DeSoto County History and Events

DeSoto County

DeSoto County, named after the Spanish explorer of early Florida history, Hernando DeSoto, was created from Manatee County in 1887. At this time, DeSoto County consisted of 3,750 square miles of territory. In 1921 DeSoto County was divided into five counties and has consisted of 637 square miles since that time.

Originally Pine Level served as the seat of government for the new county for approximately one year, thereafter Arcadia was selected as the new county seat and remains so to this day.

In the beginning Arcadia was named Tater Hill Bluff and was a small settlement overlooking Peas (later Peace) Creek. Our town was named "Arcadia" by the Rev. James "Boss" Hendry, in honor of a pioneer's daughter named Arcadia Albritton. Arcadia was incorporated on December 6, 1886.

Arcadia was considered one of the wildest towns in Florida during the 1890's due to a series of "cattle wars", in which many lives were lost over cattle rustling. The famous cowboy painter Frederic Remington completed a series of paintings based on Arcadia during this period.

Disaster struck downtown Arcadia on Thanksgiving Day, 1905. A fire of unknown origin swept through many city blocks, ravaging over 40 businesses. No one was killed, but a thriving community was transformed into a devastated one overnight. A strong sense of community that remains to this day brought everyone together and the town was rebuilt shortly thereafter.

One of the best things about living in DeSoto County is that it has retained its rural flavor while many other areas of Florida have become over urbanized. Half of the county's residents are lifelong Floridians, and many families have been in the county for generations. A fact we are well proud of because these families are the back bone of DeSoto and help continue the long legacy of a strong sense of community for all residents of DeSoto County.

DeSoto County is located in the southwest portion of Florida, fifty miles from the Gulf of Mexico. It is bordered by Highlands County to the east, Hardee County to the north, Manatee and Sarasota Counties to the west, Charlotte County to the South, and Glades County to the southeast. The county occupies an area of 721 square miles and is traversed by the Peace River. Elevation is about 56 feet. Major highways are State Road 70 and 72, east and west, and U.S. Highways 17 and 31, north and south. I-75 crosses the county at the southwest corner.

Arcadia is the only incorporated city in the county. Located near the geographic center of the county, it serves as a focal point, containing all of the County's governmental buildings, most of the commercial activity, and the junction point for all major roads in the county. It has been, and will probably remain, the most densely populated area in the county.

The actual population of the county fluctuates through the year. One reason is the annual migration south of residents of other states who choose to enjoy our temperate climate especially during the months of November to March. Our beloved "snowbirds".

Another group of part time residents are the migrant workers who come during the prime fruit and vegetable picking season which normally runs from November through June.

Current Population (1990 Census)

DeSoto County 23,865
Unincorporated 17,377
City of Arcadia 6,488
Persons per square mile 37.52
Percent of state population 0.18

The City of Arcadia:

The City of Arcadia is the only incorporated town in the County. It is governed by a five member City Council, elected at large, serving staggered four-year terms. A mayor and vice mayor are appointed annually from among the Council members. A City Administrator assists the Council in its policy implementation.

At present, over two and a half million has been spent. One of the most significant was the restoration of the railroad depot downtown. The Depot now houses a mini-museum and professional offices and has become a tourist attraction. It has taken top honors in a national office design concept contest and has been featured in a large number of local, state and national publications.

Be sure to stay with us in one of our wonderful Bed & Breakfast Inns where you will definitely be pampered. Reservations should be made because they fill up quite fast. If the inns are full we do have several motels close by.

Housing:

A wide variety of housing exists in DeSoto County from RV spaces on a short term basis to permanent single and multifamily units. Mobile homes, modulars, historical homes, estates, farms/ranches, river property and much more.

There are ten developed RV parks that total over 400 acres which have over 3,200 spaces.

Mobile homes are also popular here. Many are located on single family lots throughout the area. There are also several mobile home parks including one that is city owned.

Over 10,000 housing units exist, of which 60% are owner occupied, 20% renter occupied. Half of the vacancy balance is filled on a seasonal basis. There is such a diversified class of housing in DeSoto County guaranteed you will find exactly what you are looking for.

