Temple Terrace was named for temple oranges
and it is located 7 miles North East of downtown Tampa. The town
was incorporated into Hillsborough County in 1925 and stays the
smallest municipality in Hillsborough County known as the “City
of Temple Terrace”. Temple Terrace was initially explored by the
Spanish Fleet by navigating the Hillsborough River and leaving
evidence found in their fleet’s map and logs. The land was
purchased by the Potter/Palmer family of Chicago and served as
an exclusive hunting preserve. Upon the death of Mrs. Palmer in
1918, the land was sold by her heirs to developers. Temple
Terrace Estates, Inc. constructed the golf course and
residential area and, Temple Terraces, Inc. developed 5,000
acres into an orange grove which surround the city. The
community’s architecture was themed to resemble Mediterranean
and Spanish homes with red barrel tiles imported from Cuba and
Spain. Numerous original homes have been maintained or restored
throughout the years. Houses constructed during this era were
commonly built with small to no kitchens at all for these elite
Northerners. Most residents spent their days playing golf and
meeting at the country club afterwards for a social dinner. Many
of the roads abut the golf course which winds through the
community.
Between the years 1923 to 1925, new streets
were paved and sewer line installed and a well tapped, but in
1927 and 1928 a hard freeze along with the Great Depression
subdued progress and reduced the population to a few hundred
residences. Decades past and as of 1960 the population had grown
to 3,812. The annexation of surrounding property has allowed
Temple Terrace’s boundaries to grow into an area of 6.5 miles.
The population grew to just fewer than 16,000 in the year 2000
and, a little over 18,000 in 2007. Temple Terrace is rich in
heritage with a social friendly community. The price of homes
range greatly depending upon the proximity from the golf course
frontage or riverfront or the house size.
