I live in Zephyrhills, Florida. That is about 30 minutes from Tampa and less than an hour from Orlando. Zephyrhills is known as the sky-dive capital of the world and Sky Dive City is located at the Zephyrhills Airport. We have all the current restaurants and stores closing in on the town and if we can't find what we want close to home, it doesn't take long to find what we want. Or we could wait a couple months and see what opens next!
On the other hand, it is still a picture of small town America. We have had our share of famous people come from Zephyrhills. Buzzy Reutimann (NASCAR), David Reutimann (NASCAR),David Eiland (Major League Baseball), and Ryan Puckett (Green Bay Packers). I am working hard to add my name to that list. The "famous from Zephyrhills" list that is.
It started out as Abbott Station in 1888. A railroad ran thru the town. In 1910 retired Army Capt. H.B.Jeffries found the town and decided that it would be the perfect retirement community for Civil War veterans. Specifically Union veterans. So he bought 3,500 acres and started Zephyrhills Colony Company. Soon the veterans started coming. Farming was the main occupation and it really was a one-horse town. It was about the same time that the name of the town was officially changed to Zephyrhills. The name comes from the fact that it is quite hilly here and we have our share of breezes. That is actually the definition of a "zephyr"- a gentle breeze.
In the 1950's the small town became a prime tourist and retirement destination. In 1952 the Linville family started Zephyr Egg Company and in 1961 Don Robinson founded the Zephyrhills Water Company. The Linvilles still own the Egg Company but Zephyrhills Water is nowed owned by the Nestle Company and is known worldwide. In fact, Zephyrhills used to have a sign welcoming travelers thru the town boasting its reputation as "The City of Pure Water". There even used to be a faucett on the side of the road on US 301 where people could stop and fill up their own containers.
My mom tells me that when she moved to Zephyrhills when she was my age, there was a Clock Restuarant (still here) and a Biffburger (what?) and the railroad still went thru the middle of the town.When a group of developers wanted to build a MacDonalds, the residents were very upset and started a petition to stop it. Their argument was that it would ruin their small town feel and the next thing you would find would be fast food places everywhere. Guess they were right! We have not only the MacDonalds, but also Burger King, Wendys, KFC, Pizza Hut,Taco Bell, and Dairy Queen. But no more Biffburger! (Yuck...what kind of name is "Biffburger"?) And the railroad is now gone. Apparently when central Florida suffered the bad freezes in the 80's a lot of citrus groves were lost and the train was no longer needed to carry the fruit to the packing plants in Dade City north of Zephyrhills. We still have the old feed mills and feed stores that have been here forever and we became an offical redneck location when the Tractor Supply store opened. (It is really neat.If you don't shop there you don't know what you are missing. Just don't go in when they have the chicks and ducklings or you will be hooked.)
The Oakside Cemetery on 1st Street is the final resting place of veterans of the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II, as well as the Korean War and Vietnam. Our community is very proud of our hometown heroes and there is a walkway at Zephyr Park where you can read the names of many of these men and women. (Including my brother Josh and my mom and grandad.) Like most small towns we have a VFW, American Legion, and Am-Vets. The airport was originally built in 1942 to provide a training area for the United States Army Air Force. That was when the Air Force was part of the Army.
Remember that yankee Army Captain? Well his house still stands at 38537 5th Ave. The H.B.Jefferies home is now an attorney's office but it is really neat to look at it and know it is a hundred years old. And while the town is getting larger, I can still walk less than a mile on wide sidewalks and be at the old movie theatre, the library, a resturant, two boutiques, a cafe' and several other historic homes. It is sad to see some of the changes, but there is a warm feeling knowing I am part of a small town where just about everyone knows who I am and where I will always be welcome.
So, there you have it. My hometown, where just about once a month the main street thru the old part of town is closed off for car chows, chalk art festivals, motorcycle events, or just plain old celebrations that take place in a family friendly atmosphere. The parades always include lots of American flags, the local school bands and little girls in dance costumes, along with politicians on convertibles. Not to forget the beauty queens, pony rides, bar-b-ques by the Rotary, and all the craft vendors. Come see us some time!
You can read some old newspaper articles about Zephyrhills at the following link:
http://www.fivay.org/zephyrhills.html. And be sure to check back because my mom and I will be adding old photos and comparing them to current looks.
