Palmetto, Florida

History

A post office called Palmetto has been in operation since 1868. Samuel Sparks Lamb is considered the "Father of Palmetto," having surveyed and plotted the city at its outset and donated several plots of land. He owned a general merchandise store in town. Samuel Sparks Lamb was from Clarke County, Mississippi, and arrived in the area near the Manatee River in 1868 establishing Palmetto. The city received its name from the palmetto trees near the original town site. Palmetto was first incorporated in May 1893 as a village, with its first mayor being P.S. Harlee. Palmetto was reincorporated as a city in 1897 and in the following years grew. In 1902 with the arrival of the railroad, the center of town moved from the waterfront to the Seaboard Air Line train station, served by the Sarasota Branch from Turkey Creek near Plant City through Palmetto to "Bradentown" and Sarasota. By 1921, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was operating a Tampa Southern Railroad Branch from Tampa to Palmetto and "Bradentown".

Compiled during the late 1930s and first published in 1939, the Federal Writers' Project's Florida guide listed Palmetto's population as 3,043 and described it as:{{Blockquote

A dolomite mine existed in Palmetto on the Manatee River from the 1950s to 1974. Several failed attempts were made to redevelop the property. In 1974, the property was almost sold for residential development, but the company backed out due to the economic recession that was occurring. In 1978, a proposal was made to create a residential community on the site. The site's master plan contained a nationwide motel chain with a restaurant, high-rise apartments along the Manatee River, single-family houses, and a shopping center built around a lake created from mining activities. The former 214 acre dolomite mine site was bought by WC Riveria Partners. It was then redeveloped in 1998 as Riveria Dunes, a residential community with a marina, townhouses, and homes.

Geography

Palmetto is in central Manatee County, on the north side of the tidal Manatee River, across from the city of Bradenton, the county seat. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.8 sqmi, of which 5.3 sqmi are land and 0.5 sqmi 8.26%, are water.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 13,323 people, 4,715 households, and 3,043 families residing in the city.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 12,606 people, 5,537 households, and 3,085 families residing in the city.

In 2010, 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present. Within all households, 28.1% were made up of householders living alone and 14.8% had the individual living alone and was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.07.

In 2010, the age distribution among the population includes 24.8% being 19 years old and under, 5.6% from 20 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.012 males. For every 100 males age 18 and over, there were 98.86 females.

Government

The mayor of Palmetto is the city's head executive and is elected every four years. The city commission serves as the city's legislative body and has five members. Three of the commissioners are elected from their respective wards while the other two are elected at-large citywide. The city commission has the power to elect a vice-mayor who serves for a one-year term.

Palmetto has an official seal which is defined under the municipal code of ordinances. An earlier seal of Palmetto containing a Palm tree and text (also in green): "CITY OF PALMETTO" was replaced in 1997.

Education

School District of Manatee County is the respective school district.

Palmetto is home to Blackburn, Palmetto, James Tillman, Virgil Mills and Palmview Elementary Schools, Lincoln and Buffalo Creek Middle Schools and Palmetto High School. Charter schools include Manatee School for the Arts (grades 6–12), Imagine School of North Manatee (grades K–8), and Palmetto Charter School (grades K–8).

Media

The metro area has TV broadcasting stations that serve the Tampa-Saint Petersburg-Sarasota (DMA) as defined by Nielsen Media Research.

Transportation

US Route 41 and US Route 301 converge in Palmetto. I-275 begins at exit 228 of I-75 with two lanes in each direction in rural Palmetto.

The Atlantic Coast Line's West Coast Champion passenger train into Palmetto, from New York bound for Sarasota, ceased making stops in Palmetto after the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Coast Line merged in 1967 into the Seaboard Coast Line and Palmetto was dropped as a stop.

Notable people

• George Dickie, philosopher
• Eric Engberg, former CBS News correspondent
• Winfield R. Gaylord, Wisconsin state senator, socialist politician, minister
• Ralph Haben, former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
• Tom Hume, former pitcher and coach for Cincinnati Reds
• Curtis Johnson, sprinter in the 2000 Summer Olympics
• Nick Neri, race car driver
• Mistral Raymond, former NFL defensive back for the Minnesota Vikings
• Willie Taggart, head coach for several teams

Points of interest

• Palmetto Estuary Preserve
• Palmetto Historic District
• Palmetto Historical Park

References

References

1. "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Florida". United States Census Bureau.
2. "P1. Race – Palmetto city, Florida: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau.
3. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
4. {{GNIS. 2404467
5. "Manatee County". Jim Forte Postal History.
6. "City of Palmetto Official Website".
7. "A Place We Call Home: City of Palmetto". WWSB ABC7.
8. "Speech by Carl D. King "Boat Trip: Cruise from Dock at Cortez to Gamble Mansion on Manatee River"".
9. Grimes, David. (November 23, 1979). "The Legends Behind Manatee Names". Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
10. Parvin, Elizabeth. (April 15, 1970). "Early Cultural and Social Life of Manatee County".
11. "City of Palmetto, FL - Official Website - History".
12. (January 1910). "Seaboard Air Line Railway, p. 1129". National Railway Publication Company.
13. (June 1921). "Seaboard Air Line Railway, p. 467". National Railway Publication Company.
14. Federal Writers' Project. (1947). "Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State". Oxford University Press.
15. "Palmetto's Dixie Dolomite Plant".
16. Stockbridge-Pratt, Dorothy. (November 24, 2002). "Quarrying Profits". [[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]].
17. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
18. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Palmetto city, Florida".
19. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Palmetto city, Florida".
20. "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Palmetto city, Florida".
21. "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Palmetto city, Florida".
22. "Palmetto City, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau.
23. "Code of Ordinances {{!}} PART I - CHARTER".
24. "CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PALMETTO, FLORIDA: Chapter 2 Administration - Article I. - IN GENERAL Sec. 2-1. - Official seal of the City of Palmetto".
25. The Bradenton Herald. (December 1996). "Palmetto Retires City Seal".
26. (December 1966). "Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, Table 6". National Railway Publication Company.
27. Seaboard Coast Line timetable, December 15, 1967, Table 19
28. (1943-02-24). "Winfield R. Gaylord". [[Tampa Bay Times]].
29. Associated Press. (November 15, 1978). "Ralph Haben Expected to Win Speaker Post". [[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]].
30. [http://www.wkusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112809aaa.html WKU Names Willie Taggart New Head Football Coach]. Retrieved April 5, 2016