Citrus county history

CITRUS COUNTY

• HISTORY

Early History

• The first humans arrived in Florida about 14,000 years ago. They found a land that extended far out into the Gulf of Mexico. The present Citrus County shore line was at that time almost 200 feet above sea level. Very little is known about these early nomadic people.

Early History – Crystal River Archaeological Site

• The Crystal River State Archaeological Site gives us the first glimpse at the earliest settlements in Citrus County. For 1,600 years (200 B.C. until A.D. 1400), Indians of the Deptford culture appear to have occupied this site. The 14 acre six mound complex is one of the most imposing prehistoric ceremonial centers on Florida's west coast.

Early History - De Soto

• The Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto visited Citrus County around 1539, as part of a long trek through Florida and much of the future Southeast United States. Indian burial mounds in the area contain artifacts of that expedition. The County of Hernando, named in honor of De Soto, was established On February 27, 1843.

Early History – Census (future Citrus County was HUGE!)

• In 1885, the census ranked Floral City twice as bigger as Miami, with a population of 300 persons to Miami's 150. In that same census, Mannfield, which was to become the county seat of Citrus County a few years later, had a population of 250 and Crystal River had a population of 200. The town of Tompkinsville, which would later become Inverness, had a recorded population of 30.

BIRTHDAY

• Citrus County was born on June 2, 1887.

• Governor E.A. Perry (14th governor of Florida) signed into law a measure passed by the Legislature to slice Hernando County into three parts to create Citrus, Pasco, and Hernando Counties.

County Seat

• The legislation spelled out that the town of Mannfield would be the temporary county seat of Citrus County for two years "and until removed by a vote of the registered voters of said county".

• Mannfield sat in the geographical center of Citrus County.

MANNFIELD

MANNFIELD to INVERNESS

INVERNESS – County Seat

Inverness Courthouse

COURTHOUSE RENOVATION

Elvis helped the renovation!

Civil War – Yulee Sugarmill

GHOST TOWNS