, private airport near Moon Lake)
Bus service
Pasco County Public Transportation provides bus service throughout Pasco County.
Railroads
CSX
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
operates three rail lines within the county. Dade City and Zephyrhills are served with a line from Plant City.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
formerly provided
passenger rail service to
Dade City
Dade City is a city in and the county seat of Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is located in the Tampa Bay Area. The population was 6,437 at the 2010 census.
Dade City is popular with tourists for its antique stores, restaurants, and h ...
on that line, but the stop was terminated in late 2004.
The other two lines include the Brooksville Subdivision which runs close to
US 41
U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...
and the Vitis Subdivision, which runs southeast into
Lakeland.
Notable abandoned railroad lines include a former branch of the
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967 it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast L ...
northwest of
Trilacoochee (formerly Owensboro Junction) that became part of the
Withlacoochee State Trail
Withlacoochee State Trail is a long paved, multi-use, non-motorized rail trail in Florida located in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties. It follows along the Withlacoochee River and passes through the Withlacoochee State Forest. It is the ...
, a segment of the
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad which existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, t ...
branch stretching from Zephyrhills to Trilacoochee, the former
Tampa and Thonotosassa Railroad
The Tampa and Thonotosassa Railroad was a 13-mile railroad line running from Tampa, Florida northeast to Thonotosassa. The line began operation in 1893 and began at a junction with the South Florida Railroad in Tampa. The line had a station in ...
along the east side of US 301 that spanned from
Sulphur Springs
Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produces hard water, water that contains dissolved minerals. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water during its passage under ...
to Zephyrhills, part of the
Orange Belt Railway
The Orange Belt Railway (later known as the Sanford & St. Petersburg Railroad) was a narrow gauge railroad established in 1885 by Russian exile Peter Demens in Florida. It was one of the longest narrow gauge railroads in the United States at th ...
which became the
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967 it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast L ...
which ran from
St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
and entered the county in what is today
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
to Trilby (abandoned during the early to mid-1970s), and a branch of the Seaboard Air Line that ran through
Holiday
A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or tra ...
,
Elfers and into
New Port Richey
New Port Richey is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was counted at 16,728 in the 2020 census.
History
B ...
.
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad until 1957 ran the ''
Southland Southland may refer to:
Places Canada
* Dunbar–Southlands, Vancouver, British Columbia
New Zealand
* Southland Region, a region of New Zealand
* Southland County, a former New Zealand county
* Southland District, part of the wider Southland Re ...
'' through Trilby and
Tarpon Springs
Tarpon Springs is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 23,484 at the 2010 census. Tarpon Springs has the highest percentage of Greek Americans of any city in the US. Downtown Tarpon Springs has long been a focal po ...
, en route to St. Petersburg. The train was unusual for providing passenger service direct from Chicago (via the
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
), Cincinnati and Atlanta on a direct route through the western part of the Florida peninsula, bypassing
Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...
. The
Seaboard Coast Line
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971. Eventually, the railroad was merged with its affiliate lin ...
(a merged line from the Atlantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Coast Line) until 1971 ran a local train (the last passenger train for the region north of St. Petersburg and west of Dade City) through those towns from Jacksonville and
Gainesville, bound for St. Petersburg. Prior to the 1967 merger for the SCL that service had been the western branch of the ACL's ''
Champion
A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, a ...
'' from New York City. Until 1968 the SCL ran its ''Sunland'' from Washington, DC and Portsmouth, VA to Tampa.
The SAL Tarpon Springs branch line from Tarpon Junction 14 miles west of Tampa to Elfers and thence to Newport Richey to New Port Richey was lost its passenger service and became listed as freight only between 1932 and 1938. The freight branch was truncated to Elfers in 1943. The tracks from Elfers and Chemical (an industrial area in the extreme southwest part of the county along the
Anclote River
The Anclote River, running for U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 18, 2011 near Tarpon Springs, Florida flows westward towards the Gulf of Mexico from its source of c ...
west of Holiday) to
Tarpon Springs
Tarpon Springs is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 23,484 at the 2010 census. Tarpon Springs has the highest percentage of Greek Americans of any city in the US. Downtown Tarpon Springs has long been a focal po ...
were removed in the late 1980s, leaving the western half of the county without freight rail service.
