Community Corner
Mullet Springs: What's in a Name?
According to the College of Education at the University of South Florida, the tarpon that were seen jumping when settlers arrived in the area were actually mullet.
It's a tale as old as the city itself: when early settlers arrived in Tarpon Springs they saw tarpon jumping in the bayou and thus a community was born.
However, the fish that were jumping were actually mullet not tarpon, according to this history of the area by the the Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of South Florida.
The report states that,
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"Actually the fish were mullet, not tarpon!"
According to the historical rundown of the area, Mary Ormond named the city Tarpon Springs.
Mary loved watching the fish jump in the bayou, which was basically her backyard, according to the Florida Center for Instructional Technology.
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Mary was the daughter of A.W. Ormond and the two remain the first recorded settlers in Tarpon Springs. They arrived in 1876 and by 1887 the city was incorporated with a population of 52, according to the report.
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