In the late 18th century the watershed of the Hillsborough River was a land covered by a rich, old-growth forest.

When Europeans first reached Florida, the area around Tampa Bay and all of the watershed of the Hillsborough River was occupied by people of the Safety Harbor culture.

Two chiefdoms of the Safety Harbor culture, Mocoso and Pohoy, were adjacent to where the Hillsborough River entered Tampa Bay.

Hernando de Soto landed on the south side of Tampa Bay in 1539 and passed through Mocoso on his way north.

(1757) A survey of the Hillsborough River is done by Don Francisco Maria Celi, pilot of the Spanish Royal Fleet.

During the mid and late 18th century, Native Americans from the north, mostly Creek, begin to migrate to Florida.

The American government begins efforts to remove the Seminole from Tampa Bay and relocate them to a reservation west of the Mississippi.

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

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

(1863) Federal troops march upriver to a location near the present day site of Lowry Park Zoo.

It pumped well water to supply the City of Tampa until March 6, 1923, when the people voted to purchase the Waterworks plant.

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 other structures.

(1960s-70s) The 14-mile (23 km) long Tampa Bypass Canal is constructed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD).

(2000) On the day after a massive Earth Day celebration at Lowry Park, highlighted by a "Flow-tilla" of dozens of boats from the Rowlett Park dam to Lowry Park, Friends of the River settles its legal challenge with agreement with SWFWMD, City of Tampa and Robert Thomas of Zephyrhills Water to study the river for 5 years to scientifically determine exactly how much freshwater is needed to restore and maintain the river's estuarine function.

Friends of the River had maintained that the establishment of the minimum flow of 10 cu ft/s (0.28 m3/s) of Sulphur Springs water was a politically expedient solution with no basis in scientific data.

(2002) Tampa Bay Water places a pipeline to the Morris Bridge Sink (http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/projects/1001008567/) (2006) "The Hillsborough River Task Force", Temple Terrace, is created.

Minimum flow adjusted upwards to 24 cu ft/s (0.68 m3/s) in spring months (April, May, June) when fish spawning activity occurs in restored estuary.

When local students reach sixth grade in Hillsborough County, they take a visit to the river for one to three days to learn about the ecosystem, watershed, and native Florida animals at a place called 'Nature's Classroom'.

Visitors to the park can participate in picnicking, camping, canoeing, hiking, fishing and swimming in a constructed pool.

The Hillsborough River has its headwaters begins in the Green Swamp and ultimately flows into Tampa Bay.

Orange Lake, in the Temple Crest neighborhood, is an Audubon Society bird nesting and sanctuary, is also a living wetlands.

Upstream along the banks of Temple Terrace's Riverhills Park is a scene from old Florida, with cypress trees dotting the watery landscape.