New Port Richey, Florida

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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

By 1914 the area around Orange Lake was being called "New Port Richey" and the older part of Port Richey was called "Old Port Richey." In 1915 a separate post office was established for the residents of the southern part of Port Richey. The post office was named New Port Richey, and the name became official. The first postmaster was Gerben DeVries. The growth of the city came about after George Sims purchased the Port Richey Land Company. He built a home in New Port Richey in 1916.

The first Chasco Fiesta was held in 1922 to raise money for the local library. The event was revived in 1947 and has been held annually since then. It includes a large street parade and a boat parade on successive Saturdays.

In 1924 New Port Richey was incorporated. The first mayor was Dr. Elroy M. Avery, an educator, historian, and prolific author who came to New Port Richey from Cleveland after he retired in 1919.<ref name="EarlyPasco">History of Pasco County - Early Residents of Pasco County by Jeff Miller (with sources given including 1950 Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia).</ref>

The first act of the city council was to accept Enchantment Park as a gift from George Sims. The park was renamed Sims Park. The main attractions of the city were the park, the Pithlachascotee River, and Orange Lake.

In the mid-1920s the city hoped to become a winter home for Hollywood stars. In fact, Thomas Meighan, a leading actor in silent movies, built a large home on the river in 1928 and spent the winters there. He hoped to make movies in New Port Richey. Gene Sarazen, one of the top golfers in the 1920s, also built a home in New Port Richey. He invented the modern sand wedge in a garage in New Port Richey. Other Hollywood figures such as Ed Wynn visited New Port Richey. Songwriter Irving Berlin and bandleader Paul Whiteman made down payments on property, but did not build homes. In 1926, a new theater named for Thomas Meighan opened, and in 1927, the Hacienda Hotel, a 55-room Spanish-style luxury hotel, was completed. Moon Lake Gardens and Dude Ranch, which featured a private game preserve of 7,000 acres, opened in the 1930s.

The end of the 1920s Florida land boom ended the aspirations of New Port Richey to become a haven for Hollywood celebrities, and the Great Depression had a devastating effect on the town. By 1938 the town had lost its Tarpon Springs Branch passenger train connection to the Seaboard Air Line Railway network, a significant loss in the era before Interstates and jet airplanes.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Beginning in the late 1960s, western Pasco County began a decades-long period of rapid population growth, although the population of New Port Richey has not increased much because of the small area which makes up the city. Most of the population of western Pasco County is in unincorporated areas. Pasco-Hernando State College began offering classes in New Port Richey in 1972, and completed construction of a campus in 1976. Gulf View Square shopping mall opened in 1980. In 1995, New Port Richey became sister cities with Cavalaire-sur-Mer on the French Riviera. Cavalaire Square in downtown was named in honor of that relationship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2004 President George W. Bush, campaigning for re-election, spoke to supporters in Sims Park.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (1.53%) is water.

The Pithlachascotee River flows through the downtown area on its way to the Gulf of Mexico.

Demographics

**New Port Richey racial composition**
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(*NH = Non-Hispanic*)
Race	Pop 2010<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	12,289	12,447	82.42%	74.41%
Black or African American (NH)	387	731	2.60%	4.37%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	54	62	0.36%	0.37%
Asian (NH)	211	234	1.42%	1.40%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)	3	13	0.02%	0.08%
Some other race (NH)	20	70	0.13%	0.42%
Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)	276	731	1.85%	4.37%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,671	2,440	11.21%	14.59%
Total	14,911	16,728

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,728 people, 7,595 households, and 4,145 families residing in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 14,911 people, 7,030 households, and 3,624 families residing in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Economy

Top employers

According to New Port Richey's (2021) Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the top employers in the city were:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	North Bay Hospital/Morton Plant	806
2	Baycare Behavioral Health, Inc.	332
3	Madison Pointe Rehab & Health	186
4	Orchard Ridge Nursing Center	156
5	Med-Fleet Systems, Inc.	152
6	Cracker Barrel	121
7	Publix Supermarket #1020 (Southgate)	136
8	Heather Hills Nursing Home	119
9	Applicant Insight, Inc.	118

Arts and culture

File:N-P-R WPHS museum-library01.jpg

West Pasco Historical Society Museum and Library

New Port Richey Public Library
West Pasco Historical Society Museum and Library, located in a historic schoolhouse.

Parks and recreation

Cotee River Park
Frances Avenue Park
Grand Boulevard Park
James E. Grey Preserve
Jasmin Park
Meadow Dog Park
Peace Hall
Recreation and Aquatics Center
Sims Park and Orange Lake
Sims Park Boat Ramp<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

File:Gulf High School.jpg

Gulf High School

File:River Ridge High School.jpg

River Ridge High School

Public education is administered by Pasco County Schools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Colbegin Elementary schools:

Achieve Center at Richey
Anclote Elementary School
Calusa Elementary School
Cotee River Elementary School
Cypress Elementary School
Deer Park Elementary School
James M. Marlowe Elementary School
Longleaf Elementary School
Moon Lake Elementary School
Odessa Elementary School
Richey Elementary School
Schrader Elementary School
Seven Springs Elementary School
Trinity Elementary School
Trinity Oaks Elementary School

Middle schools:

Bayonet Point Middle School
Gulf Middle School
River Ridge Middle School
Seven Springs Middle School

High schools:

Charter schools:

Athenian Academy of Technology and The Arts
Learning Lodge Academy
Pepin Academies, Pasco
Plato Academy Trinity Charter School

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Colleges and universities

Pasco–Hernando State College
Marchman Technical College
Keiser University (satellite campus)<ref>New Port Richey Campus at Keiser University official website. Retrieved 5 July 2022.</ref>

Infrastructure

Public Safety

The New Port Richey Fire Department provides has two fire stations in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Pasco County Fire Rescue covers all emergency medical services. The New Port Richey Police Department has 46 sworn officers, 26 civilian employees, and several part-time officers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>