Thonotosassa, Florida
 To the people who live around but not in it, Thonotosassa (pronounced tha-no-na-sassa) brings to mind miles and miles of rolling hills, open pasture, thick forest and undeveloped land. And that’s just what Thonotosassa residents are afraid of; this small community of 6,000 people just 20 minutes away from downtown Tampa is under increasing pressure to urbanize as swelling Tampa-area population begins to seep eastward into their area and as more and more city folk seek the peace and quiet of the country.
Thonotosassa is a mostly undeveloped region 18-miles-square with many wide-open spaces. It is home to the 839-acre Lake Thonotosassa, Henderson County’s largest. The name Thonotosassa is from the Seminole-Creek tribe; it means “flint is there.” Evidence shows that Native American communities built their life around the lake as late as 1843. After the Seminole Indian Wars, when the “white man” began to move in, several families set up homesteads around Lake Thonotosassa, including George Adams, an executive with the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Adams, who purchased 300 acres around the lake for $4 in 1872, planted on his new land the first large community citrus grove in the Tampa area. The Adams home, restored in the 1990s, still stands today; it is the oldest historic landmark preserved by the Henderson County Preservation Board. Thonotosassa was linked to Tampa by rail, and built an industry around its saw-mills and citrus groves.
Homes in Thonotosassa
Thonotosassa today is still largely rural, with many five- to ten-acre tracts cultivated as ornamental nursery stock farms and as land for farming and cattle. The community is pulling together with a formal community plan and advisory committee in an attempt to maintain the area’s rustic nature and character, as well as to direct the inevitable growth in ways that enhance, instead of hurt, the community and its land. The median home price for a 2-bedroom home is $70,500; for a 4-bedroom it is $214,000.
But property values are rising—and they are expected to continue to do so with the addition of several new subdivisions, such as Stonelake Ranch. Stonelake Ranch, off Thonotosassa Road, offers 160 homes on its 685 acres. Amenities include a community lakeside lodge with fitness room, boat ramps, bird sanctuaries, 40-foot-wide equestrian trails that run throughout the community, plus 100+ acres of open meadow. Several RV parks dot the area, as well as several older homes where old-time residents may still be found.
Thonotosassa Schools
Children in Thonotosassa attend one of two local elementary schools, Thonotosassa and Folsom Elementary. Folsom is an “A” school; in its back yard still sits the 1893 home of its namesake, Green Folsom. The Folsom family still lives there today. Thonotosassa middle school children attend Jennings Middle in nearby Seffner, Brandon Alternative School (for grades 4-11), also in Seffner, or the popular “A” charter school, Terrace Community. Terrace Community focuses on technology and is a National Blue Ribbon Award winner. High school students attend Armwood High, in Seffner. Thonotosassa is also home to Nature’s Classroom, a 320-acre environmental education center where Hillsborough County 6th graders participate in a three-day environmental education experience.
Shopping and Dining in Thonotosassa
Shopping and dining options in Thonotosassa proper are sparse, but the city is only minutes away from the University of South Florida Tampa campus on Fowler Avenue, just on the other side of the Interstate. Residents have a world of shopping and dining choices there: all the popular chain restaurants, miles and miles of strip malls, and University Mall with anchors Dillard’s, Macy’s and Sears.
A few local treats are still to be had though. The Big Top Flea Market sits just outside Thonotosassa at I-75 and Fowler Avenue; voted the “Best Flea Market in Tampa Bay,” the market hosts 1,200 booths on 36-acres selling everything from artwork to apples, clothes to china, and tools to TVs. The spoke-shaped market, with its full-sized carnival carousel in the center, is a popular rest spot for families with children.
Another popular local stop is Carl’s Fruit Stand on Highway 301. In business for more than 30 years, the stand offers local fruits, jellies, honey and candies from December through April. Carl’s also carries fruit from Mimosa Groves, one of the last remaining groves in Thonotosassa. The grove, with only 175 trees, is not a retail outlet. The grove owners also own the Adam’s home, mentioned earlier as being the oldest historical structure in central Florida. The beautifully restored home is popular spot for private parties and weddings.
Leisure and Play in Thonotosassa
If nature is your game, Thonotosassa is your place. The area is home to many large, lovely parks, including the popular Hillsborough River State Park, a 16,000-acre wilderness with more than 20 miles of riverfront along the Hillsborough River, with its fast-moving waters that change from crystal clear to cypress red depending on where you’re at. Hillsborough River State Park is a city-dwellers’ reprieve; it is as close to being in a forest as is possible in the flat, marshy Tampa Bay region. Massive live oaks and bald cypress trees dominate the landscape. Seven miles of trails meander through the park, several along the riverbanks where it is common to see alligators and turtles right along with canoers and kayakers. The park offers two swimming pools, a snack and gift shop, canoe rentals, full-service camping and more.
Right across the road from Hillsborough River State Park is a replica of Fort Foster, a military fort from the second Seminole War. Visiting Fort Foster is like stepping back in time; guided tours are available on weekends. The Fort also hosts several living recreations, complete with men and women dressed in period costume. The Old Fort King Trail is another Thonotosassa treasure; the trail, also used during the Civil War, was a supply route from Tampa to Ocala used to support U.S. soldiers during the Seminole Wars. Part of the route is being reconstructed today to be used as a recreational trail.
Another popular Thonotosassa retreat is Wilderness Park; with 7,200 acres, it is the largest regional park in Hillsborough County. Wilderness Park has within its borders five individual park sites, many with picnic tables, fishing and hiking trails. John B. Sargeant Memorial Park is another favorite: it offers picnic shelters with grills and a scenic boardwalk, and is a fisherman’s dream offering channel bass, snook, ladyfish and trout from the backwaters of the Hillsborough River.
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