Blanton in Pasco County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Chipco Township
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, March 13, 2020
1. Chipco Township Marker
Inscription.
Chipco Township. . The former town of Chipco was located here, less than six miles west of the former site of Fort Dade #2, built in 1849 during the Seminole War era. The town rose to prominence after the Civil War as an economic center. It was named in honor of Chief Chipco, a Seminole leader and uncle to Chief Tallahassee, whose band traded in the Tampa and Fort Dade area. Chief Chipco was an opponent of the Third Seminole War and later became known as a "friends of the white." The town of Chipco boasted a cotton gin and press, as well as grist and planing mills, built in 1874-75. In 1877, a frame schoolhouse was built, which doubled as a church on Sundays. There was a post office and a thriving general store that supplied goods to local farmers. In 1887, a station for the Orange Belt Railway was built and began operating as Chipco Train Station #21. The town likely declined due to multiple factors, The Great Freeze of 1895 killed many citrus groves, and the exhaustion of the virgin pine forests negativity impacted the area's lumber and turpentine industry. The Chipco school continued to operate until 1901. By 1909, the town had disappeared from most maps.
The former town of Chipco was located here, less than six miles west of the former site of Fort Dade #2, built in 1849 during the Seminole War era. The town rose to prominence after the Civil War as an economic center. It was named in honor of Chief Chipco, a Seminole leader and uncle to Chief Tallahassee, whose band traded in the Tampa and Fort Dade area. Chief Chipco was an opponent of the Third Seminole War and later became known as a "friends of the white." The town of Chipco boasted a cotton gin and press, as well as grist and planing mills, built in 1874-75. In 1877, a frame schoolhouse was built, which doubled as a church on Sundays. There was a post office and a thriving general store that supplied goods to local farmers. In 1887, a station for the Orange Belt Railway was built and began operating as Chipco Train Station #21. The town likely declined due to multiple factors, The Great Freeze of 1895 killed many citrus groves, and the exhaustion of the virgin pine forests negativity impacted the area's lumber and turpentine industry. The Chipco school continued to operate until 1901. By 1909, the town had disappeared from most maps.
Erected 2019 by Drs. Karen & Eric Handel and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-1077.)
Location. 28° 23.871′ N, 82° 16.443′ W. Marker is in Blanton, Florida, in Pasco County. Marker is on Jessamine Road, 1˝ miles south of Blanton Road (County Route 41), on the right when traveling west. Jessamine Road has many curves and this marker is in a pullout at one of these curves. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dade City FL 33523, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, March 13, 2020
2. Chipco Township Marker looking south at one of the curves on Jessamine Road.
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, March 13, 2020
3. Chipco Township Marker looking west.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 23, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 21, 2020, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 488 times since then and 54 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on March 21, 2020, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.