Major roads
*
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...
runs north and south across the eastern part of the county. Once a major connecting point with Tampa, I-75 has been made obsolete for western residents of the county by the Suncoast Parkway.
*
Suncoast Parkway Suncoast may refer to:
* Florida Suncoast, a 1980s marketing term for peninsular (non-panhandle) Florida's Gulf of Mexico coastal counties
** Florida Suncoast Dome, the original name of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida
** Suncoast Center, ...
enters the county in the south halfway between Gunn Highway and US 41, and ends in the far northern part of the county at County Line Road (Exit 37), The Suncoast Parkway is a recently constructed toll road that connects Pasco County with Hillsborough County, where it becomes the Veterans Expressway and heads directly into Tampa International Airport before reaching Interstate 275. SR 589 has four Pasco County exits:
SR 54 (Exit 19), Ridge Road (Exit 25),
SR 52 (Exit 27), and
County Line Road (Exit 37).
*
U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie.
The highway's southern ...
is a major commercial center running beside to the Gulf of Mexico on the western edge of the county, and used as a primary connecting route to cities down the west coast of Florida, including Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg to the south, as well as Spring Hill, Weeki Wachee, Homosassa and Crystal River to the north.
*
![Alt plate](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Alt_plate.svg)
Alternate 19 is a former section of US 19 that runs closer to the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas and southern Pasco County than US 19.
*
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...
(Land o' Lakes Boulevard) is the main south-to-north U.S. Highway through Central Pasco County. It enters the county from Lutz in Hillsborough County and serves as a commercial strip through most of Land o' Lakes. Further north the road becomes more rural, passing through Gowers Corner, and eventually enters Masaryktown at the Hernando County Line.
*
U.S. Route 98 runs northwest and southeast from Hernando County to Polk County. Concurrent with
US 301
U.S. Route 301 (US 301) is a spur of U.S. Route 1 running through the South Atlantic States. It runs from Biddles Corner, Delaware at Delaware Route 1 to Sarasota, Florida at U.S. Route 41. It passes through the states of Delaware, Mar ...
between Trilacoochee and Clinton Heights.
*
U.S. Route 301 (Fort King Highway/Gall Boulevard) is the main south-to-north U.S. highway in eastern Pasco County. It enters the county from
Hillsborough River State Park
Hillsborough River State Park is located in the northeast corner of Hillsborough County, Florida near Zephyrhills (which is itself in Pasco County). It is a popular park due to its proximity to the city of Tampa.
The park consists of over 3,38 ...
in Hillsborough County and becomes the main road in Zephyrhills, Clinton Heights, and Dade City. North of Dade City, the road runs through Trilacoochee and Trilby before it enters Ridge Manor in Hernando County at a bridge over the Withlacoochee River.
*
State Road 39 runs northwest and southeast from
Plant City
Plant City is an incorporated city in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, approximately midway between Brandon and Lakeland along Interstate 4. The population was 39,764 at the 2020 census.
Despite many thinking it was named for flora ...
into US 301 in
Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. The population was counted at 17,194 in the 2020 census. It is a suburb of the Tampa Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area. Zephyrhills is also known as the headquarters of the Zephyrhil ...
*
County Road 41 (Fort King Highway/17th Street/21st Street/Blanton Road) begins as a hidden state road along US 301 until it branches off to the northwest as a county road in Zephyrhills and runs parallel to US 301 until it reaches Dade City. From here it moves further to the west through Blanton and Jessamine, and after crossing over I-75 curves back north into rural Hernando County where it becomes CR 541.
