(1757) A survey of the Hillsborough River is done by Don Francisco Maria Celi, pilot of the
Spanish Royal Fleet.
 He ventures up to the Temple Terrace area in search of longleaf pine to use as masts for his ships.
 He names the pine forest of the area "El Pinal de la Cruz de Santa Teresa" or "The Pines of the Cross of Saint Teresa".
 There is a plaque commemorating his exploration at Riverhills Park in Temple Terrace.

(1772) A map drawn and sent to the Earl of Hillsborough, English Governor of West Florida, shows the river named as the Hillsborough.
During the mid and late 18th century, Native Americans from the north, mostly Creek, begin to migrate to Florida.
These immigrants become known as Seminoles.

(1821) Florida becomes a United States territory.

(1824) Construction of Fort Brooke begins at the mouth of the Hillsborough River.

(1828) The Fort King Military Road (now State Road 41) is built to connect Fort King in Ocala with Fort Brooke in what was then the settlement of Tampa.
A bridge is built to cross the Hillsborough.

(1830) Congress passes the Indian Removal Act.
The American government begins efforts to remove the Seminole from Tampa Bay and relocate them to a reservation west of the Mississippi.
Tensions between Seminole and Americans continue.

(1835) Seminoles burn the bridge at the Fort King Road's river crossing.
Conflict continues.

(1836) Fort Foster is established at the Hillsborough River crossing to protect this
strategically advantageous position.

(1842) The Armed Occupation Act promises one hundred 60 acres (240,000 m²) of land to any man who can bear arms, build a house and cultivate 5 acres (20,000 m²) for five years.

(1843) The Jean Street Shipyard is founded on the Hillsborough River in what will be the neighborhood of Seminole Heights.

(1846) The first ferry crossing on the Hillsborough River is established.
This improves
transportation and widens the growth of Tampa to both sides of the river.

(1861) During the American Civil War, Tampa Bay is blockaded by federal troops to prevent goods from leaving Tampa or from coming into Tampa.

(1863) Federal troops march upriver to a location near the present day site of Lowry Park Zoo.
 There they discover a blockade-running steamer and sloop loaded with cotton.
The ships are burned.
The skirmish that follows is the only Civil War action on the Hillsborough River.

(1891) The Tampa Bay Hotel, now the Henry B. Plant Museum, opens with a grand ball.

(1897) At a cost of $150,000 an electrical dam is built on the river by Consumers Electric Light and Street Railway Company.
The dam was located halfway between present-day 40th Street and 56th Street on the Hillsborough River (today's Temple Crest neighborhood.)

(1898) On December 13, 1898 the dam is dynamited by cattle barons angry at the loss of grazing land.
They tried three times.
 The first on January 8, 1897,shortly after construction was completed.
 When the water is low, remnants of the dynamited dam can be seen.

(1898–99) TECO buys the Consumers Electric Light and Street Railway Company and builds a new electric generating dam downstream of the current site north of Sulphur Springs.

(1899) Tampa's first water plant is built by the private Tampa Waterworks Company.
It pumped well water to supply the City of Tampa until March 6, 1923, when the people voted to purchase the Waterworks plant.

(1900) The Sulphur Springs (Sulphur Springs, Tampa, Florida) property is developed and open to the public.

(1910) Hillsborough Bay is channelized to the mouth of the Hillsborough River with the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.
 Up to 1913 the Hillsborough River watershed is heavily logged for its valuable cypress, longleaf pine and oak.

(1911–1914) Bertha Potter Palmer (Bertha Palmer) (of Chicago and Sarasota) completes purchases of 19,000 acres (77 km²) bordering the Hillsborough River in present-day Temple Terrace, Temple Crest, Terrace Park, Busch Gardens and the University of South Florida area.
 She calls her property "Riverhills Ranch", an exclusive hunting preserve where she builds a lodge and guest houses among
(1757) A survey of the Hillsborough River is done by Don Francisco Maria Celi, pilot of the
Spanish Royal Fleet.  He ventures up to the Temple Terrace area in search of longleaf pine to use as masts for his ships.  He names the pine forest of the area "El Pinal de la Cruz de Santa Teresa" or "The Pines of the Cross of Saint Teresa".  There is a plaque commemorating his exploration at Riverhills Park in Temple Terrace.
(1772) A map drawn and sent to the Earl of Hillsborough, English Governor of West Florida, shows the river named as the Hillsborough. During the mid and late 18th century, Native Americans from the north, mostly Creek, begin to migrate to Florida. These immigrants become known as Seminoles.
(1821) Florida becomes a United States territory.
(1824) Construction of Fort Brooke begins at the mouth of the Hillsborough River.
(1828) The Fort King Military Road (now State Road 41) is built to connect Fort King in Ocala with Fort Brooke in what was then the settlement of Tampa. A bridge is built to cross the Hillsborough.
(1830) Congress passes the Indian Removal Act. The American government begins efforts to remove the Seminole from Tampa Bay and relocate them to a reservation west of the Mississippi. Tensions between Seminole and Americans continue.
(1835) Seminoles burn the bridge at the Fort King Road's river crossing. Conflict continues.
(1836) Fort Foster is established at the Hillsborough River crossing to protect this
strategically advantageous position.
(1842) The Armed Occupation Act promises one hundred 60 acres (240,000 m²) of land to any man who can bear arms, build a house and cultivate 5 acres (20,000 m²) for five years.
(1843) The Jean Street Shipyard is founded on the Hillsborough River in what will be the neighborhood of Seminole Heights.
(1846) The first ferry crossing on the Hillsborough River is established. This improves
transportation and widens the growth of Tampa to both sides of the river.
(1861) During the American Civil War, Tampa Bay is blockaded by federal troops to prevent goods from leaving Tampa or from coming into Tampa.
(1863) Federal troops march upriver to a location near the present day site of Lowry Park Zoo.  There they discover a blockade-running steamer and sloop loaded with cotton. The ships are burned. The skirmish that follows is the only Civil War action on the Hillsborough River.
(1891) The Tampa Bay Hotel, now the Henry B. Plant Museum, opens with a grand ball.
(1897) At a cost of $150,000 an electrical dam is built on the river by Consumers Electric Light and Street Railway Company. The dam was located halfway between present-day 40th Street and 56th Street on the Hillsborough River (today's Temple Crest neighborhood.)
(1898) On December 13, 1898 the dam is dynamited by cattle barons angry at the loss of grazing land. They tried three times.  The first on January 8, 1897,shortly after construction was completed.  When the water is low, remnants of the dynamited dam can be seen.
(1898–99) TECO buys the Consumers Electric Light and Street Railway Company and builds a new electric generating dam downstream of the current site north of Sulphur Springs.
(1899) Tampa's first water plant is built by the private Tampa Waterworks Company. It pumped well water to supply the City of Tampa until March 6, 1923, when the people voted to purchase the Waterworks plant.
(1900) The Sulphur Springs (Sulphur Springs, Tampa, Florida) property is developed and open to the public.
(1910) Hillsborough Bay is channelized to the mouth of the Hillsborough River with the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.  Up to 1913 the Hillsborough River watershed is heavily logged for its valuable cypress, longleaf pine and oak.
(1911–1914) Bertha Potter Palmer (Bertha Palmer) (of Chicago and Sarasota) completes purchases of 19,000 acres (77 km²) bordering the Hillsborough River in present-day Temple Terrace, Temple Crest, Terrace Park, Busch Gardens and the University of South Florida area.  She calls her property "Riverhills Ranch", an exclusive hunting preserve where she builds a lodge and guest houses among
Hillsborough River (Florida)