Our Climate

DeSoto County's climate is typlified by pleasant seasonal changes. Average temperatures range from 61 degrees in January to 82 degrees in August, with an average annual temperature of 72.3 degrees. The chances of snowfall or hurricanes are slight, but both have occurred in the past.

The average annual rainfall is 52.7 inches with an average relative humidity of 76%. Rain fall distribution is unequal throughout the year with a distinct rainy season occurring between June and September. Fogs occur during the fall in the late evenings but is usually gone by daylight.

Vegetation typical of tropical and sub-tropical climates can be found in DeSoto County. These include slash pine, longleaf pine, live oak, laurel oak, turkey oak, saw palmetto, wax myrtle, inkberry, running oak, St. Johnswort, maidencane, bluestems, scattered oaks, cabbage palms, picherlweed, sawgrass, smartweed, sedges, swamp primrose, water oaks, cypress, sweetgum, hickory, red maple, magnolia, ferns, grapevine, bulrush, elephant ear, cutgrass, buttonbush, other grasses and water and salt tolerant plants and shrubs.

Water Services

Much of DeSoto County lacks access to both sanitary sewage disposal and water service from a municipal provider. The city of Arcadia owns and operates its water, sewer, and solid waste disposal systems.

The Southwest portion of the county is served by Lake Suzy Utilities, Inc. which supplies central water and sewer service.

The Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority operates a regional water treatment facility on the Peace River and supplies treated water to Charlotte County, The City of North Port, and Lake Suzy Utilities, Inc.

Portions of the county not having access to a centralized water system, use wells for water supply. Wells in DeSoto County are deep, often having a depth of several hundred feet.

Certain portions of the county which are adjacent to the city limits are included in the city water and sewer service area.

Gas and Oil:

Three private suppliers of liquid propane gas and three suppliers of fuel oil service the county.

Power:

Electricity throughout DeSoto County is provided by the Florida Power and Light Corporation (FP&L) and the Peace River Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Solid Waste:

Solid waste disposal is available for county and city residents and the County Landfill. Serving primarily residential and commercial uses, the landfill handles approximately 50 tons of solid waste per day.

The City of Arcadia operates its own garbage collection service for city residents.

Services:

Newspapers - DeSoto County has one local newspaper: The DeSoto Sun Herald is a daily publication. Daily papers from Tampa, Sarasota, Ft. Myers and Charlotte County are also available.

Television - there are no local television stations broadcasting from within the county. However channels can be received from areas as far away as Tampa with a simple antenna. Cable TV and Satellite TV are also available within the county.

Mail and Parcel - Post Offices are located in Arcadia, Nocatee and Fort Odgen.

Parcel service is provided by United Parcel Service and Federal Express. Both maintain drop boxes in Arcadia. Arcadia Drug Store provides a UPS shipping service as well as Western Union Service and some utility payments may be made there.

Health Care, Police, Fire and Rescue Services

The residents of DeSoto County are served by DeSoto Memorial Hospital. The facility currently contains 82 private rooms, with a 34 bed medical/surgical floor; a 20 bed patient floor with flexibility to care for inpatients; swing beds and same day surgery patients. An intensive care unit, postpartum unit with birthing rooms, delivery suites and nursery.

DeSoto Memorial Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of HealthCare Organizations and licensed by the State of Florida. The private, not for profit hospital provides residents and visitors with emergency medicine as well as an enormous amount of other services.

G. Pierce Wood Memorial Hospital services people with all types of emotional and behavioral problems and is licensed by the State of Florida.

The Arcadia Police Department is staffed by an elected marshal, a captain, a lieutenant, two investigators, eight dispatchers and office staff, 15 patrol officers and 12 patrol cars and a crime service vehicle.

The DeSoto County Sheriff's Department is staffed by an elected sheriff, a major, 16 road patrol officers, six investigators, two civil officers, 20 correctional officers, one records and communications officer and eight dispatchers.