*
County Line Road (CR 578) is a major county road running entirely along the border with Hernando County beginning at US 19, intersects the Suncoast Parkway, and ends at US 41. Due to increased congestion, it is planned to be upgraded from two to four lanes, and possibly upgraded from a county road to a state road.
*
State Road 52 (Colonel Schrader Memorial Highway) an east–west route that runs primarily through the center of the county from US 19 in Bayonet Point to US 98–301 in Dade City.
*
State Road 54 (Gunn Highway/Fifth Avenue) another east–west road that runs through southern Pasco County, from US 19 near Holiday to US 301 in
Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. The population was counted at 17,194 in the 2020 census. It is a suburb of the Tampa Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area. Zephyrhills is also known as the headquarters of the Zephyrhil ...
.
*
State Road 56 is an east–west route that extends from
SR 54 near
Land o' Lakes, to just east of
Bruce B. Downs Boulevard
State Road 581 (SR 581), also known as Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, is a north–south road in Pasco County, extending from State Road 56, north to SR 54 in Wesley Chapel. SR 581, along with County Road 581 (CR 581), which extends to the ...
and the new campus of
Pasco–Hernando State College
Pasco–Hernando State College (PHSC) is a public college in Florida with campuses in Pasco and Hernando counties. It is part of the Florida College System and has additional campuses in Brooksville, Dade City, New Port Richey, Spring Hill, a ...
in
Wesley Chapel. The road was constructed in 2002, and is planned, , to be extended to US 301 south of
Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. The population was counted at 17,194 in the 2020 census. It is a suburb of the Tampa Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area. Zephyrhills is also known as the headquarters of the Zephyrhil ...
.
*
State Road 575 the northernmost state road in Pasco County.
*
Bruce B. Downs Boulevard
State Road 581 (SR 581), also known as Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, is a north–south road in Pasco County, extending from State Road 56, north to SR 54 in Wesley Chapel. SR 581, along with County Road 581 (CR 581), which extends to the ...
*
Rowan Road/East Lake Road (CR 77)
*
Dale Mabry Highway
Dale Mabry Highway is a north–south road in Tampa, Florida. The majority of its length consists of three lanes each direction plus a central turn-lane and often includes a right-turn lane. It begins at the MacDill Air Force Base entrance in ...
*
![Pasco County Road 587 FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Pasco_County_587.svg)
Moon Lake Road/Decubellis Road/Massachusetts Avenue (CR 587) (N)
*
Gunn Highway (CR 587) (S) is a short north and south extension of Gunn Highway(SR 54) that runs through Northern Hillsborough County towards
Dale Mabry Highway
Dale Mabry Highway is a north–south road in Tampa, Florida. The majority of its length consists of three lanes each direction plus a central turn-lane and often includes a right-turn lane. It begins at the MacDill Air Force Base entrance in ...
and
Busch Boulevard.
*
Little Road (CR 1) is a major four to six lane county road in western Pasco County bypassing US 19 between southeast of Aripeka and Trinity.
*
![Pasco County Road 996 FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Pasco_County_996.svg)
Trinity Boulevard (CR 996)
Education
Public schools in the county are operated by
Pasco County Schools
Pasco County Schools (also known as District School Board of Pasco County) is a school district that serves Pasco County in the U.S. state of Florida. It is headquartered in Land o' Lakes.
The district includes the entire county.
History
Sch ...
.
The county has seen explosive growth in student enrollment, increasing from 46,458 students in the 1999-2000 year to 65,126 in the 2007-2008 year, an increase of 18,668 or 40.2%. The projected enrollment for the 2007-2008 was 64,674, so the actual enrollment was 452 students over the projection. Yearly, the school district has grown 2,489 or 5.4%, which has led to the building of one new school a year. The enrollment in 2017 is up to 73,538.
High schools
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Anclote High School
Anclote High School is a public high school in Holiday, Florida, United States. The school opened in August 24, 2009 with grades 9 through 12; the first graduating class was in 2011. Vanessa Moon is the principal.
