No Result
View All Result
Tampa Magazine
  • Local Knowledge
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Tampa Culture
  • ADVERTISE
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • ABOUT
  • PURCHASE A COPY
  • DIGITAL ISSUES
  • EMAIL NEWSLETTERS
  • CONTACT US
  • SHOP
  • MY ACCOUNT
    • Your Membership
    • Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Login / Logout
Tampa Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Tampa Magazine
No Result
View All Result
01. Ralston Beach at Carrollwood’s Egypt Lake was a popular spot for picnicking, relaxing and other excursions, like catching a water ballet performance by the Tampa Ski Bees. _PHOTO> SKIP GANDY COLLECTION/USF LIBRARY DIGITAL COLLECTION

The History of Carrollwood 


From lakeside retreat to bedroom community

Rodney Kite-Powell by Rodney Kite-Powell
April 22, 2021
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Carrollwood is one of Tampa’s most iconic suburbs. Though the community’s story often starts in the 1950s, it is actually quite a bit older than that. Lake Carroll appears, unnamed, on maps of Hillsborough County dating to the 1870s. The earliest references to the lake — found in Tampa newspapers — date to the 1880s. It is likely that the lake was named by a pioneer resident from Maryland for Charles Carroll, a wealthy Maryland landowner, Revolutionary-era figure and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Though the lake was only 8 miles north of Tampa’s city hall, it could have been in another time zone during the early part of the 20th century. Tampa’s road network ended at Sulphur Springs, as did the streetcar. Only a couple roads led north out of town — Florida Avenue out of downtown and Armenia Avenue out of West Tampa. Lake Carroll was due north of West Tampa, and Armenia ran just to the east of the lake.

Finally by the 1920s, Tampa’s growth began reaching nearer and nearer to the lake. The Sulphur Springs neighborhood continued developing, and a new subdivision called Forest Hills (also known as the North Side Subdivision) put residents even closer to Lake Carroll. The city of Tampa expanded its city limits up to and through Lake Carroll in 1925, which put the lake squarely in the sights of real estate developers. In the spring of 1925, a group of Tampa businessmen bought a 90-acre tract that had previously been used as a Boy Scout Camp for $20,000. That same day they sold it to a group of out-of-state investors for $30,000. A few weeks later, advertisements began to appear for Lake Carroll Estates.

The development was marketed as both an opportunity for investment and a place to live. As it turned out, the homes that were built were largely used as vacation homes for Tampa residents.  While some people had beachfront vacation homes, it was much more popular to have a second home out in the country — preferably on a lake.
The arrangement remained largely unchanged until the late 1950s, when the county began extending Dale Mabry Highway from its terminus at Hillsborough Avenue north to Pasco County. The Dale Mabry Extension, as it was called, passed just to the west of Lake Carroll. Matthew Jetton, president of SunState Builders, Inc., saw an opportunity and acquired 310 acres of land, consisting of orange groves owned by the Ingram Fruit Company, to build a new subdivision.

Much had changed since the 1920s, and key among those changes were the quality of the area’s roads and the quantity of automobiles on those roads. Where previous developers would have worried about how people would get to places like Lake Carroll, Jetton knew that he could build a suburban community centered on the convenience of the car.
Jetton’s company planned 800 houses for a new community he named Carrollwood, located on the west side of Lake Carroll. In addition, the company built an office, a shopping center, a recreation center and a community beach. The company also launched a neighborhood newsletter, garden club and women’s club. All of this was situated around curved streets that did not conform to the normal grid pattern seen in older neighborhoods. The design and amenities led to Carrollwood being named U. S. Subdivision of the Year in 1961 by the National Association of Home Builders. In 1962, it won the Best Homes for Families award from Parents magazine.

Other developers soon saw Jetton’s success and created new subdivisions along other parts of the lake. Interestingly, there were sections of the lake that were open to the public. Even though roads were better and cars were more numerous, it was still difficult to get away to the beach on the Gulf Coast. Lakeside outings were common, with Lake Carroll, Lake Ellen and Ralston Beach at Egypt Lake — all in the same general area — popular swimming and picnicking destinations.

As the city grew and buildable land became less available, these bathing beaches eventually gave way to development. Larger lots, too, gave way to townhomes and condominiums in places like Carrollwood Village, which SunState developed in the mid-1960s on 1,900 acres of land on the west side of Dale Mabry. As the suburbs crept farther and farther away from the city center, places like Carrollwood did not feel quite as removed. This had both positive and negative consequences. The positives were that the conveniences of city life, like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and professional services, were closer at hand. The downside was traffic and congestion. Dale Mabry became like another member of the family for Carrollwood residents.

