HISTORY OF PASCO COUNTY

Aripeka

An Aripeka Timeline

Edward George Willingham (1839-1922)

Feeling the necessity of spending his winters in Florida and his summers in the mountains, Mr. Willingham turned his large lumber business over to his sons, E. M., Joseph A. and Eugene D. Willingham. After visiting every section of Florida and traveling over the island of Cuba, Mr. Willingham finally visited Aripeka, on the western coast. The only way by which he could reach the place was by boat. The impression it made upon him was so unfavorable he decided to leave the next day. But Aripeka soon won his affection, and for a number of years he has made it his winter home. In the settlement of Aripeka, building lots were sold from a large tract of land while the land as a whole was under a mortgage. This mortgage was foreclosed, and the entire town was sold and was bought by Mr. Willingham. Generously he gave a deed to each party who had bought lots. On this property is a beautiful island, on which Mr. Willingham has erected a modern residence, with every convenience, including a complete system of sewerage and waterworks. Largely through his influence a magnificent highway has been constructed from Brooksville, through Aripeka, to Tarpon Springs, and Tampa. The island on which Mr. Willingham now spends his winters is befittingly called Eden, because it is a beautiful garden of tropical flowers and fruits. The active life which Mr. Willingham has lived has made it impossible for him to be idle. In Aripeka he has cleared and developed quite a large area of land on which he grows various kinds of farm products, fruits, nuts, etc. ... In Aripeka, where he now lives, he has erected a beautiful house of worship and secured the services of a good preacher and a tactful pastor, who devotes his entire time to the church.

Recollection of Walter I. McNatt

I was born January 3, 1898, about twelve miles west of Dade City. Our closest neighbor was about a mile away.

In 1908, we moved to Aripeka, a small town of twelve homes. The families in town were White, Mathews, Robinson, Johnson, Jetter, Lee, Barnett, Ellis, Johnson, Kolb and Harvey.

My father put up a store, and we had to go to Hudson to pick up supplies shipped on the B&H train from Brooksville. The B&H initials honored the two towns. The train traveled through Enville, which is now Masaryktown, where a turpentine still was located. It passed Sagano, site of another turpentine still.

In Pasco, at that time, there was only one house in Hammock Creek. It was owned by Pearl Littell. There were three houses on the way to Hudson. One was occupied by Charley and Gene Carter and their parents. Aunt Jane Ryals lived in one, and Olen and Hattie Hay lived in the other house.

My mother, Mrs. David (Alice) McNatt, who was postmistress in Aripeka, died in 1915. She originally obtained the post in 1908 and served until her death. Henry Dingus carried the mail from Aripeka to Hudson on a horse.

After my mother died, Bertha Kolb, who succeeded her, moved from Aripeka to Hammock Creek, and the post office moved with her.

Aripeka News

HELEN LITTELL, Reporter

Quite a few are enjoying the bathing here this season. Among them are the Cappleman families of Brooksville. Some of them have rooms at D. T. Harveys, while others are staying at the Abanatha cottage.

Mr. Causner is having this home here attractively remodeled.

Mrs. McBee is expecting her parents, Dr. and Mrs. McConnel, of Atlanta, for a short stay.

Miss Catherine Harvey has returned to her home in Tampa, after visiting a while with her brother, D. T. Harvey and family.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Norfleet and infant daughter of Elfers spent last week end at the home of J. B. Kolb.

Brax Graham, formerly of Aripeka, is visiting friends here.

We are glad that the road from Brooksville to Aripeka is about completed.

The grounds for the new Aripeka Baptist church are being cleared.

The church building will be erected soon.

Miss Hoab and brother of Dade City are spending a few days here.

Tom Alexander and sons Tom and Chester are returning to their home in Dade City after having completed their work here.

Jack Wardlaw has returned to Tampa, after spending a delightful vacation at the home of C. P. Littell Monday.

Friends of Charlie Carter will be glad to learn that he is improving after having been in the hospital.

C. P. Littell is constructing a large boat, which he expects to use in his fish and sponge business.

Mr. and Mrs. Skirmer and children of Tampa are staying at the Willingham place for the summer.

G. W. C. Littell is a business visitor in Tampa this week.

Miss Mildred Palmer of Elfers was a dinner guest of Ina Littell last Sunday.

Miss Bertha Kolb has returned to her home here after attending summer school in Gainesville.

Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Conner are the proud parents of a baby boy.

