Manatee County, Florida

County in Florida, United States

U.S. county in Florida

Manatee County

U.S. county

Manatee County Administration Building

Seal

Logo

Location within the U.S. state of Florida

Florida's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 27°29′N 82°22′W﻿ / ﻿27.48°N 82.36°W﻿ / 27.48; -82.36
Country|  United States
State|  Florida
Founded| January 9, 1855
Named after| Florida manatee
Seat| Bradenton
Largest city| Bradenton
Area

• Total

| 893 sq mi (2,310 km2)
• Land| 743 sq mi (1,920 km2)
• Water| 150 sq mi (400 km2)  16.8%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 399,710

• Estimate

(2023[1])

| 441,095
• Density| 450/sq mi (170/km2)
Time zone| UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−4 (EDT)
Area code| 941
Congressional district| 16th
Website| www.mymanatee.org

Manatee County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 399,710.[2] Manatee County is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat and largest city is Bradenton.[3] The county was created in 1855 and named for the Florida manatee,[4] Florida's official marine mammal. Features of Manatee County include access to the southern part of the Tampa Bay estuary, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and the Manatee River.

## History

[edit]

### Prehistoric history

[edit]

The area now known as Manatee County had been inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years. Shell middens and other archaeological digs have been conducted throughout the county including at Terra Ceia and at Perico Island. These digs revealed materials belonging to peoples from the Woodland period.[5][6]

### European exploration and early settlement

[edit]

Map of Manatee County in 1856, shortly after its creation

Some historians have suggested that the southern mouth of the Manatee River was the landing site of the De Soto Expedition.[7]

Due to conflict during the Patriot War and First Seminole War, many Native American and African American refugees fled to the Tampa Bay region of Florida and some settled in modern-day Manatee County.[8] The settlement they founded on the Manatee River was called Angola.[9] By 1819, the population of Angola may have reached as high as 600-700 people.[10][11]

The Manatee area was opened to settlement in 1842 with the passing of the federal Armed Occupation Act.[12] Early settlements included the Manatee Colony led by Colonel Samuel Reid that numbered thirty-one individuals both black and white.[13] Other prominent early settlers were Joseph and Hector Braden who moved into an area near the Manatee River in 1842.[14] The two had lost their land for their plantations in Northern Florida during the Panic of 1837. They were said to have heard that there was abundant land in the area. The brothers moved into a log cabin five miles north of the mouth of the Manatee River. Four years later Hector drowned while trying to cross the Manatee River on his horse during a hurricane. Despite this tragic event, Joseph decided he would still build the Braden sugar mill [a] at the mouth of the Manatee River and the Braden River. He later built a dock where Main Street was and fortified the area near his house by building a stockade. A few years later in 1851, he built the Braden Castle, which was made out of tabby and served as his residence. In spring of 1856, the fortified home was attacked by Seminole Indians during the Third Seminole War.[16] It later became a popular tourist attraction in the early 1900s with Tin Can Tourists. He would only stay there for the next six years before moving to Tallahassee.[14]

### County formation and development

[edit]

Manatee County was carved out from a vast Hillsborough County in January 1855 and led by Florida Senate President Hamlin V. Snell.[17] The new county covered 5,000 square miles and included all of what are now Charlotte County, DeSoto County, Glades County, Hardee County, Highlands County, Sarasota County, and part of Lee County.[18][19] The original county seat was Manatee, a village on the southern shore of the Manatee River in what now is eastern Bradenton. In 1866, the county seat was moved from the village of Manatee to Pine Level, as a result of a referendum mandated by the Florida Legislature.[17] In 1887, the county seat was moved again due to the creation of DeSoto County within the existing boundaries.[20] Braiden Town (Bradenton) was selected as the new county seat by referendum of the county residents who mostly resided near the Manatee River.[17] In 1921, Sarasota County was created by the Florida Legislature and further reducing Manatee County to its current boundaries.[20]

### American Civil War

[edit]

