DeSoto County, Florida Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

DeSoto County

U.S. county

DeSoto County Courthouse

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Florida

Florida's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Florida

Founded

May 19, 1887

Largest city

Arcadia

Area

• Total

639 sq mi (1,660 km²)

• Land

637 sq mi (1,650 km²)

• Water

2.4 sq mi (6 km²) 0.4%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

33,976

• Estimate

(2023)

35,979

• Density

53.17/sq mi (20.529/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional district

18th

DeSoto County Courthouse

DeSoto County is a county located in the Florida Heartland region of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, about 33,976 people lived here. Its main town and county seat is Arcadia. DeSoto County is part of a larger area that includes North Port, Bradenton, and Sarasota.

History of DeSoto County

Before the Spanish arrived, the Native American Calusa tribe lived in the area that is now DeSoto County.

Early Explorers

In 1513, explorer Ponce De Leon sailed into what is now Charlotte Harbor. He met the Calusa people there. Later, in 1521, he tried to start a colony nearby but was turned away by the Calusa.

In 1528, Spanish explorers Panfilo De Narvaez and Cabeza De Vaca came to the area. They met Calusa people who told them about gold to the north.

In 1539, the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto arrived. DeSoto County is named after him. He explored the region, eventually moving north from Charlotte Harbor.

Becoming Part of the U.S.

Florida was claimed by Spain in 1565. This included what is now DeSoto County. Later, in 1763, the area became part of East Florida under British rule. In 1783, it went back to Spain. Finally, in 1821, it became part of the United States.

In 1841, Camp Ogden (later Fort Ogden) was built. It was a base for the U.S. Army during the Second Seminole War.

County Formation and Changes

DeSoto County was created in 1887 from Manatee County. It was named after Hernando de Soto.

Originally, DeSoto County was much larger. In 1921, the Florida government created several new counties from its land. These included Charlotte, Glades, Hardee, and Highlands counties.

World War II and Hurricane Charley

During World War II, DeSoto County had the Carlstrom Field Air Base. This base trained American and British pilots. After the war, the base was closed. It later became a mental health facility and then a center for young offenders.

On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley hit DeSoto County directly. The strong winds caused a lot of damage to buildings in the county.

Geography of DeSoto County

DeSoto County covers about 639 square miles. Most of this is land, with a small amount of water. The highest point in the county is 96 feet high. The lowest point is sea level, found in the Peace River.

Neighboring Counties

DeSoto County shares borders with these counties:

Hardee County, Florida - to the north
Highlands County, Florida - to the east
Glades County, Florida - to the southeast
Charlotte County, Florida - to the south
Sarasota County, Florida - to the west
Manatee County, Florida - to the northwest

Lakes and Rivers

The largest natural lake in DeSoto County is Sour Orange Lake. There are also a few other small lakes and ponds. The most important river is the Peace River.

People of DeSoto County (Demographics)

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	4,944	—
1900	8,047	62.8%
1910	14,200	76.5%
1920	25,434	79.1%
1930	7,745	−69.5%
1940	7,792	0.6%
1950	9,242	18.6%
1960	11,683	26.4%
1970	13,060	11.8%
1980	19,039	45.8%
1990	23,865	25.3%
2000	32,209	35.0%
2010	34,862	8.2%
2020	33,976	−2.5%
2023 (est.)	35,979	3.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2019

In 2020, DeSoto County had 33,976 people living in 12,421 households.

**DeSoto County Population by Race (2020)**
Race	Number of People	Percentage
White (not Hispanic)	18,624	54.82%
Black or African American (not Hispanic)	4,203	12.37%
Native American or Alaska Native (not Hispanic)	80	0.24%
Asian (not Hispanic)	189	0.56%
Pacific Islander (not Hispanic)	8	0.02%
Other Race (not Hispanic)	80	0.24%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (not Hispanic)	781	2.3%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	10,011	29.46%
Total	33,976

In 2000, the average household had 2.70 people. About 22.70% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age was 36 years.

Library Services

DeSoto County is part of the Heartland Library Cooperative. This library system serves DeSoto and several nearby counties. There is one library branch in Arcadia.

Local Media

Newspaper

The Charlotte Sun newspaper has a special section for DeSoto County called "The Arcadian."

Television

DeSoto County is in the Fort Myers/Naples TV market. Most TV stations from Fort Myers and Naples can be received here. Some stations from the Tampa/St. Petersburg/Sarasota area can also be received.