Aripeka News

HELEN LITTELL, Reporter

Some excitement in Aripeka, a real honest to goodness bear hunt for a real honest to goodness bear. Some of the stock men found the tracks of two large bear a few miles from here, and a large hog killed and partly eaten by them, so they secured some dogs, and every one turned out on the bear hunt the next morning. However, the rain came down and saved the bear.

Miss Evelyn Harvey is spending a few weeks in Tampa.

Joseph Guthrie and sister Doris of Miami visited with G. W. C. and C. P. Littell's family a few days last week.

Dr. and Mrs. C. F. McConnel of Atlanta, and Mrs. Coella McConnel and three children of Tifton, Georgia, have returned to their homes after a delightful week with Mrs. Myrtle McBee.

Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Kolb made a trip to Plant City this week on official business.

Ina and Madeline Littell were dinner guests of Mrs. McBee Sunday and attended church service at Hudson in the afternoon with Mrs. McBee.

Raymond McNatte's family of Dade City were down for Saturday, bathing and fishing.

Malery Snow's family of Brooksville are stopping at the Van View for the week.

The John and Henry Grant families enjoyed a fish fry here Saturday night.

Quite a number of the young folks of Hudson and Aripeka met at Edith and Helen Littell's last Wednesday evening and spent an enjoyable evening playing games and making candy.

Elmo Gant spent the week end with Bartow Littell.

Mrs. J. B. Kolb is visiting in Tampa this week.

Mr. and Mrs. Skirmer and children spent Saturday in Tampa.

Mr. T. D. Cosner is building an addition to his boat house.

Up and Coming Aripeka

This little town of 125 persons is on the way up—fast. Lying 15 miles to the north of New Port Richey two miles west of the West Coast highway, it straddles two counties, Pasco and Hernando.

The "fertilizer" which started the rapid growth was electrification which began in the summer of 1941 and was recently completed by the Rural Electrification authority. Prior to that time the community, not so long ago having only seven families, has depended upon kerosene lamps and candles.

On the strength of having electric power, Aripeka has grown by leaps and bounds, bringing in families from Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky, and some from other states—All the homes, except two, are now enjoying this much needed improvement since the 'juice' was turned on a few weeks ago. No one there wants to go back to the old days of kerosene lamps and candles since the power of electricity has come to brighten their homes.

The telephone is being talked about but is a thing of the future, no telling how many years hence.

As yet, no city water is available there and it is not known when this improvement will be made. The late John B. Kolb, whose family still resides in Aripeka, and his son-in-law, Henry Norfleet, now of New Port Richey, dug the first and only well in that vicinity about 20 years ago. They picked a place which they thought would be a good spot for a well, near a pecan tree on the Kolb property, and began digging with a post hole digger. Before they got very far down the instrument struck rock, then they began to use a hand drill and went down to a depth of 98 feet. At first the water was salty but as the drill went deeper the water became better. This well is still being used by many families as their only means of water supply, while a number of other families are catching rain water for cooking, washing, and other purposes.

In 1924, N. P. Lynch of Indiana arrived there and purchased the only large building which he has been using as a hotel, known as the "Osowa Inn" which overlooks the Gulf of Mexico.

Fishing is the main sport at Aripeka for the inhabitants and winter visitors, with virtually no commercial fishing.

As one man stated, Aripeka might be called a "Pensioner's Paradise" for those that have come from various parts of the country to make their home there look for nothing better than to live comfortably, fish for recreation, bask in the sunshine, and enjoy the quietness of a small southern community on the Gulf of Mexico, far from the noise and hub-bub of a large city.

A Community Effort

By C. P. KIDD

Over 30 years ago this spring, seven residents of the Aripeka area organized the Aripeka Sewing club, the group including Mmes. W. Smith, C. P. Kidd, J. R. Bryant, W. D. Coney, F. D. Cosner, Sam D. Rothell and Esther Littell. The ladies met weekly about three months of the year, or during the tourist season.

As the community grew, membership increased to about 20 in 1945, when the organization had in reality developed into a social club, since some of the group preferred games and conversation to sewing.

In 1951 it was decided to reorganize. The name "Variety Club" was selected as most appropriate and Mrs. Kidd was elected chairman.

The Variety Club grew and continued to function as the main social outlet of the community until Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Deitz came to Minnow Creek. This civic-minded couple immediately joined the club and later proposed an expanded program of activity.