Following the Seminole Wars, Manatee County continued to grow both in population and in economic output. Hogs and some sheep were raised, but the land was primarily used for cattle raising.[b] Processed sugar and molasses was produced and exported. This agricultural economy, like much of the south, was increasingly becoming reliant on slave labor.[22] A federal census in 1860 showed that the county had a population of 601 white people and 214 enslaved black people.[23] After the outbreak of the American Civil War, Manatee County provided supplies to the Confederate army. Aside from the Union blockade, the Federal army dispatched raiding parties throughout Florida to further limit the Confederate supply chain. For example, in August 1864, the Union schooner USS Stonewall came up the Manatee river on a raid. According to the Florida State Archives, Dr. Braden's sugar works was destroyed during the raid.[24] However, another source states that Braden's property was left untouched.[25]

According to a partial list of soldiers of the Confederate States of America, the county also sent at least 100 of its citizens to fight.[26] Some of the men from Manatee would be recruited to the 7th Florida Infantry Regiment, which fought as part of the Army of Tennessee.[27]

Within Manatee County is the Gamble Plantation, a sugar plantation and home of Major Robert Gamble.[28] According to some, following the Civil War, the Confederate Secretary of State, Judah P. Benjamin, took refuge at the mansion before escaping to England.[29]

Further information: Sarasota Assassination Society

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 893 square miles (2,310 km2), of which 743 square miles (1,920 km2) is land and 150 square miles (390 km2) (17%) is water.[30]

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Hillsborough County – north
* Polk County – northeast
* Hardee County – east
* DeSoto County – southeast
* Sarasota County – south

### State & Nationally protected areas

[edit]

A great egret in Myakka River State Park

* De Soto National Memorial
* Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge
* Lake Manatee State Park
* Terra Ceia Preserve State Park
* Myakka River State Park
* Madira Bickel Mound State Archaeological Site
* Beker-Wingate Creek State Park

### Rivers

[edit]

* Manatee River
* Wares Creek
* Braden River
* Gamble Creek
* Bowlees Creek

### Lakes

[edit]

* Ward Lake
* Lake Parrish
* Lake Manatee

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1860| 854| | —
1870| 1,931| | 126.1%
1880| 3,544| | 83.5%
1890| 2,895| | −18.3%
1900| 4,663| | 61.1%
1910| 9,550| | 104.8%
1920| 18,712| | 95.9%
1930| 22,502| | 20.3%
1940| 26,098| | 16.0%
1950| 34,704| | 33.0%
1960| 69,168| | 99.3%
1970| 97,115| | 40.4%
1980| 148,442| | 52.9%
1990| 211,707| | 42.6%
2000| 264,002| | 24.7%
2010| 322,833| | 22.3%
2020| 399,710| | 23.8%
2023 (est.)| 441,095| [31]| 10.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[32][33]
Manatee County racial composition as of 2020
(NH = Non-Hispanic)[c] Race  | Pop 2010[36] | Pop 2020[37] | % 2010  | % 2020

|
|
|
|

White (NH)  | 236,950  | 273,101  | 73.4%  | 68.32%
Black or African American (NH)  | 27,228  | 31,147  | 8.43%  | 7.79%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)  | 608  | 779  | 0.19%  | 0.19%
Asian (NH)  | 5,203  | 8,433  | 1.61%  | 2.11%
Pacific Islander (NH)  | 168  | 246  | 0.05%  | 0.06%
Some Other Race (NH)  | 521  | 1,583  | 0.16%  | 0.4%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)  | 4,200  | 13,442  | 1.3%  | 3.36%
Hispanic or Latino | 47,955  | 70,979  | 14.85%  | 17.76%
Total | 322,833 | 399,710 |  |

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 399,710 people, 150,345 households, and 99,157 families residing in the county. By age, the population was spread out as such: 4.6% under 5 years old, 18.0% under 18 years old, and 28.1% 65 years and over. 51.7% of the population was female.

The median income for a household in the county was $59,963 in 2020 dollars and a per capita income in the past 12 months of $35,146. There was a reported 10.9% of the population living in poverty.

