The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has a rich history filled with heroism, hardship, and even humor. For years, we have housed pieces of our heritage in the lobby of the Sheriff’s Administration Building. Now, we have a second location to display more of these items at the Lowe House in Heritage Village in Largo.
A living history museum just down the road from our administration building is the perfect place to showcase important artifacts and information about former sheriffs and milestones in law enforcement.
The Lowe House, where the exhibit is located, was built in 1888 and gives visitors a glimpse into what life looked like for the early settlers of Pinellas County. Wesley Lowe and his wife, kids, and father lived in this house in Anona under Pinellas County’s first sheriff, Marvel Whitehurst, until the 1930s. The McMullen brothers’ homes are also in Heritage Village; they were prominent figures throughout Pinellas County’s law enforcement history. We feel privileged to honor those who have served the agency in this historic setting.
The Portraits of a Sheriff gallery begins in 1912 with, “The Formative Years,” of the sheriff’s office when the first courthouse and jail was built. The original county patrol officers focused on guarding the citrus groves from thieves and investigating moonshine stills.
Visitors then enter into the next era of law enforcement by walking through old cell doors from our second jail—which housed inmates from 1918 to 1950. This room that focuses on Pinellas County Sheriffs from 1953 to 1972 is called “A Changing Force,” and displays a uniform from our patrol officers in the 1960s, a helmet that officers had to wear to protect them from rioters, and one of our first computers.
The community of Pinellas County witnessed major milestones during this time period, including the first female deputy, the first African-American deputy, and our first K-9—a bloodhound named Spotlight.
The next 30 years shaped the modernization of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. After 1972, the organization expanded services by adding the flight, marine, and K-9 units. In addition to displaying photos of some of our greatest accomplishments, like the narcotics seizure of the 1980s when officers found cocaine inside cedar planks, we also have more lighthearted photos involving community engagement. After Star Wars came out in 1977, the sheriff’s office used Darth Vader in schools to encourage kids to stay safe and prevent crime.
Our hope is that the families of Pinellas County will be enlightened and inspired by this unique telling of our sheriffs’ history. There is something for everyone to learn—even the kids can stay engaged by playing an interactive detective game.
The doors of the Lowe House are open, and we invite the citizens of Pinellas County to take a journey through the history of our sheriffs and their staff who have had, and continue to have, a large impact on people’s lives.
Article by the Office of Sheriff Bob Gualtieri
Heritage Village is free to the public
11909 125th St, Largo, FL 33774
Wednesday through Saturday 10am – 4pm, Sundays 1pm – 4pm
www.pinellascounty.org/heritage
(727) 582-2123