Amenities/ character/etc.

The main attraction of the Big Bayou neighborhood today, as it was originally, is the proximity to the deep water of Big Bayou. A waterfront park stands at the site of one of the former landings, and the waterfront is lined with residents docks. The Bayou still provides a refuge where sailors can drop anchor for a visit or to take refuge from a storm, and the fishing is still very good.

A modern day attraction in the neighborhood is the Christmas House. Each year the Ted and Kim Kresge home has one of most extensive displays of Christmas lights and animated toys in west central Florida for the enjoyment of neighbors and many visitors.

History

Big Bayou was the site of the first settlement in southern Pinellas County. The area was inaccessible except by boat, and the bayou offered a natural deep water harbor with good landing sites. From the mid 1850s until the railroad came to St. Petersburg in 1888 provisions for the settlers and mail were brought by schooner or sloop from Tampa to Big Bayou.

Original homesteaders were the families of Abel Miranda and his brothers-in-law, John and William Bethell. They made a good living as mullet ranchers until the civil war interrupted their business. Miranda in particular was a rabid confederate who ran the union blockade of Tampa Bay which was set up at Egmont Key. He also ambushed union sympathizers who were bringing provisions to the Yankees at Egmont Key. As a result, union raiders were sent into Big Bayou to end his harassment. They fired three cannon rounds at his house, then removed his boats and possessions and burned his homestead to the ground. This constituted the only battle of the Civil War in our area.

Miranda escaped with his family and the Bethells to Tampa. They returned after the war, Miranda moved inland and became a cattleman. He deeded his Big Bayou property to John Bethells wife, Sarah. From 1876 to 1885, the cottage that John and Sarah Bethel built at Big Bayou was the only post office in southern Pinellas County. It was called Pinellas Village Post Office, and their daughter, Mary, and later Sarah were the postmistresses until it closed in 1907.

Architecture

The neighborhood is primarily residential, and contains a wide variety of housing styles from simple wood cottages to elaborate waterfront homes. There are also low density multi-family structures, mostly along the 4th Street South edge of the neighborhood. During the land development boom of the 1920s a number of one and two story brick and Spanish style homes were built. They stood for several decades isolated in an area that was primarily rural in character where cattle still roamed free. During the 1945-59 building boom, a small development of masonry and stucco one and two story homes was built along the water, and the rest of the neighborhood filled in with a variety of wood and block homes.

Organizations/Programs

The Big Bayou Neighborhood Association was organized 1989 in order to permit the residents to concentrate on issues that were unique to their community. Primary areas of activity are: safety and security, aesthetics and codes compliance, and landlord and tenant relations. The association operates relatively informally, annually electing four officers. The association meets on the first Monday of each month. Committees are organized and disbanded as the need and interest dictates. Each month a different work group tackles a clean-up or improvement project of community concern.


Boundaries

West - 4th St. South - Tampa Bay; East - Florida - Bethel Ave. S. and also between Driftwood Rd. S and 4th St. S