We often talk about 20/20 hindsight,
but we do not usually see things as
they really were. We thought that
this might be a good time to look
at some of the Tampa Bay landmarks that are now
gone, or have survived to live a new life. You may
remember them or you may not, but sometime in
the not so distant past, they were symbols of our
area that played an important part in our society.
Views from the Past
In the 1970s, the
Fort Harrison Hotel
was closed and
ready for demolition.
Then the Church
of Scientology
purchased it and after
years of meticulous
restoration, reopened
it to their members.
The beauty of the
rebuilt hotel from
dining rooms and
ballrooms to its guest
rooms is spectacular.
These fountains at the Kapok Tree
Restaurant in Clearwater were famous
around the country, as visitors flocked
to this legendary restaurant. The
largest restaurant in the country in the
1980s, it had eight uniquely decorated
dining rooms and seated 1,750 guests.
By feeding up to 6,000 people on a
busy day, it hosted more than 1 million
diners a year. The restaurant closed
in 1991, but the Kapok Pavilion that
hosts special events has replaced it
and kept these fountains operating so
that anyone can still see them today by
visiting the gardens at the rear of the
property on McMullen Booth Road.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 59