44-758: RV Griffin Reserve is located in DeSoto County, Florida , United States , at 8910 Kings Highway in Arcadia, Florida and includes 6,000 acres (24 km). The preserve is named for a county commissioner, is part of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is managed by the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority (PRMRWSA). Biking, horse trails, hiking, and picnic facilities are included on
88-656: A cane in the Senate chambers, winning the Congressman great renown in the South. In 1855, town founder Joseph Hale donated land for a county courthouse in the center of present-day Brooksville. Soon thereafter, the structure was completed. During the Civil War , Hernando County primarily contributed foodstuffs, cotton, and lumber to the Confederacy. Although Union ships imposed a blockade on
132-706: A colony at or near Charlotte Harbor but again was turned away by the Calusa who wounded him. Shortly after, he died and was buried in Puerto Rico. In 1528 the Spanish Conquistadors Panfilo De Narvaez and Cabeza De Vaca came to present-day Arcadia where they captured several Calusa Indians who told them of great quantities of gold located to the north and offered to guide them there. In 1539 the Spanish Explorer Hernando DeSoto, for whom
176-585: A family was $ 37,509. Males had a median income of $ 30,295 versus $ 21,661 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 18,321. About 7.10% of families and 10.30% of the population were below the poverty line , including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 6.20% of those ages 65 or over. Hernando County is home to the largest (truck-to-truck) Wal-Mart Distribution Center in the U.S. approximately 1,600,000 square feet (150,000 m ) in size and located in Ridge Manor. The industrial park Airport Industrial Park
220-478: A household in the county was $ 30,714, and the median income for a family was $ 34,726. Males had a median income of $ 22,572 versus $ 20,004 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 14,000. About 14.20% of families and 23.60% of the population were below the poverty line , including 31.50% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over. According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans are
264-427: A mental health facility known as G. Pierce Wood Memorial Hospital. The hospital has since been converted into a facility for juvenile offenders. The facility was closed and is now up for sale. On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley passed directly through DeSoto County. Hurricane -force winds persisted for an hour, damaging most of the structures in the county and causing some to be completely destroyed. According to
308-594: A minister, was lynched in Hernando County, Florida, in 1877 for performing the wedding of a black man and white woman. The county courthouse was destroyed by a fire on September 29, 1877. On June 2, 1887, the Florida State Legislature divided Hernando County into three independent counties: Pasco County to the south, Citrus County to the north, and Hernando County in the middle. Since then, Hernando County's borders have remained unchanged. According to
352-434: A more central place for the county government, and by 1855, voters had selected an inland site within five miles (8.0 km) of the center of the county at the town of Melendez. In 1856, the citizens of Hernando County chose to rename the town, their new County Seat, Brooksville in honor of South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks , who in the same year beat fierce abolitionist Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner with
396-593: A plurality of registered voters in DeSoto County. DeSoto County is part of the Heartland Library Cooperative which serves DeSoto County and some of the surrounding counties, including Glades , Highlands , Hardee , and Okeechobee . The seven-branch library system has one branch in Arcadia. The Charlotte Sun produces a section dedicated to Desoto County called The Arcadian . Archived March 10, 2015, at
440-457: A small community center, trading post, and way station on the route to Tampa . Further settlements started to grow near the fort beginning around 1845; two towns developed, Melendez and Pierceville, which would later merge to create Brooksville in 1856. Then encompassing a significantly larger area of west central Florida than it does today, Hernando County was officially established on February 27, 1843, two years prior to Florida's admission into
484-661: Is a 155-acre (0.63 km ) located near the Hernando County Airport. Over one hundred aviation, manufacturing and distribution businesses are located in this area. The top employers of Hernando County are as follows: 1. Hernando County School Board (3,002) 2. Walmart (1,350) 3. Hernando County Government 4. Oak Hill Hospital (1,561) 5. Publix (1,050) 6. Walmart Hernando Distribution center (1,020) Hernando THE Bus provides bus service in Brooksville and Spring Hill. CSX operates two rail lines within
SECTION 10
#1733084616570528-455: Is located at 27°10'33.5"N 81°37'18.7"W Besides the Peace River, and the three above bodies of water, there are few other natural bodies of water of note, mostly small ponds and most are not named. There are about as many man made retention ponds in DeSoto County. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 33,976 people, 12,421 households, and 8,306 families residing in the county. As of
572-463: Is sea level and is located in the Peace River near its mouth. The largest body of water in DeSoto County not including the Peace River is a man made reservoir located within the RV Griffin Reserve and is not open to the public. The largest natural lake in DeSoto County is Sour Orange lake and is located at 27°07'23.2"N 81°39'07.0"W Lake Operation is located at 27°06'56.0"N 81°39'43.0"W Split Lake
616-708: Is the Brooksville Subdivision , which runs close to US 41 , and was previously also owned by the Seaboard Air Line. The last train directly serving the county, in Croom , was local Jacksonville - St. Petersburg service in 1955 or 1956 operated by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad . Notable abandoned railroad lines include a former branch of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad spanning from southeast of Ridge Manor through Istachatta that became part of
