Hillsborough River Live Cam

History

The Hillsborough River is a 56-mile-long river in western Florida that flows from the Green Swamp in eastern Polk County through Hillsborough County and into Tampa Bay. The river has a long and fascinating history that has been shaped by the people and events that have occurred along its banks.

The indigenous people of the area, the Tocobaga and Calusa tribes, were the first to settle along the Hillsborough River. They lived off the river's abundant fish and wildlife and used it as a transportation route. In the 16th century, Spanish explorers led by Panfilo de Narvaez and Hernando de Soto arrived in the area, bringing with them diseases that devastated the native populations.