Arcadia

While surveying for a canal in 1881, Captain J. Francis LeBaron, chief engineer of a detachment of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, discovered river pebbles high in phosphate – a major component of mineral fertilizer – easily accessible in the Peace River. But little was made of this discovery for several years.

In 1883, the Arcadia Post Office was established on the property. The name allegedly came from Rev. James Madison “Boss” Hendry’s desire to thank a young neighbor girl for baking him a birthday cake.

Around that time, two businessmen from Orlando accidentally discovered high levels of phosphate in the land they were hunting off Charlotte Harbor. The two men concocted a plan where they purchased land from current owners for a small price, warning them that there was ‘tannic acid’ in the saw palmetto bushes. They would then “remove” the tannic acid – really mining the phosphate – and sell the ‘treated’ land back to the original owners.

The Florida Southern Railway arrived in 1886, building a station in the growing community, sandwiched between Punta Gorda & Bartow. The railroad brought hundreds of visitors and new residents to the town, which was formally incorporated 9 months later.

At that time, Arcadia sat within Manatee County. However, growth and homesteading fairly exploded in Southern Florida after the Civil War, and Manatee was split about a year later. The new DeSoto County stretched from Charlotte Harbor to Lake Okeechobee and from Polk County to Lee County.

As it happened, Arcadia sat in the central portion of the DeSoto County, but a city called Pine Level had been the county seat of Manatee County, and its residents believed it should maintain that status in DeSoto County. After extensive debate, many cities vying for the title, and three votes, the final decision went to Arcadia. It helped that the town’s government had promised to build a county government building and courthouse out of their own pocket.

In 1892, Henry Plant gained control of the Florida Southern Railroad, and added it to his extensive Plant System of transportation. It would later become the Atlantic Coastline Railroad (ACL).

By now, phosphate mining and citrus growing were the two major industries in Arcadia. Unfortunately, the Great Freeze of 1894-95 crippled the citrus groves and shortly thereafter, the mining operations petered out as well.

Despite the hardships, Arcadia managed to incorporate as a city in 1901, but just 4 years later, was almost destroyed by a fire on Thanksgiving Day. The lack of central water lines left the fire raging out of control, destroying all but 3 of the community’s burgeoning downtown. Not a single life was lost, but the damages exceeded $250,000.

The city began to slowly rebuild, with the City Council outlawing the building of structures that were not stone or brick. The rebirth was aided in 1907 when the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railway came into town, adding another means of exporting goods and importing people. Another short railway was constructed in 1913 to connect to Bradenton and try and save the town of Pine Level, but the former county seat would become a ghost town.

When the United States joined the Allies in The War to End All Wars, Arcadia was tapped to be a training ground for fighter plane, aka, pursuit pilots – likely due to the Wright Brothers own past interest in the area. In 1917, Carlstrom Field, a grass airfield of the U.S. Army Air Service named for deceased aviation pioneer Victor Carlstrom opened up, and Arcadia nicknamed itself “Aviation City.”

The airfield would later be taken over by Embry Riddle, and then used again during World War II to train British RAF pilots. The land later became a hospital, and now serves as the Desoto County Juvenile Correctional Complex.

Along with the airfield, the Dixie Highway came through Arcadia. The town was the turning point of the road as it came down from Kissimmee, then streaked across to the East coast of the Sunshine state.

After the First World War, many former service men who had trained at Carlstrom Field in Arcadia, as well as nearby Dorr Field returned to the area to settle. By 1921, DeSoto County had become unmanageable, and the state voted to split it into four additional counties – Charlotte, Hardee, Glades and Highlands Counties. Arcadia remains the County Seat of DeSoto to this day.

On the outskirts of Arcadia proper, cattle ranchers still raised heads of beef for meat, milk, and occasional sport. But in 1928, the local American Legion would help establish the future of Arcadia with a simple building fundraiser – a rodeo.

The Legion post sent out invitations to everyone, including the local Seminoles who had relocated to Big Cypress Swamp several years earlier, the migrant workers in the citrus groves, and even the state Governor (who came). The first annual Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo was a smashing success, and kept the community going and connected during the lean years of the Great Depression.

A good majority of the cattle in Florida that makes it 12th in the country for beef production graze in and around Arcadia. The rodeo, now held 3 times a year, remains one of the biggest events in the area.

In 1984, application was made with the Department of the Interior to add the DeSoto County Courthouse and much of downtown Arcadia to the historical register. The Arcadia Historical District, consisting of more than 370 homes and businesses was approved. In recent years, 4 more private residences within city limits were added in the National Register.

The area is now a popular place to shop for antiques and rare collectibles, with more than 20 stores. And once a month, the district is flooded by more than 100 tents of traveling antique and art sales. It also houses the old train station and the reportedly haunted Opera house.

Arcadia Municipal Airport hosts an annual Aviation Day event in the month of March. The city hosts 6-7 parades every year as well.

Nearly 8000 people now call Arcadia home. The city government and businesses strive to continue the legacy of the rural, small town atmosphere. Life is slower in Arcadia, and that’s how they like it. It’s the type of communities where you not only know your neighbors, you care about them too.