660-722: Is the Board of County Commissioners. The county is divided into five Districts, each with their own commissioner. Commissioners are elected by the voters at large, to four-year terms. Specific duties of the county Commissioners are outlined in Chapter 125, Florida Statutes . The county is served by the Hernando County Library System . This is a public library system with one central library located in Brooksville and three other branches in Brooksville and Spring Hill. There are no bookmobiles associated with this library system. As of 2013,
704-409: The 2020 United States census , there were 194,515 people, 76,708 households, and 51,765 families residing in the county. As of the census of 2000, there were 130,802 people, 55,425 households, and 40,016 families residing in the county. The population density was 106 per square mile (41/km ). There were 62,727 housing units at an average density of 51 per square mile (20/km ). The racial makeup of
748-588: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 589 square miles (1,530 km ), of which 473 square miles (1,230 km ) is land and 116 square miles (300 km ) (19.8%) is water. According to the World Atlas USA, Hernando County is the geographic center of Florida. Elevation in the county ranges from mean sea level along the Gulf coast to its highest natural point of 269 feet at Chinsegut Hill . Weeki Wachee Springs Withlacoochee State Forest As of
792-427: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 639 square miles (1,660 km ), of which 637 square miles (1,650 km ) is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km ) (0.4%) is water. The highest elevation in DeSoto County is 96 feet and is located right on the border between DeSoto County and Highlands County and is about three miles south of the border with Hardee County. The lowest elevation in DeSoto County
836-596: The Wayback Machine Locally, the section is offered as a standalone for residential delivery. Desoto County is part of the Fort Myers/Naples DMA . Almost all stations from Fort Myers and Naples are receivable within the county, as well as some stations from the Tampa/St. Petersburg/Sarasota DMA . There was formerly a low-power television station, WALM-LD on channel 34; however, the station's license
880-760: The Withlacoochee State Trail , and a spur of this line from Croom west into Brooksville, which was replaced by a new rail trail called the Good Neighbor Trail . Though originally the Good Neighbor Trail only existed within Brooksville itself, the extension to the Withlacoohee State Trail has existed since 2018. Hernando County has been trending towards the Republican Party in the 21st century. Hernando County's chief legislative body
924-492: The census of 2000, there were 32,209 people, 10,746 households, and 7,672 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 inhabitants per square mile (19/km ). There were 13,608 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile (8.1/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 73.33% White , 12.72% Black or African American , 1.59% Native American , 0.41% Asian , 0.04% Pacific Islander , 10.49% from other races , and 1.43% from two or more races. 24.90% of
SECTION 20
#1733084616570968-525: The Carlstrom Field Air Base, which provided training for both American and British pilots. Twenty-three British pilots were killed while training at the base and are honored at DeSoto County's Oak Ridge Cemetery, which is located in the town of Arcadia. In 1945, the base turned out its last cadets and was decommissioned. The base was then sold to the State of Florida for one dollar and later converted into
1012-559: The Tampa Bay region and settled in what is now Hernando County. They would eventually become a part of the Muskogee speaking Seminole . Roughly 100 settlers and over 50 slaves arrived in what would become Hernando County in February 1842. Fort DeSoto was soon established in the northeast edge of present-day Brooksville to protect these settlers in the area from Native Americans. The fort became
1056-454: The Union. It was created from portions of Alachua, Hillsborough and Orange Counties and included all of present-day Citrus and Pasco Counties. Named for Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto , whose name has also been honored in DeSoto County , Hernando County was briefly renamed Benton County in 1844 for Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton , a strong supporter of territorial expansion who aided in
1100-399: The age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were non-families. A total of 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.70. In the county 18.90% of
1144-577: The city. The Federal troops won this engagement (known locally as the Brooksville Raid and marched to Bayport, where they and an auxiliary force landing from gunboats sacked Rebel operations. The skirmish between Union raiders and local Confederates is reenacted annually in the county. At least one unit that fought in the Civil War was mustered in Hernando County. The Hernando County "Wildcats," formed Company C of 3rd Florida Infantry Regiment . The unit
1188-501: The county is named, anchored in Charlotte Harbor and set about to explore the region with mixed results. Eventually, he made his way up the coast to present-day Manatee County and went inland from there. While Florida was claimed by Spain the moment it was discovered, the territory of La Florida was not formalized until 1565 with the founding of St. Augustine. At that point, what is now DeSoto County became part of La Florida. In 1763,
1232-429: The county was 92.85% White , 4.07% Black or African American , 0.30% Native American , 0.64% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.98% from other races , and 1.13% from two or more races. A total of 5.04% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. 91.1% spoke English , 4.5% Spanish , 1.1% German and 1.1% Italian as their first language. There were 55,425 households, which 21.80% had children under
1276-480: The county's creation. However, Benton fell out of favor with the county's residents later in the decade due to his decision to support the Missouri Compromise and the overall reversal of his stance on slavery, and the county's name reverted in 1850. In December 1854, the legislature designated the small port town of Bayport the county seat. Residents living in the eastern section of the county instead desired
