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.
- 1924Incorporated; Sims Park donated
- 1926Meighan Theatre opens
- 1928Meighan builds on the river
- 1929Land boom ends
Worth the trip
What to look for
- 01
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.
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.
70 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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Characterful Places to Stay in New Port Richey, FL
A town that once planned to be Florida's Hollywood now offers something quieter: a place to sleep, not perform.
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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