PERU
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PERU | |
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| NAME: Peru COUNTY: Hillsborough County. ROADS: 2WD GRID: 3 CLIMATE: Hot in Summer, Hot in Winter, BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime, It's Florida |
COMMENTS: Take south 301 in
Hillsborough County and when you get to the Alafia River you are there.
Now in the town of Riverview. REMAINS: William B. Moody's 1890 Home, Hackney Home 1910 Home. Both are on Hackney Road, east turn off 301. |
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Peru, pronounced "Pea-Roo" (indian dialect for straight part of river) was first the Alafia Settlement dating back to the 1500's and 1600's. No one knows where the name came from. The Simmons, Boyetts, Barnes, and the Moodys settled the town in the 1830's - 40's. There was a two story Alafia Hotel on the North bank of the river next to the existing bridge. The hotel also included the PO and general store. The old Peru school used to stand at the corner of 301 and Desoto St. First Baptist of Riverview used to be the Peru church on the river. Lots of history there. The Mays family had a large citrus farm on Balm-Riverview road. There was a ferry on the east side of the existing bridge until the first bridge was contructed in 1900. The north side of the river was Riverview,circa 1885. Both towns coexisted until 1957 when the entire area became Riverview and Peru was fogotten by all except the early families. Little remains except the two houses the Hackneys and Moodys. The Hackney cemetary holds the final resting place of many of the early settlers. Now called Serenity Gardens. Submitted by: Mike and Aaron Woodfin Update: The 1885 Simpson Homestead can be found by turning east off 301 on Boyette Road and travel about 2 miles where Boyette Road makes a right angle to the south at a traffic light. The house is about 50 yards down on the left. The house may not be there very long due to community expansion. On 301 just south of the bridge is Dan's Bar. This was originally Sam's Place circa: 1936. It was the store and gasoline station owned by Mrs. Georgia McNish from New York. It was notable as the first establishment south of the river to sell beer. The dirt road next to the building is the Old Riverview/Tampa road that ran from Tampa to Wimauma. If you drive down this road it will curve north back towards the river and dead end where the 1900's bridge used to stand.
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