COUNTYSPOTLIGHT:DESOTOCOUNTY
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Spring2014Newsletterof theFCIAAO
DeSotoCounty is located inFlorida’sHeartlandalong thePeaceRiver
andUSHighway 17. It isnamed for theSpanishexplorerHernando
DeSotoandwas created fromManateeCounty in 1887. Until1921De-
Sotowasoneofthe largestcounties inthestate,butresidentscomplainedof
thevastdistancesbetweenhomeandcourthouseand itwassubdividedto
createHardee,Charlotte,Highlands,andGladesCounties.
TheoriginalDeSotoCountyseat,whichhadalsoservedManateeCounty
since 1866,was locatedat PineLevel. Eventuallyanew county seat
was createdat "TaterHill Bluff,"whichwas later renamedArcadia in
1888.
Arcadia isthesolemunicipality inDeSotoCountyand isfamedfor itsan-
tiqueshopping.Otherunincorporatedsettlements includeBrownville,
Cubitis,Limestone,Nocatee,HullandFortOgden.
Arcadia isalso thehomeof theoldest rodeoorganization in theStateofFlor-
ida.TheArcadiaAll-FloridaChampionshipRodeobeganback in themiddleof
1928when theAmericanLegionwanted toraisemoney tohelppay foranew
building.A local businessman,whowasamemberof theAmericanLegion,
askedaprominent rancher (ZebParker) if a rodeocouldbeheld to raise
money.Mr. Parkeragreed it couldbedoneandoffered to furnish thestock for
free.
Inpreparation for thisevent, special arrangementsweremade tobring ina
groupofSeminole Indians.TheAmericanLegionand theLion'sClubvolun-
teered tosponsor aparade. TheGovernorof Florida,DoyleE. Carlton, noti-
fiedofficialshewouldbeattending therodeoand theWauchulabandprovided
themusic.The first rodeowasagreat successandcontinues toprovideawin-
dow intoDeSotoCounty’srichheritageof agriculture.
DeSotoCounty’seconomy issustainedprimarily fromagri-
culturalbusinesses.Citrus, cattleranching,andotheragriculturalusescontinue to
comprisea largeportionof the tax roll.Themost recent substantial change in the
tax roll occurred in2010with theadditionofa25megawatt solarphotovoltaic
plant,which isoneof the largest in theUnitedStates.
Hon.NewtKeenwas first elected in 1988|Number of Employees: 9|www.desotopa.com
2013PreliminaryTaxRoll At-AGlance
Real PropertyParcels
20,246
ParcelswithAgClass
3,195
TangibleAccounts
5,343
Just (Market) Value
$3,131,776,197
TaxableValue
$1,397,632,981
