Odet Philippe
Odet Philippe was Born Lyon France 1787, Died at this Site 1869. As the first European settler in Pinellas County he established St. Helena Plantation, now Philippe Park. He was the first to cultivate grapefruit in Florida and introduced cigar making to Tampa. His descendants populated this frontier. He was said to be a doctor and of noble birth.
Who was Odet Philippe
One of the more colorful figures in Pinellas County's past, Odet Philippe was the first permanent, non-native settler on the Pinellas County peninsula, acquiring 160 acres of land in what is today Safety Harbor in 1842. He was a successful businessman who introduced cigar making and citrus to Tampa Bay. His descendents, including the McMullen and Booth families, are among the county's most well known pioneer clans. Philippe was buried in the park his former plantation in 1869.
Philippe Park
2525 Philippe Parkway
Safety Harbor, FL 34695