Parrish dates to the 1860s, when it was first known as Oak Hill. The area was settled by Major William Turner and his wife, who moved from Tampa in search of suitable land for a plantation and orange grove. The area around the Turner estate soon grew into a community of farmers, cattle and hog ranchers, and grove owners. Crawford Parrish was among Turner's first neighbors. He and his wife, Mary, raised eight children at Oak Hill, and many of their descendants still live in Parrish. Crawford's son, John Parrish, was instrumental in bringing the railroad to Oak Hill in 1902. Because there was another stop on the rail line called Oak Hill, townspeople suggested the name Parrish in honor of John Parrish. He accepted, but only if the town was named after his father. By the 1920s, Parrish had a thriving downtown, with commerce centered on the main dirt road, now US 301. The town boasted 2 packing houses, 5 grocery stores, 3 doctors and a dentist, a pool hall, drugstore and barber shop. The Great Depression saw an end to Parrish's "boom years," as many residents were forced to leave in search of work. But many more stayed, and today, the townspeople of Parrish remain proud of their pioneer heritage.