New Port Richey Live Cam

History

The land that would become New Port Richey was first inhabited by the Tocobaga people, who thrived along the Pithlachascotee River and the nearby Gulf coast, carving out shell mounds and sustained fisheries more than a thousand years ago. These indigenous communities left behind circular shell middens, now recognized as both archaeological treasures and bird rookeries, evidence of centuries of sustainable use of mangrove estuaries and tidal flats. Spanish explorers passed through the region in the 16th century, mapping the inlet and naming the river “Pithlachascotee,” a term meaning “where boat sank.” Yet the area remained largely unsettled by Europeans until the late 19th century, when the extension of railroad lines into Pasco County opened vast tracts of pine flatwoods for homesteading.