## Economy

[edit]

Bealls of Florida has its headquarters and was founded 1915 in unincorporated Manatee County.[38][39]

Tropicana was founded in Manatee County in the 1950s.[40] Tropicana was bought by PepsiCo in 2001. PepsiCo sold Tropicana to a French private equity firm in 2021.[41]

## Libraries

[edit]

Manatee County Public Library System

27°29′55.2″N 82°34′29″W﻿ / ﻿27.498667°N 82.57472°W﻿ / 27.498667; -82.57472
Location| 1301 Barcarrota Blvd West
Bradenton, Florida 34203
Type| Public
Established| 1964
Branches| 7
Collection
Items collected| books, movies, newspapers
Size| 30,000
Access and use
Population served| 322,000
Members| 20,000
Other information
Budget| $25,000
Employees| 120
Website| mymanatee.org/library

The Manatee County Public Library System offers a collection of adult, young adult, and children's materials, as well as a genealogy section and a local history collection in the form of the Eaton Florida History Reading Room.[42] Public computers are available at all library locations. The library also has a digital collection that includes e-books through OverDrive, Inc. and Libby; television shows, movies and more e-books through Hoopla; and magazines through Flipster;[43] and local images and documents from the late nineteenth century to the early 1980s.[1]

The libraries also offer author luncheons, children's story times, summer reading programs, job fairs, and book discussion groups.

The library system serves the county in seven locations:

* Central - Bradenton
* Palmetto - Palmetto
* Braden River - Bradenton
* Island - Holmes Beach
* South Manatee - Bradenton
* Rocky Bluff - Ellenton
* Lakewood Ranch - Bradenton
* Talking Book Library is administered through the Bureau of Braille and Talking Books Library, Daytona [2]

In September 2021, a seventh branch was approved by county commissioners, to be built in Lakewood Ranch.[44] The library's grand opening was on January 12, 2024.[45]

Library cards are free to those who reside, own property, attend school, or work in Manatee County. Non-residents may obtain a temporary card upon payment of a $25.00 annual fee.[46][47][48]

Manatee County participates in the Little Free Library program. There are several Little Free Libraries at parks and other public places around the county.[49]

### History of libraries

[edit]

Original Bradenton Library Palmetto's Carnegie Library, built in 1914 Bradenton's Carnegie Library, built in 1918

Manatee County's first public library was a privately owned rental library created by Julia Fuller at the Mrs. Bass Dry Goods store in 1898. The county's first independent library opened in Bradenton in 1907, followed a Carnegie Library in Palmetto in 1914 and another in Bradenton in 1918. For much of the twentieth century, both cities' libraries were free to city residents while county residents had to pay a non-resident fee. In 1964, the Bradenton and Palmetto library associations merged with the Manatee County government to create the Manatee County Public Library System. This was followed by the establishment of a bookmobile for rural areas in 1964 and a Talking Books program for the blind in 1966.[50]

As demands on the bookmobile grew and the library collection outstripped the existing buildings in Bradenton and Palmetto, the first branch of the Manatee County Public Library system was built in Bayshore in 1967, followed by a new branch on East Ninth Street in 1969 and an Island branch in 1971, the last of which was moved into a new building in 1983. A new building for the Palmetto Library was built in 1969, followed by the modern Central Public Library in downtown Bradenton in 1978.[51]

The 1990s saw a period of rapid growth in Manatee County and the library system grew accordingly, with the Braden River, Rocky Bluff, and South Manatee branches opening in 1991, 1994, and 1998, respectively. The Braden River branch moved to a new building in 1997. The Rocky Bluff location would be moved to a larger location, featuring a built in café, in 2011. The new location is still physically within Ellenton. The additions as well as investment into various technologies such as modern computers, a 3-D Printing Lab, as well as new loanable items, brings Manatee County Libraries to its modern services.[52]

Reciprocal borrowing began in 2000 between Manatee and Sarasota County Libraries, which would be followed by statewide reciprocal borrowing programs. Starting in 2017, the Manatee County library system began offering items including musical instruments, tools, telescopes, binoculars, cake pans, hotspots, and museum passes. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the library system began offering WiFi hotspots to patrons in order to provide internet service remotely to work safely and at home. This began in Spring of 2020.[citation needed]

On December 15, 2021, the county broke ground for a new East County library, which was to serve the community of Lakewood Ranch. The new library was scheduled to open mid-2023.[53] The new library, dubbed the Lakewood Ranch Library, had its grand opening on January 12, 2024.[54]

## Education

[edit]

### Primary and secondary education

[edit]

* Manatee County School District – Public K-12 School district serving all of Manatee County

### Higher education

[edit]

* Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Bradenton – Private, nonprofit graduate school of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy
* State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota (SCF) – Public, four-year state college, branch campus of State College of Florida
* University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus (USF)-Preeminent, Public Research University and member of the American Association of Universities (AAU)

## Communities

[edit]

Map of Manatee County indicating incorporated municipalities:

1. Anna Maria
2. Bradenton
3. Bradenton Beach
4. Holmes Beach
5. Longboat Key
6. Palmetto

### Cities

[edit]

* Anna Maria
* Bradenton
* Bradenton Beach
* Holmes Beach
* Palmetto

### Town

[edit]

* Longboat Key (part)

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Bayshore Gardens
* Cortez
* Ellenton
* Lakewood Ranch (part)
* Memphis
* Samoset
* South Bradenton
* West Bradenton
* West Samoset
* Whitfield

### Unincorporated places

[edit]

* Cedar Hammock
* Duette
* Elwood Park
* Fort Hamer
* Foxleigh
* Gillette
* Lake Manatee
* Manavista
* Manhattan
* Marsh Island
* Memphis Heights
* Myakka City
* Oak Knoll
* Oneco
* Palm View
* Palma Sola
* Parrish
* Rattlesnake Key
* Rubonia
* Rye
* Snead Island
* Tara
* Terra Ceia
* Verna
* Village of the Arts
* Ward Lake
* Waterbury
* Willow

## Transportation

[edit]

Manatee County has a county transportation service, MCAT. It serves this county, Pinellas County, and Sarasota County.[55]

### Airports

[edit]

* Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport
* Airport Manatee 48X, a small local airport located near US Highway 41 and SeaPort Manatee.

### Major Roads

[edit]

### Interstates

[edit]

* Interstate 75 – the county's major north-south limited-access freeway
* Interstate 275 – the Interstate begins westward from I-75 near Palmetto and has an interchange with US Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail) and begins a concurrency with US Route 19 for 13 miles (21 km) including the Sunshine Skyway Bridge

### U.S. Highways

[edit]

* U.S. Route 19
* U.S. Route 41, Tamiami Trail
* U.S. Route 301

### State and County Roads

[edit]

* State Road 64
* State Road 70
* State Road 684 (Cortez Road)
* State Road 789
* State Road 62
* State Road 37
* Rutland Road
* University Parkway

### Waterways

[edit]

* Intracoastal Waterway
* Manatee River

### Ports

[edit]

* SeaPort Manatee

## Government

[edit]

### Political history

[edit]

Manatee County is part of the strongly Republican Sun Belt. The area became a Republican stronghold following World War II and has remained so since: the last Democrat to win Manatee County was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944.[56]

During the peak of the Socialist Party's prominence in the early 20th century, Manatee County would elect the only socialist to the state legislature, Andrew Jackson Pettigrew to the Florida House of Representatives in 1906 for one term defeating John A. Graham (who was a Democrat) in the general election.[57] As a state legislator he would make several proposals that were inline with what the Party reflected at the national level such as making US Senators popularly elected and creating a national income tax. Overall as a state legislator he would make little progress in getting legislation proposed by him passed.[58] Prior to the 1906 race he would run in 1904 for the same position unsuccessfully losing to A.T. Cornwell (also a Democrat) who had served as Bradenton's first mayor and in a variety of positions at the county level. Pettigrew would later go on to run for governor in 1908 and Secretary of Agriculture in 1912 being unsuccessful in both races.[57]

In 1970, Governor Claude R. Kirk Jr. fired Manatee County's superintendent along with the entire school board and appointed himself in their place in an attempt to end desegregation busing.[59] This situation would last from April 6 to 13 before Kirk left his position as the superintendent.[60]

### Law enforcement and justice

[edit]

#### Sheriff's Office

[edit]

Unincorporated Manatee County is served by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.[61]

#### Justice

[edit]

##### Circuit Court

[edit]

Manatee County is a part of the Twelfth Circuit Court of Florida.

##### Court of Appeals

[edit]

Manatee County is part of the Second District of Appeals.

