LARGO, Fla. — The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail has a unique history dating back to the late 1800s.

Chief Park Ranger Kent Cleveland says there’s no such thing as a typical day working on the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail.

The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is part of the Pinellas Trail Loop, a 75-mile loop running throughout the county. 

“As park rangers — our primary focus is safety and security," Cleveland said. "We keep the trail clean. We look out for hazards. Any downed trees, branches, something that might pose a threat to a pedestrian or bicyclist.”

Cleveland said the trail stemmed from a tragedy. 

“A young man was hit on his bicycle, while commuting in 1983," he said. "His father, Bert Valery, set out to make a trail that would be safe for commuters in Pinellas. He took the idea to then county administrator, Fred Marquis.”

Luckily the duo had a place to start; roughly 34 miles of abandoned railroad in Pinellas.

The tracks were the former Orange Belt railroad, which was owned by Russian businessman Peter Demens. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Peter Demens is one of the people who helped found St. Petersburg. Demens Landing Park is also named after him.

The railroad stayed in use, under various owners, until the 1980s. Shortly after that, it found new life as the Pinellas County trail.

“The very first stretch went from a John Taylor Park to Seminole City Park that was five miles long," Cleveland said. "And that opened up in 1990.

“To go from a railroad to a five-mile trail to what it is today is absolutely amazing. It would never be what it is today without volunteer groups, the countless people who have paved the way, literally, over the years.”

In 2007 the Pinellas Trail was added to the National Rail-to-Trail Hall of Fame.

Anywhere between 5,000-7,000 people use it every day.

The county plans to add 10 more miles to the trail, making it 75 miles long. They’re also hoping to make it part of the proposed “Coast-to-Coast Trail”, which would run across the state.