On Feb. 6, 1953, Mrs. Deitz mailed a postal card to every woman receiving mail at the Aripeka post office, with the following notation: “You are invited to attend a meeting to be held Feb. 11 at the Smith store, for the purpose of organizing a community club.”

Thus, the Aripeka Community Club came into being, with Mrs. W. T. Morgan being named president. Library, publicity, refreshments, entertainment, planning and hobby show committees were named and the club was in business.

The “Library Station” which was opened in the community hall a short time later was the only library of this nature in the state. It was a branch of the F. E. Lykes Memorial Library in Brooksville, of which Miss Rosalie Norris was librarian at the time.

Miss Norris would load her car with books and take them to Aripeka, hauling back the ones she had delivered the previous month. This library was kept open two afternoons each week for a number of years, or until television began to take its toll.

In addition to organizing the new Community Club, Mrs. Deitz donated five dozen place settings of stainless steel tableware and was instrumental in securing 25 chairs. She and Forrest Gooding also took the lead in purchasing a piano and 30 hymnals, with the help of other members.

E. W. Reichardt was elected the president of the club in 1955. A board of five directors also was named and the organization was granted a charter, following which by-laws were adopted in March, 1955.

Arrangements were made with the Withlacoochee River Electric Co-op in Dade City for installation of street lights in 1955, and a committee was appointed to make plans for a new community clubhouse. Although C. E. Hines offered to donate a lot for this project, it was not until 1959 that the definite action was taken along this line.

In the meantime, Ed. Smith served as club president in 1956-57, Fred Bautz in 1958 and W. Ralph King was elected to head the group in 1959.

In response to a request by Mr. Hines that final action be taken on his offer of a lot, a meeting was called and a decision reached to accept his proposition. Donations and pledges were made toward a new clubhouse at this meeting and Club Treasurer D. O. Coon was delegated to canvass the community for additional funds.

A date was set for clearing the half-acre plot and some 20 men and several women showed up with hoes, rakes, saws, axes, etc., to complete this portion of the project in short order.

In general, the canvassing committee found ready response to the appeal for funds. Additional money was raised by such projects as fish fries and chili suppers, so that by early this year the treasury warranted actual start of construction.

Facilitated by donations of materials and labor, building operations progressed rapidly with the result that on Sunday, Mar. 13, Aripekans proudly dedicated the fine 34x54 clubhouse, made possible by the concerted efforts of the entire community.

Taking the lead in bringing the dream to realization was a committee having as its members D. C. Koon, chairman; J. C. Girton, Community Club president; W. R. King, Wm. D. McIlrath, Bob Girton and Geo. Martin.

Babe Ruth in Aripeka

The hotel at Aripeka was equally popular. The one at Hudson was destroyed by fire but the Aripeka hotel still stands. Perhaps one of the most famous and colorful personalities of the nation, Babe Ruth, frequently came to this section to enjoy fishing and hunting. He made his headquarters in the old hotel and threw many parties for the "greats" in the baseball world. The Babe's favorite fishing spot was Hunter's Lake, a few miles East of Old Aripeka. It was on the lake that the "Bambino" learned the art of casting with rod and reel, under the tutelage of young Billy Conner (W. A. Conner, who now lives at Hudson). In those days Billy's parents, Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Conner and family lived at Hunter's Lake. In recalling those old days, Billy said that Ruth was a cane pole fisherman, but once introduced to the rod and reel the case pole was forgotten. Billy says the hardest task in teaching the Babe to cast was to hold down the power of that mighty right arm, which heaved many a plug to parts unknown when he was learning to cast. Billy, though just a boy at the time, was a good teacher, and made an expert fisherman of Babe Ruth.

A Tampa Tribune article on Sept. 30, 1991, has:

One former resident does recall Ruth's visits during the mid-1920s.

Bartow Littell, 83, and living in Brewton, Ga., said he acted as a fishing guide for Ruth on treks to Aripeka when the Babe trained with the Yankees in St. Petersburg in the 1920s. He said Ruth frequently was joined by teammates George Selkirk and Hall of Fame second baseman Tony Lazzeri.

Littell, then a student at Gulf High School, said the trio paid him $10 for guiding them for a day's fishing.

They caught black bass at Hunter's Lake in Aripeka, Littell said. Today, fishermen still fish off Aripeka's bridges.

There wouldn't be much around with which to hype the Sultan of Swat's visits even if anyone wanted to, because Littell said he knew of no pictures of Ruth fishing there.

“The Babe was camera shy,” Littell said, adding taking such a picture would have cost him his job. He quotes Ruth as saying he got enough publicity during baseball season.

