BRIEF HISTORY OF DIXIE COUNTY, FLORIDA
The chronological creation of Florida/Dixie County, Florida is as follows:
1565 First settlement at St. Augustine
1763 ceded to Great Britian
In April of 1773 William Bartram started his four year journey of the southern parts of America. Dr. Fothergill of London, England had hired Bartram to explore Florida for an "account of soil and Natural Productions". During his journey, he comes to an Indian village on the east side of the Suwannee River. Here he stays for several days. Bartram crosses the river into present day Dixie County. He describes the land, trees, Indian villages and trails. He tells of "large handsome canoes, which they form out of the trunks of Cypress trees, some of them commodious enough to accommodate twenty to thirty warriors. In these large canoes, they descend the river on hunting and trading expeditions--sometimes cross the gulph (gulf)--to the Bahama Islands and even to Cuba"
1783 Florida was ceded to Spain
April of 1818 Andrew Jackson led the largest army ever to invade Florida , to the Old Town (now Dixie County), Florida area to push the Indians south of the Suwannee River. This caused such an uproar with Endland and Spain that in
1819 Florida was purchased by the United States
1822 Florida Territory was organized. General Andrew Jackson was appointed Florida's first Territorial Governor.
1845 Florida was admitted to the union, making it the 27th state to join the union.
At this time, Madison County, Florida extended from the Florida/Georgia state line south to the Gulf; and west from the Suwannee River to the Aucilla River.
1856 The lower half of Madison County would be divided into Taylor and Lafayette Counties. December 12, 1856, James W. McQueen, House of Representatives, from Madison County (lived in Old Town) introduced the bill to create two new counties. It was passed. (Mr. McQueen is buried in the Old Town Cemetery.) Lafayette County was named for State Senator James Lafayette Fletcher Cottrell of Old Town.
1909 Old Town School was built.
pril of 1921, the lower half of Lafayette County was proposed to be divided from Lafayette County. With the work of Florida House of Representative McQueen and others, Dixie County was created. Governor Hardee signed the bill and appointed Thomas P. Chaires and George W. Overstreet to finish out their elected terms of Lafayette County Commissioners as Dixie County Commissioners. Cross City was voted to be the County Seat for Dixie County. The new county had two newspapers.
1921 The Dixie County Advocate established by W.P. Chavous
1927 The Dixie County News established by L.B. George
Dixie County was, then and now, considered the very best in hunting sections. It probably had the largest area of virgin pine timber in Florida and nearly half a million gallons of turpentine and 43,866 barrels of rosin during the year ending June 30, 1932.
1927-28 Putnam Lumber Company established the town of Shamrock, just north of Cross City. They employed hundreds and shipped this beautiful timber all over the world. A complete community of homes, schools, barber shop, ice house, lodge for employees and travelers, restaurant, etc was build for their employees. The restaurant and lodge are all that remain today.
Timber was then and still is today, a very important source of employment for the local residents. Dixie County has a large Correctional Institution, just south of Cross City, off of US 19, that employs hundreds. The largest loss of income was to the fishing industry, with the ban of net fishing by the State of Florida. Sportsfishing is still a very popular activity in the Gulf waters and in the rivers bordering Dixie County. The beautiful sunsets across the Gulf of Mexico are breathtaking from any of the fishing villages: Horseshoe Beach, Shired Island, Jena, and Suwannee. Nature trails are beginning to appear for the lovers of birds, animals, etc. There is a canoe trail along the coast that many enjoy.
This information taken from an article written by Evonne Valentine Cline.