Facilities

In 1909 or 1910, Mr. F. A. Davis and a group of developers sent Mr. Patrick John "P.J."  McDevitt to Florida to establish a town near the city of St. Petersburg for the purpose of growing sugar cane. It was through the efforts of Mr. McDevitt  and Mr. Davis that the township of Pinellas Park was organized.

Mr. McDevitt  set up a land office, representing the company, financed building a Catholic Church and loaned money in times of need. The McDevitt family had the first automobile and the first phone which was on a wall in a hallway, available for all settlers in Pinellas Park to use.

P.J. McDevitt was elected as Mayor from 1914-1917 & 1926-1932 and along with James R. Shoecraft created Pinellas Park's first drainage district to dredge the major drainage canals that still are life-saving arteries in rainy seasons.

In the 1920s he served as chief building contractor for the City of St. Petersburg. He built the now famous Bussey Mansion in South St. Petersburg and served as a consultant in building the Don CeSar Hotel.
He and all of the town would turn out at the ACL Railroad Station to greet newcomers to Pinellas Park.