Dade City, Florida
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Dade City, officially the City of Dade City, is a city in, and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Pasco County, Florida Pasco County is a County (United States), county located on the west central coast in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2024, the population of the county is 656,851, making it the tenth-most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Dade ...
, United States. It is located in the
Tampa Bay Area The Tampa Bay area is a major metropolitan area surrounding Tampa Bay on the Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States. It includes the main cities of Tampa, Florida, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, Florida, Clea ...
, northeast of
Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
and southwest of
Orlando Orlando commonly refers to: * Orlando, Florida, a city in the United States Orlando may also refer to: People * Orlando (given name), a masculine name, includes a list of people with the name * Orlando (surname), includes a list of people wit ...
. The population was 7,275 as of the 2020 census. The current mayor of Dade City is Scott Black. The city was named after U.S. Army Major Francis L. Dade, who was killed—alongside most of the men he led from
Fort Brooke Fort Brooke was a historical military post established at the mouth of the Hillsborough River (Florida), Hillsborough River in present-day Tampa, Florida in 1824. Its original purpose was to serve as a check on and trading post for the native S ...
(present-day
Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
) to
Fort King Fort King (also known as Camp King or Cantonment King) was a United States military fort in north central Florida, near what later developed as the city of Ocala. It was named after U.S. Army Colonel William King, commander of the 4th Infantry Re ...
(present-day
Ocala Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Florida, United States. Located in North Central Florida, the city's population was 63,591 as of the 2020 census, up from 56,315 at the 2010 census and making it the 43rd-most popul ...
)—in the
Dade Battle The Dade battle (often called the Dade massacre) was an 1835 military defeat for the United States Army. Under the Indian Removal Act of 1830 the U.S. was attempting to force the Seminoles to move away from their land in Florida provided by ...
, a pivotal event that sparked the
Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups of people collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Muscogee, Creek and Black Seminoles as well as oth ...
. The gently rolling hills of eastern Pasco County give way to this quintessential Southern small town, which is known and beloved by many for its slow-paced, "Old Florida" ambience.