History
The school, designated a ...
- Holiday
* Cypress Creek High School - Wesley Chapel
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Fivay High School - Hudson
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Gulf High School
Gulf High School is a four-year public high school in New Port Richey, Florida. It is part of the Pasco County School System in Pasco County, Florida. It is the first high school in western Pasco County and the second school in Pasco County to ...
- New Port Richey
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Hudson High School - Hudson
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J. W. Mitchell High School - New Port Richey
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Land o' Lakes High School
Land o' Lakes High School is a four-year public high school in Land o' Lakes, Florida. It is a part of the Pasco County Schools District in Pasco County. The school mascot is the Fighting Gators.
History
Construction of Land o' Lakes High S ...
- Land o' Lakes
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Pasco eSchool
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Pasco High School - Dade City
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Ridgewood High School - New Port Richey
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River Ridge High School - New Port Richey
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Sunlake High School
Sunlake High School is a public high school in Pasco County, Florida, located off Sunlake Boulevard and State Road 54 in Land o' Lakes, Florida. It is adjacent to Charles S. Rushe Middle School, both of which opened in August 20, 2007.
Sunlake ...
- Land o' Lakes
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Wesley Chapel High School - Wesley Chapel
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Wiregrass Ranch High School - Wesley Chapel
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Zephyrhills High School - Zephyrhills
Middle schools
* Bayonet Point Middle School - New Port Richey
* Centennial Middle School - Dade City
* Charles S. Rushe Middle School - Land o' Lakes
* Chasco Middle School - Port Richey
* Crews Lake Middle School - Spring Hill
* Cypress Creek Middle School - Wesley Chapel
* Dr. John Long Middle School - Wesley Chapel
* Gulf Middle School - New Port Richey
* Hudson Middle School - Hudson
* Pasco eSchool
* Pasco Middle School - Dade City
* Paul R. Smith Middle School - Holiday
* Pine View Middle School - Land o' Lakes
* River Ridge Middle School - New Port Richey
* Raymond B. Stewart Middle School - Zephyrhills
* Seven Springs Middle School - New Port Richey
* Thomas E. Weightman Middle School - Wesley Chapel
Elementary schools
* Anclote Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Bexley Elementary School - Land o' Lakes
* C. W. Taylor Elementary School - Zephyrhills
* Calusa Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Centennial Elementary School - Dade City
* Chasco Elementary School - Port Richey
* Connerton Elementary School - Land o' Lakes
* Cotee River Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Cypress Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Deer Park Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Denham Oaks Elementary School - Lutz
* Double Branch Elementary School - Wesley Chapel
* Fox Hollow Elementary School - Port Richey
* Gulf Highlands Elementary School - Port Richey
* Gulf Trace Elementary School - Holiday
* Gulfside Elementary School - Holiday
* Hudson Elementary School - Hudson
* J. M. Marlowe Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Lacoochee Elementary School - Dade City
* Lake Myrtle Elementary School - Land o' Lakes
* Longleaf Elementary School - New Port Richey
* M. P. Locke Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Mary Giella Elementary School - Shady Hills
* Moon Lake Elementary School - New Port Richey
* New River Elementary School - Wesley Chapel
* Northwest Elementary School - Hudson
* Oaksted Elementary School - Land o' Lakes
* Odessa Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Pasco Elementary School - Dade City
* Pine View Elementary School - Land o' Lakes
* Quail Hollow Elementary School - Wesley Chapel
* R. B. Cox Elementary School - Dade City
* Richey Elementary School - New Port Richey
* San Antonio Elementary School - Dade City
* Sand Pine Elementary School - Wesley Chapel
* Sanders Memorial Elementary School - Land o' Lakes
* Schrader Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Seven Oaks Elementary School - Wesley Chapel
* Seven Springs Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Shady Hills Elementary School - Spring Hill
* Sunray Elementary School - Holiday
* Trinity Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Trinity Oaks Elementary School - New Port Richey
* Veterans Elementary School - Wesley Chapel
* Watergrass Elementary School - Wesley Chapel
* Wesley Chapel Elementary School - Wesley Chapel
* West Zephyrhills Elementary School - Zephyrhills
* Wiregrass Elementary School - Wesley Chapel
* Woodland Elementary School - Zephyrhills
Special education centers
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F. K. Marchman Technical College - New Port Richey
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Harry Schwettman Education Center
Harry may refer to:
TV shows
*Harry (American TV series), ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin
*Harry (British TV series), ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons
*Harry ...