### Recent presidential election results

[edit]

United States presidential election results for Manatee County, Florida[62] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 140,486  | 61.13% | 86,674  | 37.72%  | 2,652  | 1.15%
2020 | 124,987  | 57.47% | 90,166  | 41.46%  | 2,319  | 1.07%
2016 | 101,944  | 56.40% | 71,224  | 39.40%  | 7,589  | 4.20%
2012 | 85,627  | 55.65% | 66,503  | 43.22%  | 1,736  | 1.13%
2008 | 80,721  | 52.94% | 70,034  | 45.93%  | 1,712  | 1.12%
2004 | 81,318  | 56.62% | 61,262  | 42.66%  | 1,041  | 0.72%
2000 | 58,023  | 52.58% | 49,226  | 44.61%  | 3,095  | 2.80%
1996 | 44,136  | 45.56% | 41,891  | 43.24%  | 10,851  | 11.20%
1992 | 42,725  | 42.63% | 33,841  | 33.77%  | 23,654  | 23.60%
1988 | 51,187  | 65.53% | 26,624  | 34.08%  | 302  | 0.39%
1984 | 55,793  | 72.75% | 20,889  | 27.24%  | 6  | 0.01%
1980 | 40,535  | 61.81% | 21,679  | 33.06%  | 3,362  | 5.13%
1976 | 29,300  | 53.90% | 24,342  | 44.78%  | 718  | 1.32%
1972 | 32,664  | 79.79% | 8,058  | 19.68%  | 218  | 0.53%
1968 | 18,247  | 52.51% | 8,286  | 23.85%  | 8,214  | 23.64%
1964 | 17,147  | 56.74% | 13,074  | 43.26%  | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 16,462  | 65.13% | 8,814  | 34.87%  | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 11,904  | 68.82% | 5,394  | 31.18%  | 0  | 0.00%
1952 | 9,055  | 66.40% | 4,583  | 33.60%  | 0  | 0.00%
1948 | 3,371  | 44.30% | 2,766  | 36.35%  | 1,473  | 19.36%
1944 | 2,218  | 32.80%  | 4,544  | 67.20% | 0  | 0.00%
1940 | 1,983  | 27.87%  | 5,131  | 72.13% | 0  | 0.00%
1936 | 1,455  | 29.44%  | 3,487  | 70.56% | 0  | 0.00%
1932 | 1,280  | 30.67%  | 2,894  | 69.33% | 0  | 0.00%
1928 | 2,705  | 63.87% | 1,472  | 34.76%  | 58  | 1.37%
1924 | 629  | 32.54%  | 1,064  | 55.04% | 240  | 12.42%
1920 | 884  | 30.83%  | 1,790  | 62.43% | 193  | 6.73%
1916 | 289  | 18.67%  | 1,033  | 66.73% | 226  | 14.60%
1912 | 55  | 5.31%  | 712  | 68.73% | 269  | 25.97%
1908 | 93  | 10.23%  | 644  | 70.85% | 172  | 18.92%
1904 | 91  | 10.64%  | 592  | 69.24% | 172  | 20.12%
1900 | 60  | 8.72%  | 535  | 77.76% | 93  | 13.52%
1896 | 135  | 21.26%  | 480  | 75.59% | 20  | 3.15%
1892 | 0  | 0.00%  | 348  | 83.25% | 70  | 16.75%

### Government officials

[edit]

#### United States Senate

[edit]

Office | Senator | Party

|
|

Class 3 Senator | Marco Rubio | Republican
Class 1 Senator | Rick Scott | Republican

#### United States House of Representatives

[edit]

District | Representative | Party

|
|

Florida's 16th Congressional District | Vern Buchanan | Republican

#### Florida State Senate

[edit]

District | Senator | Party

|
|

21 | Jim Boyd | Republican

#### Florida House of Representatives

[edit]

District | Representative | Party

|
|

70 | Michael Owen | Republican
71 | Will Robinson | Republican
72 | Bill Conerly | Republican

#### Manatee County Board of County Commissioners

[edit]

The Board of Commissioners includes the following:[63]

Position  | Incumbent

|

District 1  | Carol Ann Felts
District 2  | Amanda Ballard
District 3  | Tal Siddique
District 4  | Mike Rahn
District 5  | Bob McCann
District 6[note 1] | Jason Bearden
District 7[note 1] | George Kruse (Chair)

1. ^ a b At-large, representing the entire county.

