Edgeville, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edgeville, Florida
|
|
|---|---|
 Edgeville, Florida
Location in Florida
Edgeville, Florida
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Manatee |
| Founded | 1915 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 941 |
Edgeville was once a small community in Manatee County, Florida. It started as a "company town" where a business owned most of the homes and stores. Edgeville was also a stop on a railway line. People there used to make turpentine from pine trees. Later, a company that made wooden crates moved in. An important part of Edgeville's history was the school built for African American children.
Contents
The Story of Edgeville
Edgeville began in 1915. It was founded by the Edge-Howard Company. This company made turpentine, a liquid from pine trees. The town was built along the East and West Coast Railway. It was located between Myakka City and Pine Level.
Early Days and Mail
In August 1917, Edgeville got its own post office. This meant people could send and receive mail right in their town. But the post office closed just one year later. After that, mail for Edgeville went through the Myakka City post office instead.
Schools in Edgeville
In 1919, a public school opened in Edgeville. This school was for African American children in the community. White children from Edgeville went to school in nearby Myakka City. This shows how schools were separated in the past.
The Crate Company Arrives
In 1921, a new business came to Edgeville. It was called the Manatee Crate Company. This company owned a huge area of land, about 5,000 acres. They had a mill where they cut down logs. These logs were then used to build wooden crates at their factory. The company even built about 75 homes for its workers.
Life in Edgeville
By the early 1920s, not many families lived in Edgeville. Most residents were employees of the crate mill. In 1923, only 19 households were listed in the local directory. This means it was a very small place.
Plans for Manatee Springs
In 1926, there were big plans for the Edgeville area. A new neighborhood called Manatee Springs was planned. They even built a golf course for this future community. However, these plans did not work out. A real estate crash happened in Florida in 1927. This caused the development to stop.
Edgeville Today
Today, Edgeville is still mostly a farming area. You can find large dairy farms, plant nurseries, and ranches there. It is now considered part of the larger Myakka City area. Edgeville does not have stores or community buildings. Only a few people live there now.