History

An earlier community known as Fort Dade existed nearby in the 1870s and 1880s. When the railroad was constructed a few miles east of Fort Dade, local business owners chose to relocate to be closer to it. The newer settlement became known as Dade City. The name became official when the Hatton post office was changed to the Dade City post office on December 18, 1884. Initially incorporated as a town in either 1884 or 1885, Dade City was later reincorporated as a city following state legislative approval on June 5, 1889. When Pasco County was formed from the southern section of a much larger
Hernando County Hernando County () is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 194,515. Its county seat is Brooksville, and its largest community is Spring Hill. Hernando County is in ...
(
Citrus County Citrus County is a county located on the northwest central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 153,843. Its county seat is Inverness, and its largest community is Homosassa Springs. Citrus County com ...
was formed from the northern section) in 1887, Dade City became the county seat—first temporarily and later permanently—by popular vote. The Pioneer Florida Museum (located just outside city limits), which opened on Labor Day of 1975, showcases the life of European-American pioneers in Central Florida. Some of its exhibits include a 1913 locomotive, a
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
church, a house built prior to
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, an old school, and an old train depot from
Trilby, Florida Trilby is a census-designated place (CDP) in the northeast corner of Pasco County, Florida, United States. The population was 433 at the 2020 census. Trilby has a non-profit "Greater Trilby Community Association" which exists to improve the lif ...
. The Hugh Embry Library, currently located on 4th Street in downtown Dade City, was opened in 1904 when its namesake, then 25 years old, was recovering from an illness. Embry had a strong desire to read, but at that time there was no public library located in Dade City. He solicited donations of books from local households, and developed a small library in the Embry home on Church Street (now the site of the U.S. Post Office). His efforts helped generate great enthusiasm in the community for a much more extensive library, culminating in the establishment of the Pasco County Library Association in 1905.. After Embry's death at the age of 28 due to
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
, the library initially faltered. Efforts of active community members and civic organizations such as the Dade City Woman's Club kept the library open. The library was relocated several times over the next five decades, finally reaching its current location in 1963. The library underwent a complete renovation in the late 1980s, with the current building opening in 1991. More recently, the library underwent renovations in 2021. The library reopened on May 30, 2023. The Crescent Theatre was Dade City's main movie theater from its opening in 1926 until it closed in 1950. It was located on the northeast corner of south 5th Street and Florida Avenue. The facade of the original building was preserved while other renovations were made for adaptive reuse. A metal structure was added in the 1990s. Today the building is used as a non-profit Seniors' Services center. The Pasco Theatre, built as a movie theater on south 7th Street, opened in 1948 and operated until its demolition in 1999. The original "PASCO" sign, once fastened to the building's marquee, has since found a new home inside Florida Cracker Lunch on Limoges. Lawrence Puckett (1906–1985) settled in Dade City in 1925. He later became involved in politics and served as mayor from 1981–1983 and as a member of the city commission from 1976 until his death in 1985. His recollections of the city were published by the Pasco County Centennial Committee. They date from his arrival as a young man of 19 years old. Puckett describes Dade City before and after the
Florida land boom The first real estate bubble in Florida was primarily caused by the economic prosperity of the 1920s coupled with a lack of knowledge about storm frequency and poor building standards. This pioneering era of Florida land speculation lasted fr ...
as "a typical southern agriculture area, where the few well-to-do controlled the economy and the poor white folks and Negroes did the work for minimal pay. In other words, folks here were either quite well-to-do or very damn poor". Puckett described Dade City as it existed during the Florida boom, with its various shops, streets, and buildings. Most of these had changed significantly by the time he was writing. With the Florida land boom, people were streaming into the state, usually sticking to the East Coast. The overall economic effect was to drive up property prices all across the state. For Dade City, Puckett estimated that the top money-making ventures were either real estate, business related to real estate, or the production of
moonshine Moonshine is alcohol proof, high-proof liquor, traditionally made or distributed alcohol law, illegally. The name was derived from a tradition of distilling the alcohol (drug), alcohol at night to avoid detection. In the first decades of the ...
. He said that the increase of people and capital into Dade City had a profound effect on its culture:
"Country clubs and golf courses were being constructed with country folks playing golf and dancing the Charleston. Woodlands and grazing lands were developed into subdivisions, with sidewalks and streets built nine miles into the woods, which in most cases was about all that happened."
During World War II, the government established a prisoner-of-war camp in Dade City. The prisoners were German soldiers from Field Marshal
Erwin Rommel Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel (; 15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944), popularly known as The Desert Fox (, ), was a German '' Generalfeldmarschall'' (field marshal) during World War II. He served in the ''Wehrmacht'' (armed forces) of ...
's
Afrika Korps The German Africa Corps (, ; DAK), commonly known as Afrika Korps, was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its Africa ...
, who were captured in battles in North Africa in 1942-1943. They were put to work, producing limestone bricks, building warehouses, and making boxes. The POW camp operated from approximately 1942 to the spring of 1946. The site has been redeveloped as the Pyracantha Park Civic Center.Horgan, James J., Alice F. Hall, and Edward J. Herrmann. ''The Historic Places of Pasco County'', Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee, Pasco County, Florida, 1992


Geography

Dade City is located at (28.3647248, -82.1959178). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and (6.23%) is water. Dade City contains gently rolling topography with elevations from 60 ft to 100 ft.


Demographics

As of the 2022
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
, there are 2,505 estimated households in Dade City with an average of 2.74 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $63,493. Approximately 12.8% of the city's population lives at or below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
. Dade City has an estimated 46.3% employment rate, with 23.3% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 83.6% holding a high school diploma. The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (82.7%), Spanish (17.2%), Indo-European (0.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.1%), and Other (0.0%). The median age in the city was 40.4 years.