1320-533: The county. DeSoto County was created in 1887 from Manatee County . It was named for Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto , whose name was also honored in Hernando County . DeSoto County originally included several other present-day counties until 1921, when the Florida legislature created the following new counties: Charlotte , Glades , Hardee , and Highlands . During World War II , DeSoto County operated
1364-454: The county. Amtrak formerly provided passenger rail service along the old Seaboard Air Line Railroad line east of US 301 in Ridge Manor, but had no stops in the county, the nearest stops being Dade City on the segment that was originally part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad , and its last train on the line, the Palmetto had its Florida service discontinued in late 2004. The other line
RV Griffin Reserve - Misplaced Pages Continue
1408-478: The mouth of the Peace River to put in for repairs and maintenance on his ships. While there the Spanish encountered Calusa and soon after an argument broke out and several died on both sides. Then the Spanish kidnapped several Calusa and departed Charlotte Harbor and sailed S.W. away from the west coast of Florida. This occurred within the original boundaries of DeSoto County. In 1521, Ponce De Leon attempted to establish
1452-543: The population was 33,976. Its county seat is Arcadia . DeSoto County comprises the Arcadia, Florida Micropolitan Statistical Area , which is included in the North Port - Bradenton, Florida Combined Statistical Area . Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, what is now DeSoto County was within the territory of the Native American Calusa tribe. In 1513, Ponce De Leon sailed into present-day Charlotte Harbor near
1496-402: The population was under the age of 18, 5.40% was between the ages of 18 and 24, 20.40% between 25 and 44, 24.40% between 45 and 64, and 30.90% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 90.50 males. For every 100 females, age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 32,572, and the median income for
1540-560: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 2005 estimates showed the population as being 56.3% non-Hispanic white, 31.4% Latino, 11.8% African-American and 2.9% Native American. (Source= WebCite query result In 2000 there were 10,746 households, out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 21.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% had someone living alone who
1584-457: The port of Bayport , runners enjoyed a great deal of success—enough to lead the Union in June 1864 to order some 150–250 troop to destroy Confederate stockpiles in the county. In early July, the expeditions, including 2 companies from the 2nd U.S. Florida Cavalry , marched northward from Anclote River to Brooksville , meeting some resistance from assembled Confederate troops hastily organized to protect
1628-472: The property. 27°5′41″N 82°2′7″W / 27.09472°N 82.03528°W / 27.09472; -82.03528 This article about a location in DeSoto County , Florida is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . DeSoto County, Florida DeSoto County is a county located in the Florida Heartland region of the U.S. state of Florida . As of the 2020 census ,
1672-498: The region became part of East Florida under British Rule. In 1783, East Florida was returned to Spain at which point today's DeSoto county was once again Spanish territory. In 1821 it became U.S. Territory. In 1841 Camp Ogden, later Fort Ogden was built as a staging area for the U.S. Army during the 2nd Seminole War, in the southwestern part of present-day DeSoto County. In 1870, the Joshua Creek Church and neighboring cemetery
1716-540: The staff totaled 42 people, including 11 librarians and 31 other staff members, only ten of which were full-time employees. The Florida Library Association chose the Hernando system as its 2013 Library of the Year. This library system serves a legal population of 136,484 people. The annual number of library visits is 480,706. There are 49 Internet terminals for use by the general public. The annual service hours for all service outlets
1760-496: The west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida . As of the 2020 census , the population was 194,515. Its county seat is Brooksville , and its largest community is Spring Hill . Hernando County is included in the Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater , FL Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2005, Hernando was the 35th fastest-growing county in the country. In 1767, a group of Upper Creeks from Eufaula, Alabama , migrated to
1804-461: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.00. In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.70% under the age of 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 128.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 134.70 males. The median income for
RV Griffin Reserve - Misplaced Pages Continue
1848-466: Was cancelled by the FCC on September 21, 2020. DeSoto County has two radio stations licensed to locations within the county: Arcadia Municipal Airport is the only public-use airport in DeSoto County. 27°11′N 81°49′W / 27.19°N 81.81°W / 27.19; -81.81 Hernando County, Florida Hernando County ( Spanish : Condado de Hernando ) is a county located on
1892-540: Was captained by Walter Terry Saxon who was reportedly well liked by his men. He was paid roughly $ 20,000 for work surveying the Everglades. He used most of this money to arm and equip the Wildcats. Despite many citizens', including new immigrants, attempts at making Hernando an open and welcoming place, the county became one of the many Florida plantation counties that was a hotbed for Ku Klux Klan activity. Arthur St. Clair,
1936-543: Was founded. In the 1870s John W. Whidden, a Confederate veteran and former Manatee county clerk, settled along the Joshua Creek where he founded a cattle ranch raising thousands of head of cattle. Also in the 1870s, Union veteran Robert C. Hendry took up cattle ranching on the Joshua Creek in the now-defunct settlement of Davidson. In 1876 the Fort Ogden Post Office was founded and remains the oldest post office in
#569430