#### Public education

[edit]

Manatee County School Board[64]

Position  | Incumbent  | Term ends
District 1  | Heather Felton  | November 2028
District 2  | Cindy Spray  | November 2026
District 3  | Charlie Kennedy  | November 2028
District 4  | Chad Choate III  | November 2026
District 5  | Richard Tatem  | November 2026

#### Other offices

[edit]

Constitutional officers  Office  | Name  | Party  | First elected

|
|
|

| Clerk of the Circuit Court  | Angelina M. Colonneso  | Republican | 2015†
| Property Appraiser  | Charles E. Hackney  | Republican | 1992
| Sheriff  | Rick Wells  | Republican | 2016†
| Supervisor of Elections[65] | Mike Bennett  | Republican | 2013
| Tax Collector[66] | Ken Burton, Jr  | Republican | 1992

### Voter registration

[edit]

Information as of May 21, 2025.[67]

Voter registration and party enrollment

Party  | Number of voters  | Percentage
| Republican | 132,912  | 49.54%
| Democratic | 65,251  | 24.32%
| Others  | 70,155  | 26.15%
Total  | 268,318  | 100%

## See also

[edit]

* Florida portal

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Manatee County, Florida

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Sugar production became a major industry in the area during the 1840s and several major sugar works were established.[15]
2. ^ The cattle to person ratio in Manatee County in 1860 was 37 to one.[21]
3. ^ Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[34][35]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
2. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. ^ Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 33.
5. ^ Willey, Gordon (January 1948). "Culture Sequence in the Manatee Region of West Florida". American Antiquity. 13 (3): 210. doi:10.2307/275425. JSTOR 275425. S2CID 161791092. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
6. ^ Bullen, Ripley (1951). "Terra Ceia Site, Manatee County, Florida". Florida Anthropological Society: 7–9. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
7. ^ Bullen. p. 7
8. ^ Oldham, Vickie, Looking for Angola
9. ^ Eger, Issac, Angola Highlights Florida’s History as a Haven for Escaped Enslaved People: The settlement has been called one of the most significant historical sites in Florida and perhaps the United States, Sarasota Magazine, October 19, 2023
10. ^ Rivers, Larry E. (2000). Slavery in Florida : territorial days to emancipation. Gainesville: University Press of Florida. pp. 7–8\. ISBN 9780813018133.
11. ^ Time Sifters, Remembering The Manatee River Maroons Of 1821: Heritage, Archaeology, and Digital Reconstructions, Time Sifters Archaeology Society, Sarasota, Florida
12. ^ "An Act to provide for the armed occupation and settlement of the unsettled part of the Peninsula of East Florida". Retrieved April 13, 2022.
13. ^ Knetsch, Joe (2000). "The Army Vs. The Indians Vs. The Settlers: The South Florida Frontier Between the Seminole Wars". Sunland Tribune. 26 (10): 2. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
14. ^ a b "Manatee History Matters: Braidentown, Bradentown, Bradenton - What's in a name?". bradenton. Archived from the original on May 22, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
15. ^ Camp, Paul (1979). "The Attack on Braden Castle: Robert Braden Castle: Robert Gamble t Gamble's Account". Tampa Bay History. 1 (8): 1–8. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
16. ^ Camp 1979, p. 1.
17. ^ a b c Smith, Jr., Gilbert A. (2012). Lawyers & Legends of Manatee County: The History of Lawyers in Manatee County from 1855-2012. Johnson Printing, Bradenton, FL. ISBN 978-0-615-74080-5.
18. ^ "Pioneer Life in Manatee County". www.mymanatee.org. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
19. ^ Manatee County Sheriffs Office: 1855-2005 150th Anniversary History and Pictorial. United States: Turner Publishing Company. 2005. p. 7.
20. ^ a b Morris, Allen (1997). The Florida Handbook 1997-1998 (26th Biennial ed.). The Peninsular Publishing Company, Tallahassee, FL.
21. ^ Otto, John Solomon (May 1986). "Open-Range Cattle Herding in Antebellum South Florida". Southeastern Geographer. 26 (1): 56. doi:10.1353/sgo.1986.0001. JSTOR 44370789. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
22. ^ Matthews, Janet (1983). Edge of Wilderness. Tulsa, OK: Caprine Press. p. 249\. ISBN 0914381008.
23. ^ "1860 8th Federal Census" (PDF). Retrieved April 11, 2022.
24. ^ "Dr. Joseph Addison Braden's sugar mill - Bradenton, Florida". State Archives of Florida. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
25. ^ Camp 1979, p. 3.
26. ^ Matthews 1983, p. 254.
27. ^ "Battle Unit Details: 7th Regiment, Florida Infantry". nps.gov. National Park Service. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
28. ^ "Manatee Genealogical Society - Manatee County". mgsfl.org. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
29. ^ Murphy, Bob. "Judah P. Benjamin Confederate Memorial at Gamble Plantation - Ellenton, Florida". Florida Memory. Florida Department of State. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
30. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
31. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
32. ^ "Preference for Racial or Ethnic Terminology". Infoplease. Retrieved February 8, 2006.
33. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2022". County Population Totals: 2020-2022. U.S. Census Bureau. March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
34. ^ https://www.census.gov/ [not specific enough to verify]
35. ^ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
36. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
37. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
38. ^ "Contact Us Archived December 24, 2009, at the Wayback Machine." Bealls (Florida). Retrieved on December 14, 2009.
39. ^ "Samoset CDP, Florida[permanent dead link]." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on December 14, 2009.
40. ^ Hawkins, R. Rossi, Anthony Talamo (1900-1993), businessman. American National Biography. Retrieved March 28, 2022, from https://www-anb-org.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/view/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.001.0001/anb-9780198606697-e-1002203.
41. ^ Lucas, Amelia (August 3, 2021). "PepsiCo to sell Tropicana and other juice brands for $3.3 billion". CNBC. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
42. ^ "History & Genealogy - Manatee County". mymanatee.org. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
43. ^ "E-Source Home > Entertainment: Movies, Music, & More". mymanatee.org. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
44. ^ Mendoza, Jesse (October 27, 2021). "New library coming to Lakewood Ranch". Sarasota Herald Tribune. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
45. ^ "Lakewood Ranch Library Grand Opening January 12". www.mymanatee.org. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
46. ^ "Library Cards". www.mymanatee.org. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
47. ^ ""Library Card Policies" Retrieved March 15, 2015". Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
48. ^ http://www.mymanatee.org/home/government/departments/neighborhood-services/library/locations-hours.html| Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine "Locations and Hours: Manatee County Public Library System" Retrieved April 19, 2013
49. ^ "Little Free Library Map and Search Tool". littlefreelibrary.org. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
50. ^ Jasper, C. & McCook, K. (1998). The Florida Library History Project. University of South Florida, Tampa. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED422005.pdf on February 19, 2022. pp. 180-181.
51. ^ Jasper & McCook. p. 182
52. ^ "Library History". www.mymanatee.org. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
53. ^ Lockwood, Scott (December 17, 2021). "Construction of the new East County library in Lakewood Ranch officially breaks ground". Your Observer. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
54. ^ "Lakewood Ranch Library Grand Opening January 12". www.mymanatee.org. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
55. ^ "MCAT". www.ridemcat.org. Archived from the original on April 2, 2017. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
56. ^ Sullivan, Robert David (June 29, 2016). "How the red and blue map evolved over the past century". America: The Jesuit Review of Faith & Culture. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
57. ^ a b Griffin, R. Steven; WORKERS OF THE SUNSHINE STATE UNITE!: THE FLORIDA SOCIALIST PARTY DURING THE PROGRESSIVE ERA, 1900-1920
58. ^ Paul, Brad (1999). "Rebels of the New South: the Socialist Party in Dixie, 1892-1920". ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst: 129–132 – via University of Massachusetts Amherst.
59. ^ Governor Claude Kirk presides Over School Board Meeting (Photograph, JPEG), Manatee County Public Library System, June 19, 1970, retrieved August 4, 2022
60. ^ Sanders, Randy (Winter 2001). "Rassling a Governor: Defiance, Desegregation, Claude Kirk, and the Politics of Richard Nixon's Southern Strategy". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 80 (3). Florida Historical Society – via STARS from the University of Central Florida.
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63. ^ "Board of County Commissioners". Manatee County Government. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
64. ^ "School Board Members". School District of Manatee County. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
65. ^ "Manatee County Supervisor of Elections > Home". VoteManatee.com. Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
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67. ^ "Manatee County, FL : Supervisor of Elections". Manatee County, FL : Supervisor of Elections. SOE Software Corporation. May 21, 2025. Retrieved May 21, 2025.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Manatee County, Florida.