2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 7,275 people, 2,718 households, and 1,707 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 3,227 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 58.86%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 17.79%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.66% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.08%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 9.68% from some other races and 12.36% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...
people of any race were 25.62% of the population. 21.2% of residents were under the age of 18, 3.4% were under 5 years of age, and 24.7% were 65 and older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.9% male and 54.1% female.


2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 6,437 people, 2,500 households, and 1,528 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,049 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 67.35%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 20.44%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.42% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.16%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 8.65% from some other races and 2.55% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...
people of any race were 20.65% of the population.


Culture and the Arts

Dade City is popular with both tourists and residents for its quaint shops, historic buildings, and a variety of renowned events. The Kumquat Festival is hosted annually downtown on the last Saturday in January, attracting thousands of attendees. The festival celebrates the locally grown
kumquat Kumquats ( ), or cumquats in Australian English, are a group of small, angiosperm, fruit-bearing trees in the family Rutaceae. Their taxonomy is disputed. They were previously classified as forming the now-historical genus ''Fortunella'' or plac ...
—a small citrus fruit, similar in size to an
olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...
, that is eaten whole. The Dade City Cruise-In car show takes place on the first Saturday of each month from September through May, set around the historic courthouse square. During the holiday season, the annual Dade City Christmas Parade is held on the first Friday in December, with the parade route running south along 7th Street for around half a mile. Later in the month, one can also catch the festive Country Christmas Stroll and Church Street Christmas, both cherished local traditions.


Downtown Dade City

Downtown Dade City is known for its charming storefronts and array of restaurants. Businesses like Kiefer Jewelers, The Book Shack, and Treehouse Mercantile, contribute to the close-knit, community-driven atmosphere that defines the downtown area. Popular downtown dining options include, but are certainly not limited to,
Florida Cracker Florida crackers are the descendants of colonial-era British American pioneer settlers in what is now the U.S. state of Florida, and a subculture of White Southerners. The first crackers arrived in 1763 after Spain traded Florida to Great Britai ...
Lunch on Limoges, Del Carmen Mexican restaurant, and Olio, which offers authentic Italian cuisine. Located on Meridian Avenue adjacent to the police department, Dade City City Hall serves as the beating heart of the city's municipal government operations. Directly across the street sits the Hugh Embry Branch Library, a member of the Pasco County Library Cooperative. Standing front and center as the crown jewel of historic downtown Dade City is the stately Pasco County Courthouse. The courthouse, designed by
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
-based architect
Edward Columbus Hosford Edward Columbus Hosford, also known as Edward C. Hosford and E. C. Hosford, (April 24, 1883 – January 2, 1939) was an American architect noted for the courthouses and other buildings that he designed in Florida, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgi ...
, was completed in 1909.
Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with a significant global presence. The company operates in 35 countries and serves over 70 million customers worldwide. It is a systemically important fi ...
currently occupies the two-story brick building across from the courthouse, on the northeast corner of Meridian Avenue and 7th Street. The building was originally opened by the Bank of Pasco County in 1891; this was the first brick structure ever constructed in Dade City.


Infrastructure


Major roads

* is the main road through Dade City running north and south through the city. * is the main east-west road that runs through central Pasco County, from
US 19 U.S. Route 19 or U.S. Highway 19 (US 19) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mex ...
in Bayonet Point to US 98/301 in Dade City. * * is an extension of SR 41, which is a hidden state road along US 301 from the Hillsborough County Line and becomes an independent route in Zephyrhills. * was the main east-west road that runs through central Pasco County, from
US 19 U.S. Route 19 or U.S. Highway 19 (US 19) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mex ...
in Bayonet Point to US 98/301 in Dade City until February 2023. * is a county alternate route of SR 52. * runs west to east from Bellamy Brothers Boulevard (CR 581) in Darby to northern Dade City.


