PALMETTO, FL

Palmetto is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was listed as 12,606. It is part of the North Port–Sarasota–Bradenton Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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 would arrive 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 would first be incorporated in May 1893 as a village with its first mayor being P.S. Harlee. Palmetto would be 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 Sarasota Branch from Turkey Creek near Plant City through Palmetto to 'Bradentown' and Sarasota. By 1921, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad would be 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:

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

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (2.92%) is water.

Demographics

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 12,606 people, 4,891 households, and 3,192 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 6,729 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 72.10% White, 10.5% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 14.2% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.3% of the population.

There were 4,891 total households: 3,192 (65.3%) family households and 1,699 (34.7%) non-family households. Of the 3,192 family households 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 Palmetto, 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 there 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.

Education

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.

The city acts as the background for the TNT drama Claws.

Transportation

US Route 41 and US Route 301 converge in 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

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Points of interest