Live here

Larry Farr, Mango

Mango hasn't caught on yet with the big developers, and that's how we like it. We get city amenities with a country flavor.

By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 7, 2003

Actually my wife, Irma, and I don't live in Seffner, we live in Mango, which is a less wider spot in the road than Seffner. But we have the Wal-Mart.

Our mailing address is Seffner, but our actual physical address is Mango.

When I moved here from Tampa in 1979, friends and relatives would ask me where I lived. When I told them Mango a glazed look came over their faces, so I would explain it was just outside of Seffner, which is just outside of Brandon which is just outside of Tampa. Ah, the light would come on and they would nod like they knew exactly where we lived.

Living in the Seffner area has been a real joy. We have good neighbors and a great church. My son grew up here and graduated from Armwood High School in 1995. Jason is now married, in the Navy and living in Jacksonville, but still loves to come home on weekends whenever possible.

Armwood was a great school then and still is. I felt he was safe there compared with some other schools in the county. The kids were good and so were the teachers.

Seffner's a "little bit country" but has all the conveniences of the city close by. For instance the Brandon mall, movies and good restaurants. However, we still get to see horses and cows as we travel to work or shopping.

I am glad everyone is moving toward Valrico (smile) and not this way.

Eventually people are going to discover Mango/Seffner and start moving this way. Until then my family and I will enjoy this "little bit of country" in the middle of the highways and byways.

-- Farr lives on Oak Valley Drive in Mango.

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