Verna, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Verna
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 Verna
Location in Manatee County
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| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| Counties | Manatee, Sarasota |
| Elevation | 92 ft (28 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 941 |
| FIPS code | 12-74100 |
| GNIS feature ID | 294959 |
Verna is an area in Florida, United States. It is not an official city or town today. Instead, it is a part of both Manatee County and Sarasota County.
Contents
Verna's Story: A Town That Disappeared
Verna was once a small community that existed from 1915 to 1930. It grew around a stop on the East and West Coast Railroad. This railroad connected Bradenton in Manatee County to Arcadia in DeSoto County.
How Verna Got Its Name
The community started in 1915 on land that used to be the Posey Farm. At first, it was called St. Claire. You can see this name in old railroad ads. But a year later, the name changed. John Posey, who owned the land, renamed it. He chose the name Verna after his daughter, Verna Posey.
Life in Early Verna
A post office opened in Verna in February 1916. In 1915, the Manatee County School Board approved land for a school. By 1918, the Verna School was open, and Lois Bond was its teacher.
By 1923, there were 16 homes in Verna. Two years later, in 1925, the town had more businesses. There was a grocery store, a garage, the post office, a hotel, and a restaurant. It also had a train depot and a gas station. The Verna Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1926.
Big Plans and Big Changes
During the 1920s, Florida had a huge real estate boom. This meant many people wanted to buy land and build new places. John Posey and his business partner, Frank Golden, planned to expand Verna. They worked with other developers from Bradenton.
They created plans for new neighborhoods next to the town. These included Verna Heights, La Verna, and Verna Courts. Ads for these new areas appeared in newspapers from Tampa to Miami. However, these plans never happened. A major economic downturn, like a mini-depression, hit Florida in 1926.
Verna Becomes a City, Then Vanishes
In June 1925, Verna officially became an incorporated town. This meant it had its own local government. But its time as a city was short. In 1927, the Florida State Legislature ordered the town to be dissolved. This process was finished in 1929.
The Verna Post Office closed in January 1930. The school also closed at the end of that spring. The area that was once Verna slowly became part of the nearby Myakka City. Today, the land where Verna once stood is used for farms and small neighborhoods. It is also home to the Myakka City Fire Department.