- New Port Richey
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James Irvin Education Center - Dade City
Private schools
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Academy at the Lakes (JK–12) - Land o' Lakes
* Bishop Larkin Catholic School (EC–8) - Port Richey
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Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School (BMCHS) is a private high school located in northern Pasco County, Florida, United States, not far from Spring Hill, in the Diocese of St. Petersburg. BMCHS is fully accredited by the Southern Associati ...
(9–12) - Spring Hill
* Center Academy (4-12) - Lutz
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East Pasco Adventist Academy (K–10) - Dade City
* First Christian Academy (K-8) - New Port Richey
* Genesis Preparatory School (6–12) - New Port Richey
* Saint Anthony Catholic School (K–8) - San Antonio
Colleges and universities
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Pasco–Hernando State College
Pasco–Hernando State College (PHSC) is a public college in Florida with campuses in Pasco and Hernando counties. It is part of the Florida College System and has additional campuses in Brooksville, Dade City, New Port Richey, Spring Hill, a ...
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Rasmussen College
Rasmussen University is a private for-profit university with multiple locations throughout the United States. It offers associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees at 23 campuses in Minnesota, Illinois, North Dakota, Florida, Wiscons ...
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Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University is a private Roman Catholic liberal arts university in St. Leo, Florida. It was established in 1889. The university is associated with the Holy Name Monastery, a Benedictine convent, and Saint Leo Abbey, a Benedictine mon ...
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Trinity College of Florida
Trinity College of Florida is a private interdenominational evangelical Bible college in Trinity, Florida. It was founded in 1932.
History
The institution was founded as Florida Bible Institute in 1932, in Temple Terrace by Dr. William T. ...
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Webster College
Libraries
Pasco County Library Cooperative
The
Pasco County Library Cooperative
The Pasco County Library Cooperative (PCLC) is the public library system that serves all residents of Pasco County, Florida, and is a member of the Tampa Bay Library Consortium. The Pasco County Library System, as it was originally known, was esta ...
(PCLC) is the public library system that serves residents of Pasco County. It consists of seven branch libraries and one cooperative partner, the Zephyrhills Public Library. The Pasco County Libraries operated on a budget of $6,205,291 for fiscal year 2016–2017. Pasco Libraries circulated 2,623,024 items during that period. The head of library services reports to the Assistant County Administrator for Public Services.
=Pasco County Library Cooperative Libraries
=
* Centennial Park Branch Library
* Hudson Library
* Hugh Embry Branch Library
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Land o' Lakes Branch Library
The Pasco County Library Cooperative (PCLC) is the public library system that serves all residents of Pasco County, Florida, and is a member of the Tampa Bay Library Consortium. The Pasco County Library System, as it was originally known, was estab ...
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New River Branch Library
The New River Branch Library is a public library that primarily serves the Wesley Chapel, Florida
Wesley Chapel is a census-designated place in Pasco County, Florida, United States. Wesley Chapel is a suburb in the Tampa Bay Area. Wesley Cha ...
* Regency Park Branch Library
* South Holiday Branch Library
* Zephyrhills Public Library
New Port Richey Public Library
The
New Port Richey Public Library is located in the New Port Richey area of Pasco County. It is the only public library in Pasco County that is not a part of the Pasco County Library Cooperative. Since the library is independent, it issues its own library cards. Cards are free for all Pasco County residents and for those who pay property taxes to the city of New Port Richey. Members of libraries which have reciprocal borrowing agreements with the NPR library are also issued free cards.
