Old Miakka, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Old Miakka, Florida
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Census-designated place
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| Old Myakka | |
 Old Miakka, Florida
Location in Florida
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| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Sarasota |
| Elevation | 49 ft (15 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,743 |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
34240
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| Area code(s) | 941 |
| FIPS code | 12-51345 |
| GNIS feature ID | 294873 |
Old Miakka (also spelled Old Myakka) is a small community in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It's a "census-designated place," which means it's an area identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistics. Old Miakka is located where County Road 780 makes a bend. In 2020, about 1,743 people lived there. This community is part of the larger North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota metropolitan area in Florida.
History of Old Miakka
The name "Miakka" comes from the Myakka River. Local Native American groups, either Seminole or Miccosukee people, called the river "Miarca."
The name "Miakka" first appeared on maps in 1845. In 1879, the first U.S. Post Office for Miakka was officially registered by Augustus M. Wilson.
The Old Miakka United Methodist Church was built in 1886. The land for the church was given by William Rawls and Augustus M. Wilson. A historical marker was placed at the church in 1982 by the Sarasota County Historical Commission.
The Old Miakka School was built in 1914. There is also a historical marker at the schoolhouse. It was put there by the Sarasota County Historical Commission in 1987.
Why the Name Spells Differently
You might see the name spelled as "Miakka" or "Myakka." In 1940, a person named W. Stanley Hanson tried to find out why there were different spellings. He wrote a letter about it.
In December 1943, the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) decided that "Old Myakka" would be the official spelling. They chose this spelling to help people tell it apart from Myakka City.
However, the BGN also knew that the spelling "Miakka" was found on many official documents. These included maps from the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) and atlases like Rand McNally.
