Tierra Verde, An Island in the Gulf of Mexico, Rich in History

Tierra Verde is an area at the southern tip of Pinelles County. It is located on a small island in the Gulf of Mexico right at the mouth of Tampa Bay. The area was once a chain of fifteen small islands and is rich in history. It was considered sacred by the Indians that used them for centuries as burial grounds which are characterized by shell mounds. Ponce de Leon explored the islands in 1521 and the same Indians wounded him with a poisoned arrow, an injury that would later kill him. Other Spanish Conquistadors who explored the area included Panfilo de Narvez, Hernando de Soto, and Juan Ortiz. Later pirates and buccaneers sailed the seas of what would later become Tierra Verde. Among them were Jose Gaspar (of Tampa's Gasparilla Celebration fame), Juan Gomez, and the famed and feared Jean Lafitte. Rumors still abound of pirate treasure on one of the islands. During the Spanish American War of 1898 Fort DeSoto was constructed as a coastal defense and the ramparts and huge guns can still be seen there.

Tierra Verde Waterfront Real Estate

During the late 1950s developers dredged and filled the area, consolidating the fifteen small islands into one larger one, bisected by canals.By 1963 a road and a bridge connected Tierra Verde to the mainland. Rapid development ensued, enhanced by the opening of Guy Lambardo's Port O'Call Resort. Celebrities including Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, Mel Torme, and Liberace performed there, lending Tierra Verde some real show business glamor. The waterfront homes on the island soon became, and remain, some of the most prestigious addresses on the west coast of Florida.

Miles of Unspoiled Gulf Beaches at Fort DeSoto Park

At the southernmost tip of Tierra Verde is the internationally famed Fort Desoto Park. At 1,136 acres it is by far the largest park in Pinellas County. It features miles off completely unspoiled Gulf Beaches and these have been named by Travel Adviser, the world''s largest online travel community as THE best beaches in the United States. As in the rest of Tierra Verde, Fort Desoto is an ideal location for wind surfing, swimming, boating, and fishing. There are also camping areas in the park. It is a protected environment, home to over 300 species of wild birds, is a nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles. and appears much as it did to the Indians that held the land sacred centuries ago.

A Prestigious Address, An Ideal Location

Find Your Home in Tierra Verde

 Thinking of buying a home or condo on Florida's Sun Coast?  Relocating? Contact Lubin Team Realty at 727-410-5696 and we can arrange a tour of this and other fine neighborhoods in Pinellas County.

Available Homes in Tierra Verde

A list of some of the homes available in Jungle Country Club follows.