Parks and recreation
Recreational areas include Hudson Beach, The New Port Richey Recreation & Aquatic Center,
Odessa Community Park,
Moon Lake Park,
Land o' Lakes Heritage Park,
Land o' Lakes Recreation Complex, Robert K Rees Memorial Park, Veterans Memorial Park, J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex, the
Jay Starkey Preserve,
Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park
Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park is a Florida state park located in Pasco County, Florida near Port Richey, Florida, along the Gulf of Mexico on the Atlantic coastal plain. An entrance to this park is at the intersection of Scenic Drive ...
, a section of the
Suncoast Trail, a section of the
Withlacoochee State Trail
Withlacoochee State Trail is a long paved, multi-use, non-motorized rail trail in Florida located in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties. It follows along the Withlacoochee River and passes through the Withlacoochee State Forest. It is the ...
,
Conner Preserve
Conner Preserve is a natural area in central Pasco County, Florida, preserved for water management since 2003. The landscape includes steep sandhill ridges, marshes, cypress sloughs and pine flatwoods and is "part of a wildlife habitat corridor env ...
,
Cypress Creek Preserve
Cypress Creek Preserve is a park in Pasco County, Florida at 8720 Pump Station Road in Land o' Lakes, Florida. According to the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) the land was purchased to provide flood protection and as a pub ...
,
Withlacoochee River Park, and
Crews Lake Wilderness Park
Crews Lake Wilderness Park is located off Shady Hills Road in Pasco County, Florida. The park includes hiking trails, a short paved bike trail, playground, wooden tower, athletic fields, and the gauge Central Pasco & Gulf Railroad. Rides on the ...
. Kayaking, canoeing, sailing, power boating, jet skiing, and fishing are popular along the coast, and large tracts are preserved from development.
Environmental lands acquired for preservation include
Aripeka Sandhills Preserve,
Boy Scout Preserve,
Cypress Creek Preserve, Pasco County,
Jumping Gully Preserve Jumping Gully Preserve is an area of protected land in Spring Hill, Florida. The are located north of SR 52 and west of U.S. Highway 41 at 18812 Fishburne Drive, northeast of the Crews Lake Wilderness Area. Prescribed burns are used to maintain t ...
,
Pasco Palms Preserve,
Tierra Del Sol Preserve and Upper Pithlachascotee River Preserve.
Communities
Unincorporated communities
* Blanton, Florida, Blanton
* Branchborough, Florida, Branchborough
* Darby, Florida, Darby
* Gulf Harbors, Florida, Gulf Harbors
* Hudson Beach, Florida, Hudson Beach
* Jessamine, Florida, Jessamine
* Lumberton
* Richland, Florida, Richland
* Seven Springs, Florida, Seven Springs
* St. Joseph, Pasco County, Florida, St. Joseph
* Starkey Ranch
*
Trilacoochee
* Vitis, Florida, Vitis
Notable residents
* The Bellamy Brothers, Country music, country duo from Darby known for the hit "Let Your Love Flow"
* John Cena, actor and professional wrestler; resides in
Land o' Lakes.
* Debbie Deb, Latin freestyle, freestyle singer; resides in New Port Richey
* Mudcat Grant, professional baseball player
* Brooke Magnanti, scientist and author of Secret Diary of a Call Girl was born in New Port Richey.
See also
Notes
References
History of Pasco County(1943) by Jefferson Alexis Hendley.
* Horgan, James J., Alice F. Hall, and Edward J. Herrmann, ''The Historic Places of Pasco County'', Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee, Pasco County, Florida.
External links
Official County Website Pasco Economic Development Council The Greater Pasco Chamber of CommerceHistory of Pasco County
{{authority control
Pasco County, Florida,
Florida counties
1887 establishments in Florida
Counties in the Tampa Bay area
Populated places established in 1887