History of Manatee County, Florida in Timeline
Manatee County, situated in Florida, USA, had a population of 399,710 as per the 2020 census. Part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota metropolitan area, its county seat is Bradenton. Established in 1855, the county draws its name from the Florida manatee, the state's official marine mammal. Manatee County is recognized for its access to the southern Tampa Bay estuary, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and the Manatee River.
1904: Pettigrew's First Run for Office
Andrew Jackson Pettigrew ran unsuccessfully for the Florida House of Representatives in 1904, losing to Democrat A.T. Cornwell.
1906: Andrew Jackson Pettigrew Elected to Florida House
Andrew Jackson Pettigrew, a member of the Socialist Party, was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1906, defeating Democrat John A. Graham.
1907: First Independent Library Opens
Bradenton saw the opening of its first independent library in 1907.
1908: Pettigrew's Gubernatorial Run
Andrew Jackson Pettigrew ran for governor of Florida in 1908 but was unsuccessful.
1912: Pettigrew's Run for Secretary of Agriculture
Andrew Jackson Pettigrew ran for Secretary of Agriculture in 1912 but was unsuccessful.
1914: Carnegie Library Opens in Palmetto
A Carnegie Library opened in Palmetto in 1914.
1915: Bealls of Florida Founded
Bealls of Florida, a retail chain, was established in unincorporated Manatee County in 1915.
1918: Carnegie Library Opens in Bradenton
Another Carnegie Library opened in Bradenton in 1918.
1921: Sarasota County Established
The Florida Legislature carved out Sarasota County from Manatee County in 1921, shrinking Manatee County to its current size.
1944: Last Democratic Presidential Win
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the last Democrat to win Manatee County in the 1944 presidential election.
1964: Manatee County Public Library System Created
The Bradenton and Palmetto library associations joined with the Manatee County government to form the Manatee County Public Library System in 1964.
1966: Talking Books Program Launched
A Talking Books program for the blind was initiated in 1966.
1967: First Branch Library Opens
The inaugural branch of the Manatee County Public Library system was established in Bayshore in 1967.
1969: New Libraries in East Ninth Street and Palmetto
In 1969, a new branch on East Ninth Street opened, along with a new building for the Palmetto Library.
1970: Governor Kirk Takes Over School Board
In an attempt to halt desegregation busing, Governor Claude R. Kirk Jr. dismissed Manatee County's superintendent and school board, appointing himself in their place from April 6 to 13, 1970.
1971: Island Branch Opens
An Island branch opened in 1971 and later moved to a new building in 1983.
1978: Central Public Library Opens
The modern Central Public Library opened in downtown Bradenton in 1978.
1983: New Building for Island Branch
The Island branch of the Manatee County Public Library system moved to a new building in 1983.
1991: Braden River Branch Opens
The Braden River branch library opened in 1991 and moved to a new building in 1997.
1994: Rocky Bluff Branch Opens
The Rocky Bluff branch library opened in 1994 and later relocated to a larger facility in Ellenton in 2011.
1997: New Building for Braden River Branch
The Braden River branch library moved to a new building in 1997.
1998: South Manatee Branch Opens
The South Manatee branch library opened in 1998.
2000: Reciprocal Borrowing Begins
Reciprocal borrowing between Manatee and Sarasota County Libraries started in 2000.
2001: PepsiCo Acquires Tropicana
PepsiCo bought the juice company Tropicana in 2001.
2011: Rocky Bluff Branch Relocates
The Rocky Bluff branch library moved to a larger location with a café in Ellenton in 2011.
2017: Library Expands Loanable Items
The Manatee County library system started offering a wider range of items for loan, including musical instruments, tools, and museum passes, in 2017.
2020: 2020 US Census
The 2020 US Census recorded Manatee County's population at 399,710, with a median household income of $59,963.
2020: WiFi Hotspot Lending Program Begins
The library system initiated a program to lend WiFi hotspots to patrons during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the spring of 2020.
September 2021: Lakewood Ranch Library Branch Approved
Manatee County commissioners approved the construction of a seventh library branch in Lakewood Ranch in September 2021.
December 15, 2021: Groundbreaking for East County Library
Manatee County held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new East County library, intended to serve Lakewood Ranch, on December 15, 2021.
2021: PepsiCo Sells Tropicana
PepsiCo sold Tropicana to a French private equity firm in 2021.
2023: Planned Opening of East County Library
The new East County library was initially slated to open in mid-2023.
January 12, 2024: Lakewood Ranch Library Grand Opening
The Lakewood Ranch Library celebrated its grand opening on January 12, 2024.
March 12, 2024: Information Cutoff Date
The information provided in this context is current as of March 12, 2024.
2024: Lakewood Ranch Library Branch Opens
The Lakewood Ranch Library branch celebrated its grand opening on January 12th, 2024.