The county also provides emergency medical services. Nine emergency medical technicians and nine paramedics are on call to provide advance life support in emergency situations. EMS personnel are located at the stations in Arcadia and Fort Ogden. The average response time for services is 5 1/2 minutes.

There is also a group of volunteer firemen in the county that assist when needed.

Economic Base

Agriculture has been the primary economic base in DeSoto County throughout its history. Pioneers initially farmed here to meet their daily needs, eventually producing enough commodities to sell.

Cattle ranching was widespread and still is a large component of the economy in the county. It is estimated that $25 million dollars is realized annually from the sale of cattle. The cattle estimate is approximately 83,000 head who occupy 247,000 acres of improved and unimproved pasture land. Our livestock market has had sells on a weekly basis since 1942 and has become a tourist attraction for visiting farmers and cattle owners.

Citrus production has increased dramatically over the years and is the largest agriculture commodity in the county. The freezes several years ago in the northern part of the state has motivated people to make vast investments for citrus production in DeSoto County. The county has over 55,000 acres of citrus groves and is ranked seventh in production statewide. Grapefruit, tangelos, temples, tangerines, early-mids, and valencias are harvested within DeSoto.

Additional agricultural revenue is realized from the production of hay, poultry, show and other horses, swine, sod, timer, nursery and greenhouse products, vegetables and watermelons. Watermelon production is an important crop in the agricultural economy.

Government is very important to DeSoto's economy. In addition to the G. Pierce Wood Memorial Hospital budget of $41 million, the City of Arcadia, DeSoto County and the DeSoto County School Board add up to large amounts in both dollars and employees. Other major employers' include the Arcadia Road Prison and The DeSoto Correctional Institute. DCI has approximately 996 inmates with a gross budget of 12.5 million.

Education

The educational resources of an area are an important concern to the residents of an area and anyone considering locating in that area. Companies considering locating in a community demand a good educational system for the children of their employees and a source of trained employees from the area. DeSoto County takes the educating of our children a very important issue.

DeSoto County has five public schools, all of which are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition to the three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, there is the DeSoto Early Childhood Center for pre-kindergartners. The DeSoto County School Administrative Offices are also accredited and all accreditation's are carefully reviewed and maintained.

The public school system has an Environmental Learning Lab in which children of all ages participate. Often referred to as the "Outdoor Classroom" there are special programs for each grade level with students learning through hands-on experience about Florida's natural environment. Students from surrounding counties, tourists and community groups also visit the Lab.

Vocational training is available at the high school. Course such as agriculture, automotive mechanics, building maintenance, business skills, health occupations, home economics and marketing help prepare students by teaching them skills make them more employable upon completion of their education.

Qualified high school students have the opportunity of taking several dual-enrollment courses through South Florida Community College. Successful completion of these courses count toward both high school diploma requirements and freshman college hours.

Programs existing within the county which help further the education of adults are provided by the Adult and Community Education Department. It offers programs in adult basic education, English as a second language, General Education Development preparation, remediation, and vocational training.

The opportunity for higher education in DeSoto County are a reflection of the number of colleges in the surrounding area. South Florida Community College has a branch in Arcadia.

Four year colleges or universities within one and one-half to two hours commuting time from the county include the University of South Florida with campuses in Tampa, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Fort Myers, the University of Tampa in Tampa, and New College in Sarasota. Community colleges within afifty mile radius include the South Florida Community College in Avon Park, Manatee Junior College in Bradenton and Venice, Edison Community College and Gulfstream Community College in Ft. Myers.

Vocational and technical schools within a 40 mile radius include the Charlotte Vo-Tech in Port Charlotte, Manatee Vo-Tech in Bradenton, and Sarasota Vo-Tech in Sarasota.

Admission Requirements:

Students entering DeSoto County Schools for the first time must present a legal birth certificate or other authentic proof of age, evidence of a physical exam conducted within the past year and proof of immunization.

Mandatory School Age:

State law requires that a child attend school between the ages of 6 and 16 regularly. Children entering kindergarten must be 5 years old by September 1. Satisfactory completion of Kindergarten is required for entry into first grade.