Today, most of the vacation homes from the 1920s-era Lake Carroll Estates are gone, and Original Carrollwood would qualify to become a historic district. Older Tampans would scoff at such a notion; to them, Carrollwood is that new place out in the woods. The truth is, it is a charming and — dare I say historic — neighborhood that has maintained its quiet charm and relaxing feel in spite of the growth surrounding it.

Tags: carrollwoodCarrollwood historyCarrollwood villagelake carroll
Next Post
2021 Closet Design Tips

2021 Closet Design Tips

INSTAGRAM

Need a new cafe? ☕️ check out craftkafe’s ne Need a new cafe? ☕️ check out craftkafe’s new Tampa location for coffee, specialty beverages and 100% gluten free baked goods! Now open 😋 

#explore #tampa #reels #trending #glutenfree #foodiegram
3 Top Docs at ONE practice! bôdze is the newest 3 Top Docs at ONE practice! bôdze  is the newest wellness-based plastic surgery center in Tampa! Tour their new state-of-the-art facility and million dollar operating room!

Congrats again to
dr.tampa : Winner of both Plastic Surgery Face and Body
dr.emilydevol winner of Cosmetic Surgery Face 
dr.milestampa Winner of Cosmetic Surgery Body

📍 hibodze is located at Memorial Hwy 5535 Tampa, FL 33634
.
.
.
.
#plasticsurgeons #topdoctors #tampadoctors #tampaliving #tampalifestyle #igerstampa #tampabaylive #mommymakeover #liposuctionbeforeandafter #faceliftsurgery #abetching #tampamoms #tampamagazine #breastaug #breastlift #bblsurgery #tampaplasticsurgery
Today, center consoles dominate the boating market Today, center consoles dominate the boating market. Check out these 11 interesting center consoles on the market in the Tampa area, ranging from 24-footers up to 48 feet. Link in bio.
United Launch Alliance launched a military surveil United Launch Alliance launched a military surveillance satellite aboard an Atlas V rocket first thing in the morning on Thursday, Aug. 4.
Faces of South Tampa is going all out for their 13 Faces of South Tampa is going all out for their 13-year Anniversary! Save up to $1,800 when you build your own Botox package. Pre-buy and bank discounts online. BOGO Skin care and so much more! Visit Facesofsouthtampa.com for their biggest specials of the year 🎉
🐶 August is National Dog Month. Bring your pup 🐶 August is National Dog Month. Bring your pup to one of Tampa’s top dog parks to switch up your routine at the link in bio.
Step inside Tampa’s first Kombucha brewery and t Step inside Tampa’s first Kombucha brewery and taproom with us! 🌺👑 flowercrownkombucha brews up tasty small batch ‘booch, right in the heart of Tampa Heights! Read their feature in our latest issue by clicking the link in our bio.

#tampasmallbusiness #fyp #tampabrewers #madeintampa #smallbatchkombucha
Cheers to good news 🎉 we are extending Best of Cheers to good news 🎉 we are extending Best of the City voting to end Aug 7. Link to vote in bio.
Tampa is home to a robust rotation of totally free Tampa is home to a robust rotation of totally free outdoor workouts open to all levels. Nearly every day of the week, locals can find a complimentary exercise class at a variety of scenic venues. Learn more in our story at the link in bio.
Can you guess who we photographed at Hotel Haya th Can you guess who we photographed at Hotel Haya this week for our Best of the City cover? Comment with your best guess below 👇 Businesses: 65,000 homes will learn about your company if you advertise with us. Email info@TampaMagazines.com for ad rates. Bonus❗️Best of the City nominees get a special pricing discount to advertise.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

  • Local Knowledge
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Tampa Culture
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Purchase a Copy
  • Digital Issues
  • Email Newsletters
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2018 Tampa Magazine. All rights reserved. Part of the Tampa Magazines Network.

No Result
View All Result
  • Tampa Culture
  • Food and Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Local Knowledge
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Purchase a Copy
  • Shop
  • Digital Issues
  • Email Newsletters
  • Contact
  • MY ACCOUNT
    • Your Membership
    • Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Login / Logout

© 2018 Tampa Magazine. All rights reserved. Part of the Tampa Magazines Network.