The once sleepy agriculture center is fast fading away, although front-page headlines in the local monthly newspaper, the Parrish Village News, promote events like the Parrish Heritage Day parade, festival and chili cook-off and the 25th anniversary of the Rocky Bluff public library. To accommodate all this growth, brand-new public schools like Barbara Harvey Elementary School and North River High School are opening, and in 2019 State College of Florida began offering classes at various Parrish locations. In anticipation of all the new residents to come, the Parrish Arts Council was founded in 2012 to foster the arts and arts education in the growing community.
There are a lot of tales about how Parrish came to exist. However, there is one thing that stays true. A civil war veteran named Major William Iredell Turner was the owner of Oak Hill Plantation and donated his land to a cattle rancher named Crawford Parrish, which gradually became known as Parrish. The community of Parrish dated back to 1870 and was primarily a small business district with a general store, blacksmith’s shop, and railroad depot.
Dining, Shopping & Entertainment
C&K Smoke House BBQ 12119 U.S. Highway 301 N., Parrish, (941) 776-1440 cksmokehousebbq.com
Ferraros Italian Grille 8348 US-301 Parrish, FL 34219 (941) 723-1111 ferrarositaliangrille.com
Despite a surge in the number of residents in Parrish, the area hasn’t yet developed a huge dining scene yet. But we dig C&K, a neighborly barbecue restaurant that specializes in outstanding pulled pork. Be sure to grab a side of fried okra. The macaroni and cheese is also fantastic.
Fort Hamer Park 1605 Fort Hamer Rd, Parrish, FL 34219
Rye Preserve is a 145-acre property located close to the Lake Manatee Dam. Visitors can hike, or explore nature trails, walk their dogs, kayak or canoe on the Manatee River or have an overnight educational camping session within the designated camping area.
The Florida Rail Museum provides a lot of history about the railroads in Florida. There are a lot of events that you can enjoy while visiting the rail museum, like enjoying a train ride on a locomotive train, experiencing the feel of an old west train, and a staged performance of a train robbery or having a celebration on one of the caboose trains.
Public schools:
Mills Elementary, Williams Elementary, Barbara Harvey Elementary; Buffalo Creek Middle School