Parks & Recreation

The Department of Parks and Recreation in the City of Arcadia offers programs which include such activities as volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, aerobics, karate, cake decorating, arts & crafts, various games and special events. In addition, four municipal recreation centers exist offering ball fields, football fields, shuffleboard courts, tennis courts, and walking paths. We also have two golf courses, several boat ramps, and canoeing.

Civic and service organizations also provide varied recreational activities for the family.
The Margaret Way Senior Citizen Center and the Arcadia Tourist Club offers a large number of activities for the older citizens.

The DeSoto County Library, located in Arcadia, offers a selection of 17,485 volumes. The library offers user oriented library services geared to the needs of the public. It provides adult and children fiction, nonfiction, magazines and audio tapes targeted for the general library user. A public access computer with a limited number of word processing and other computer programs is also provided to library users. The library has provided residents of DeSoto County with over 30 years of service.

The same natural beauty that once attracted Thomas Edison and Henry Ford is still here for today's traveler. Drift down the pristine Peace River in a canoe, pack a picnic lunch, do a little fishing, and don't forget your camera!

The RV parks in DeSoto County are eager to make your stay the best yet. With full connections, including water, sewer, electricity, telephone and cable TV you will feel right at home. Swimming pools, spas, shuffleboard, golf and modern clubhouses with full schedules of activities for every interest guarantee that your only complaint will be that you don't have enough time to fit in everything you want to do.

Park models add even more comfort to the RV lifestyle. They are spacious, comfortable and built to give you years of carefree enjoyment. You have the added security of knowing that RV park management watches over your investment year round, even when you can't.

DeSoto is a great place to live or spend your winters. Here you will find all the warmth, security and friendliness of a small town with the advantages of excellent shopping and medical care close at hand.

The DeSoto County Fair:

The DeSoto County Fair acts as a showcase for our DeSoto County youngsters as well as providing entertainment for all ages. Many booths inside the main pavilion are filled with comprehensive examples of the work of our school students K-12. Other booths showcase crafts, local businesses, service and community organizations.

This popular annual event is held every February and many examples of our agricultural background may be found throughout the fair. The livestock and swine competitive shows and sales, the county's 4-H and FFA members display the results of months of feeding, training and grooming these animals in the hopes of winning prize ribbons and awards. Then comes the big Sale Day when tears of joy over a good price are intermingled with tears of sadness over giving up what has become a beloved pet. Often the money earned will be used for continued education.

The Rodeo:

"The Granddaddy of 'Em All" - The Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo, calls Arcadia Home. The local American Legion Post sponsored our first championship rodeo 70 years ago. Participants were local ranchers who came to town to display their skills in roping, riding, and bulldogging cattle and horses fresh off the range.

Volunteers still take the leadership role in this annual event (March), but the participants are all members of the Professional Cowboys Rodeo Association (PCRA) and the rodeo stock is highly developed for just that purpose.

In addition to the actual rodeo, Arcadia and its environs "come alive" with entertainment including a parade, a mock wild west shoot out, and barbecues.

The Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo, Florida's oldest (and we think best) rodeo, is held the second weekend in March each year. The office is open year round and can be reached at 941-494-2014 or toll free at 1-800-749-7633.

Watermelon Festival:

Initially, this festival, under another name, was started by the Fair Association. Over time, its manpower requirements caused a change in sponsorship to the chamber. Due to efforts of the late Mrs. Edna LaZar, then chamber executive director, and Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Ware, local melon brokers, the festival is going strong.

This festival is really a series of activities over a five day period around Memorial Day weekend in May. Three local beauty pageants are staged during the week prior to the festival. Queen selectees compete at state level and if successful, at national competition.

There is tons of food and drinks. Of course all the watermelon you can eat. Continuous entertainment, arts & crafts and quite a few game booths for the kids.

We also boast a "Wild Wacky Wiver Wace", a Seed Spitting Contest, a Watermelon Eating Contest, and no one can pass up all the lovely ladies in our $1.97 cent Beauty Contest. Words can not begin to describe these gals.