In a Feb. 28, 1971, St. Petersburg Times article, Mrs. Josephine Lynch showed a reporter a picture of the Os-O-Waw Hotel, which she and her husband owned, and identified Babe Ruth in the picture. Mrs. Lynch is quoted, “He used to come here all the time, just to rest.”

On Feb. 25, 1932, the Brooksville Journal reported that Babe Ruth was in town last Friday, stopping for several minutes at the Amstutz Garage for gas and oil.

According to Old Brooksvile in Photos and Stories, Ruth liked the fishing at Aripeka, Bayport, and Homosassa.

Aripeka Recalls the Florida of an Earlier Day

By FRANCES LEE GARRISON

ARIPEKA - To visit Aripeka, a few miles north of Hudson, is to step back in time. This tiny fishing village, which straddles the Pasco-Hernando County Line on the coast, has many claims to fame, the most astonishing of which may be that it has changed little since its early days.

Oh, it has electricity and telephones and running water and the residents drive cars, not horse and wagon rigs. But the little houses are simple and unpainted, with windows open to catch any passing breezes.

At the little park by the Norfleet fish camp store by the Hammock Creek bridge, a large sign sets the tone of the place as you read the following words: “No alcoholic beverages, except what's sold in store. Watch your mouth and respect others so families and everyone can enjoy the park more. No open fires and no profanity.”

As you cross the first Aripeka bridge coming northwest from U.S. 19 on Old Dixie Highway (CR 595), you notice a little time-weathered wooden cabin where a large board sign in the yard proclaims that in 1919 Babe Ruth fished here and that Jack Dempsey trained here in 1921. They also played poker together, according to the sign.

Actually, according to Lizzie Bell Jackson, former postmistress who has lived in Aripeka longer than any other resident (since 1911) the real Babe Ruth cabin was originally near the Os-O-Waw Hotel, which burned in 1960.

That little cabin is now on the Robbins property across from the parsonage of the Aripeka Baptist Church. Mrs. Jackson confirms that Babe Ruth came to Aripeka for fishing and stayed in that cabin.

In addition to “the Babe” and Jack Dempsey, Aripeka—which was first called “Wheeler”—claims at least a passing acquaintance with Ponce de Leon in 1513, Hernando de Soto in 1539, legislator Corwin Pearl Littell and aviators Orville and Wilbur Wright.

A large hand-lettered sign in the yard where the second Babe Ruth cabin stands lists all those famous people and tells you that, "It was here, (in Aripeka) in the 1880s that the coastal steamer Gov. Stafford took on freight and passengers, and where the village fishermen have always cast fate and soul to the mercy or rath (wrath) of the Sea."

Adjacent to the second Babe Ruth cabin are some other old buildings shadowed by tall fir trees and palms. Facing the inlet on the Gulf of Mexico is a large house with wide porches that Mrs. Jackson said her daddy, J.B. Kolb, built long ago of long-lasting "heart pine."

Other old buildings near the house are labeled "Aripeka General Store 1918 and a blacksmith shop of the 1920s." While these may be typical of those early times in Aripeka, it is not certain they are authentic.

These buildings stand in the county of Hernando. Pasco County, which was carved out of southern Hernando in 1887, starts at the bridge by the second Babe Ruth cabin. A small portion of that property is in Pasco.

The U.S. Post Office in Pasco is on the original site of the post office opened in 1921 by Kolb. Mrs. Jackson says the very first post office was about 1 1/2 miles from the present one. It was being closed by the government, but Kolb said if the government would keep a post office in Aripeka he would operate it.

Her father operated it until he died in 1945, when Mrs. Jackson became postmistress. She retired in 1974.

This tiny town of yesterday is said to be named for Chief Aripeka of the Seminole Indians. The legend on the sign listing famous people of Aripeka calls Chief Aripeka "most fierce and skillful warrior in military history who, at over 100 years of age led his proud and never defeated Mikasuka warriors into many battles from here to the Everglades vs. U.S. aggression."

In "History of Broward Co.," it is said that in 1858 when the U.S. government gave up trying to defeat Aripeka, who had holed up in the Everglades, the Indian chief was down to just 12 warriors.

In "The Story of Florida's Seminole Indians" by Wilfred T. Neill, the Indian's name is spelled Aripeka. He also was known as Sam Jones and his settlement deep in Big Cypress Swamp was called "Sam Jones Old Town," according to Neill.