Pasco County, Florida
New Port Richey
A silent-film star built a house on the river and a theatre took his name. Then the boom ended.
For a few years New Port Richey meant to be a Hollywood colony. The silent-film star Thomas Meighan built a house on the river in 1928 and wintered here, and a theatre named for him opened in 1926.
What this place is
Why New Port Richey is here
New Port Richey incorporated on 24 October 1924. Its first council act, on 2 December that year, was to accept a park donated by George Sims.
Speculation. The town rode the 1920s Florida land boom hard, courting wealthy residents and film people, and the boom's collapse ended the ambition.
Worth the trip
What to look for
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Sims Park, accepted by the city council on 2 December 1924 and named for its donor, George Sims.
- 02
The Meighan Theatre, opened in 1926 and named for the silent-film actor.
- 03
The Meighan Theatre opened on 1 July 1926 with a screening of Thomas Meighan's film The New Klondike; Meighan sent a congratulatory telegram rather than attending.
Time your visit
The weekend that matters
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March
Chasco Fiesta
Running since 1922
Ten days each spring, founded in 1922 and a century old in 2022. Live music every night from Sims Park, a Native American festival, a car and bike show, the crowning of King Pithla and Queen Chasco, and a parade that closes the main street. Proceeds go to local non-profits.
Hotels, inns, rentals and campgrounds
Where to Stay
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Hotels
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Hotels
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Vacation Rentals
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Hotels
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Vacation Rentals
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Vacation Rentals
Restaurants, seafood, cafes and bars
Where to Eat
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Restaurants · $$
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Seafood · $
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Restaurants · $
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Restaurants · $
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Restaurants · $$
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Restaurants · $
Parks, beaches, museums, tours and charters
Things to Do
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Parks Nature
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Robert K Rees Memorial Park
Parks Nature
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Parks Nature
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Parks Nature
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Parks Nature
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Attractions
New Port Richey on the record
Pictures of the place
Archive and Creative Commons photographs of New Port Richey. Nothing here is generated; every image is credited to the person who took it.
73 guides, written from this town’s own record
Guides
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The Best Things to Do in New Port Richey, Florida
New Port Richey is a town that bet everything on a future that never arrived, and that failed ambition is exactly what makes it worth your afternoon.
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The Best Restaurants in New Port Richey, Florida
The movies never really left New Port Richey; they just swapped the silver screen for a sizzling platter.
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Where to Stay in New Port Richey, FL: Hotels & Rentals
A river town that spent the 1920s auditioning for Hollywood, and the places to sleep while you look for what's left of the set.
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A Weekend in New Port Richey: What to See, Eat and Do
The town that wanted to be Hollywood never got the movies, but it kept the river, the park, and the stubborn, sun-bleached charm of a place that bet everything on a dream.
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16 Things to Know Before Visiting New Port Richey, FL
The Town That Almost Was: Meighan's Ghost
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The Best Time of Year to Visit New Port Richey
The town was built on a promise of eternal sunshine, and the irony is that the best time to visit has very little to do with the weather.
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New Port Richey vs Port Richey: Which to Visit
New Port Richey is the younger, upriver twin of Port Richey. A town that rode the 1920s Florida land boom with a Hollywood-sized dream. Its quiet charm today comes from the ambition that didn't quite land.
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The History of New Port Richey in 6 Landmarks
New Port Richey was supposed to be a movie star’s playground, and for a handful of years, it nearly was.
Public record
New Port Richey by the numbers
- 17,057Residents (2023)
- 7.6% Homes held for seasonal use
- 269 Places in this guide