Rodney Kite-Powell

History of Davis Islands Rodney Kite-Powell

Tampa's Davis Islands has long been among the most desirable places to live on Florida's west coast. Created by David P. Davis during the 1920s Florida land boom, the project made him wildly rich and nationally famous. He followed up Davis Islands with a subdivision twice its size in St. Augustine, which he named Davis Shores. Davis sold his Tampa development in August 1926 but slipped into debt and died under mysterious circumstances while en route to Europe aboard a luxury liner in the early hours of October 13, 1926. Though he did not live to see it, work on Davis Islands continued, and the development ultimately became a huge success. Join author Rodney Kite-Powell as he examines the history of one of Florida's most famous neighborhoods.