Dade City Florida Information

History of Dade City

Fifty years of by-gone days may seem to some to be a long time for recalling to memory social and business conditions as they existed in old Fort Dade at that time. There are but few of us left to tell the tale of our sorrows and joys, disappointments and surprises, but there are many descendants of those old pioneers living in Dade City and other sections of Pasco county who will relish being reminded of the trials their forbears encountered in blazing the way for succeeding generations to live in a country inhabited by a prosperous and enlightened people.

Fifty years ago some of the people living in the eastern part of Hernando county (which is now Pasco county) were unacquainted with Brooksville and its inhabitants and did not care to form such acquaintance; they did not violate any of the state laws and were never molested by a sheriff in pursuing their even tenor, therefore they had no business at the county seat and were not invited to participate in the social or political functions of the elite of Hernando's capitol. Yet there is the friendliest feeling between the people of Hernando and Pasco county, connected by blood and life-long friendship, and to cast aspersions upon one you have offended the other.

We marvel at the wonderful changes wrought by those who have made Dade City one of the state's handsomest little cities, a town of lovely homes, splendid business concerns and backed up by profitable orange and grapefruit groves and a vegetable industry unexcelled in many sections of the state.

Fifty years ago Dade City was not on the map; it was old Fort Dade, with two business houses, both of which did not have a combined investment, including buildings and stocks of merchandise, that would inventory more than three thousand dollars. Today there are stores in Dade City that carry stocks of goods valued at more than ten times that amount.