Christmas Parade & Christmas Card Lane:

Generally the parade is held the first Saturday evening in December. Over 50 decorated units are provided by the community with a traditional visit by Santa. An annual lighting of the Community Christmas Tree and the Chamber Open House in McSwain Park immediately follows the parade.

Christmas Card Lane begins in early December and lasts about thirty days. More than 70 oversized cards are displayed in DeSoto Park by local organizations, churches, schools, individuals, and businesses in a lighted drive-through setting. The lane is especially beautiful at night and draws many people to Arcadia.

Another wonderful Christmas time activity is our tour through the old historical homes scattered all through Arcadia. Many residents are wonderful enough to open their homes during the Christmas Season for any one to tour. You can even rent one of our fine horse drawn carriages (privately owned) to take you about your way. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet some true Arcadians (and transplants) and see first hand the fine designs used in the construction of these homes.

What does DeSoto County NOT have?

* High Property Taxes
* Traffic Jams & Congestion
* Smog or Air Pollution
* Smog or air pollution
* High Crime Rate (but we do have a modern jail and a well equipped Police and
Sheriff's Department)
* Snow and Ice (except in your tea)
* Direct expose to Hurricanes
* An opera (but we have an old opera house)
* Symphonic Orchestra (but we have a high school band)
* Pushy Real Estate People
* High Rise Condominiums
* Surly waitresses, store clerks, or local offices
* Dirty Industry (and we don't want it)
* Beaches (but many close by)
* International Airport (we have a fine small city owned facility for private planes)
* High priced property and over priced homes

It's a great place to live - where Florida climate combines with old fashioned southern charm and friendliness, close enough to all the amenities of the rapidly growing coastal area, but far enough away to escape their high costs and loss of friendliness.

Arcadia, the DeSoto County Seat, was named the "Best Small Town in Florida" by author Norman Crampton. It is the kind of place you've been looking for the home of 25,000 friendly folks!

Some Key Attractions in Florida located no further away than 2 hours:

1. Florida East Coast: Atlantic Ocean, Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center
135 miles.

2. Orlando Area: All the Disney World Theme Parks, Universal Studios, Sea World, Church Street Station, too many attraction to list! 95 miles.

3. Winter Haven: Cypress Gardens, a national leader in water skiing, beautiful gardens, ice skating, and much more. 60 miles.

4. Lake Wales: Bok Carillon Tower and Gardens, Spook Hill and Passion Play.
62 miles.

5. Tampa: Busch Gardens, Historic Ybor City, Florida State Fair, Tampa Bay Bucs
football, Devil Rays baseball team, The Lightening hockey team, pro soccer,
Sundome entertainment center, The Ice Palace entertainment center, University
of South Florida, zoo, and much more! 82 miles.

6. St. Petersburg: Sunken Gardens, MGM's Bounty ship, Grand Prix downtown auto
races. Salvador Dali museum, Gulf Beaches. Bayfront Center for top
entertainers. 75 miles.

7. Bradenton: Gulf Beaches, DeSoto Celebration, DeSoto National Memorial, Bishop
Planetarium, South Florida Museum, stock car racing. 51 miles.

8. Sarasota: Ringling Museum of Art, John and Mable Ringling home, Asolo Theatre,
Gulf Beaches, Van Wezel Performing Arts auditorium which has top entertainers,
Jungle Gardens, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, pro golf and tennis tournaments.
48 miles.

9. Venice: Winter home of the Ringling Bros. Circus and its Clown College; Gulf
Beaches and on of the world's top spots for collection of sharks teeth. 53 miles.

10. Fort Myers: Thomas A. Edison's winter home and laboratory, Pageant of Lights,
nearby Sanibel Island, one of the world's best beaches for collection of shells.
46 miles.

11. Okeechobee and the Everglades: Everglades National Park, Seminole Indian Reservation and its bingo games; fishing and boating on one of the worlds largest
lakes. 64 miles.

12. Sebring: Highlands Hammock State Park, annual Grand Prix endurance auto races
and lakes. 49 miles.

All we're missing is your friendly face.

Hope to see you soon!