HISTORY

City of Palmetto (Click Here For Palmetto History)

The future Palmetto was formed through the purchase of several properties by Madam Joe Atzeroth. In 1850 she purchased 46.46 acres (being sold at a Sheriff’s sale to repay a debt) on the Manatee River for $230. The first store, and second landing place in Palmetto, was built on the site now known as Regatta Point. Four years later Madam Joe purchased 38 more acres for $3 an acre. The Atzeroth’s lived in Palmetto until 1866, at which point the property was sold to Sarah Campbell who in turn resold two years later to S. S. Lamb.

The City of Palmetto dates back to the arrival of Samuel Sparks Lamb in 1868. He is called the “Father of Palmetto”. He even named the town after his home state, South Carolina. When the city became officially established in 1893, Lamb served as one of the first aldermen and continued to be active in Palmetto until his death in 1910.

When the railroad came to Palmetto in 1902, the center of activity for the town shifted from the waterfront closer to the railroad depot, which was located on Main Street, now known as 10th St. The railroad gave contractors a steady supply of bricks. New bricks meant new brick buildings, which were built to replace less permanent structures and attracted new businesses and those currently on the waterfront.

City of Bradenton (Click Here For Bradenton History)

The town of Bradenton, was named after Dr. Joseph Braden (incorrectly spelled as Braidentown), who came here in the 1840’s. On December 1, 1924, it was changed again to Bradenton.

Brothers Joseph and Hector Braden were the first to settle in Manatee County in 1843. They claimed 160 acres of land under the Armed Occupation Act. This entitled them to the land from Ware’s Creek to 10th Street West and between the Manatee River and present day Manatee Avenue. They later built a sugar plantation at the intersection of the Braden and Manatee Rivers.

Despite many problems, by 1855 enough settlers had followed Gates into the area to justify the establishment of a new county. At its creation, Manatee County consisted of 5,000 sq. miles and extended from Gulf of Mexico to Lake Okeechobee.

Shortly afterwards the Civil War disrupted life. It took almost a decade to recover from the effects of war, but by 1880’s growth begun prior to the war had continued. Agriculture remained the county’s chief source of income. Population swelled and by 1878, Bradenton was large enough to warrant a post office.

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