Wikisource has the text of an 1879 American Cyclopædia article about Manatee County, Florida.

* Official website
* Manatee Chamber of Commerce

Places adjacent to Manatee County, Florida

|  | Hillsborough County | Polk County

|
|

|  |
Gulf of Mexico |

Manatee County, Florida

| Hardee County
|  |
| Sarasota County | DeSoto County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Manatee County, Florida, United States

County seat: Bradenton

Cities|

* Anna Maria
* Bradenton
* Bradenton Beach
* Holmes Beach
* Palmetto

Town|

* Longboat Key‡

CDPs|

* Bayshore Gardens
* Cortez
* Ellenton
* Lakewood Ranch‡
* Memphis
* Samoset
* South Bradenton
* West Bradenton
* West Samoset
* Whitfield

Unincorporated
communities|

* Bethany
* Cedar Hammock
* Duette
* Edgeville
* Elwood Park
* Fort Hamer
* Foxleigh
* Gillette
* Lorraine
* Manhattan
* Manavista
* Memphis Heights
* Myakka City
* Oak Knoll
* Oneco
* Palm View
* Palma Sola
* Parmalee
* Parrish
* Perico
* Rubonia
* Rye
* Sandy
* Tallevast
* Tara
* Terra Ceia
* Verna‡
* Waterbury

Ghost towns|

* Angola
* Willow

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Florida portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

Geography of Florida

Natural features|

* Beaches
* Caves
* Everglades (drainage and development)
* Keys
* Lakes
* Lake Okeechobee
* Reef
* Rivers
* Sinkholes
* Springs
* Straits
* Swamps

Regions|

* Big Bend
* region
* coast
* Central Florida
* Emerald Coast
* Everglades
* First Coast
* Forgotten Coast
* Gold Coast
* Halifax area
* Heartland
* Keys
* Nature Coast
* North central Florida
* North Florida
* Panhandle
* South Florida
* Southwest Florida
* Space Coast
* Suncoast
* Tampa Bay Area
* Treasure Coast

Metro areas|

* Cape Coral–Fort Myers
* Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
* Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach
* Gainesville
* Homosassa Springs
* Jacksonville
* Lakeland–Winter Haven
* Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
* Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island
* North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton
* Ocala
* Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
* Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville
* Panama City
* Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent
* Port St. Lucie
* Punta Gorda
* Sebastian-Vero Beach
* Sebring
* Tallahassee
* Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
* The Villages

Largest cities|

* Jacksonville
* Miami
* Tampa
* Orlando
* St. Petersburg
* Hialeah
* Port St. Lucie
* Tallahassee
* Cape Coral
* Fort Lauderdale
* Pembroke Pines
* Hollywood
* Gainesville
* Miramar
* Coral Springs
* Palm Bay
* West Palm Beach
* Clearwater
* Lakeland
* Pompano Beach
* Miami Gardens
* Davie

Counties|

* Alachua
* Baker
* Bay
* Bradford
* Brevard
* Broward
* Calhoun
* Charlotte
* Citrus
* Clay
* Collier
* Columbia
* DeSoto
* Dixie
* Duval
* Escambia
* Flagler
* Franklin
* Gadsden
* Gilchrist
* Glades
* Gulf
* Hamilton
* Hardee
* Hendry
* Hernando
* Highlands
* Hillsborough
* Holmes
* Indian River
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Lafayette
* Lake
* Lee
* Leon
* Levy
* Liberty
* Madison
* Manatee
* Marion
* Martin
* Miami‑Dade
* Monroe
* Mosquito (former county)
* Nassau
* Okaloosa
* Okeechobee
* Orange
* Osceola
* Palm Beach
* Pasco
* Pinellas
* Polk
* Putnam
* Santa Rosa
* Sarasota
* Seminole
* St. Johns
* St. Lucie
* Sumter
* Suwannee
* Taylor
* Union
* Volusia
* Wakulla
* Walton
* Washington

Other|

* State forests
* State parks
* Highest points
* Wakulla Volcano

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Other|

* Yale LUX

*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template