Railroads

Passenger rail service was previously available at the city's Atlantic Coast Line depot. Since 2004, the depot is only served by
Amtrak Thruway Amtrak Thruway is a system of through-ticketed transportation services to connect passengers with areas not served by Amtrak trains. In most cases these are dedicated motorcoach routes, but can also be non-dedicated intercity bus services, transi ...
service to
Jacksonville Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
and Lakeland.
CSX Transportation CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of track, it is the lead ...
's
Wildwood Subdivision The Wildwood Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in Florida. It runs along CSX's Main Line (Seaboard Air Line Railroad), S Line from Baldwin, Florida, Baldwin south to Zephyrhills, Florida, Zephyrhills via Ocala, Florida, Oc ...
provides freight rail service to Dade City.


Local bus service

Pasco County Public Transportation Pasco County Public Transportation (or GOPASCO) provides public transportation in Pasco County, Florida. The agency operates both fixed bus and paratransit services. History On March 5, 2012, a new weekday, cross-county route was added running al ...
provides local bus service on routes 30 & 31 in Dade City.


Public Safety and healthcare

The Dade City Police Department (DCPD) is the
law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of the government or other social institutions who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by investigating, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms gove ...
arm of the City of Dade City, while Pasco County Fire Rescue covers all
fire protection Fire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of potentially Conflagration, destructive fires. It involves the study of the behaviour, Compartmentalization (fire protection), compartmentalisation, suppression and inve ...
and
emergency medical services Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services, pre-hospital care or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to d ...
for the city. The only hospital in Dade City is AdventHealth Dade City.


Notable People

* Martha Barnett, attorney and former president of the
American Bar Association The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary association, voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students in the United States; national in scope, it is not specific to any single jurisdiction. Founded in 1878, the ABA's stated acti ...
* Kurt S. Browning, Republican politician and former Superintendent of Schools for
Pasco County, Florida Pasco County is a County (United States), county located on the west central coast in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2024, the population of the county is 656,851, making it the tenth-most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Dade ...
*
Jim Courier James Spencer Courier (born August 17, 1970) is an American former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the List of ATP number 1 ranked singles players, world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 58 ...
, professional tennis player *
Dallas Eakins Dallas Franklin Eakins ('' né'' Yoder; January 20, 1967) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He previously served as the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He curr ...
,
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
coach *
Dave Eiland David William Eiland (born July 5, 1966) is an American former professional baseball player who was a pitcher for ten Major League Baseball seasons. Eiland played college baseball for the University of Florida and the University of South Florida, ...
,
MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
pitcher * Joey Ivie,
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
player *
Don Lewis Don Lewis (March 26, 1941 – November 6, 2022) was an American vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and electronic engineer. He created an instrument called the Live Electronic Orchestra (LEO), which integrated multiple instruments under a controlle ...
, businessman and former husband of
Carole Baskin Carole Ann Baskin (née Stairs; formerly Murdock and Lewis; born June 6, 1961) is the CEO of Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit animal sanctuary. She has attracted the attention of local, national and international media outlets to the plight of capti ...
, who disappeared in 1997 *
Roy Roberts Roy Roberts (born Roy Barnes Jones; March 19, 1906 – May 28, 1975) was an American character actor. Over his more than 40-year career, he appeared in more than nine hundred productions on stage and screen. Life and career Born in Tamp ...
, actor *
Michael Penix Jr. Michael Tarrence Penix Jr. ( ; born May 8, 2000) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). After three seasons of college football with the Indiana Hoosiers ...
,
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
player


In popular culture

* In
Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
's TV series ''
Dexter Dexter may refer to: People * Dexter (given name) * Dexter (surname) * Dexter (singer), Brazilian rapper Marcos Fernandes de Omena (born 1973) * Famous Dex, also known as Dexter, American rapper Dexter Tiewon Gore Jr. (born 1993) Places United ...
'', in the episode "
Father Knows Best ''Father Knows Best'' is an American sitcom starring Robert Young (actor), Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray (actor), Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin. The series, which began on radio in 1949, aired as a television show for six ...
",
Dexter Morgan Dexter Morgan (born Dexter Moser), also known as The Bay Harbor Butcher, is a fictional serial killer and the antihero protagonist of the ''Dexter'' book series written by Jeff Lindsay (writer), Jeff Lindsay, as well as the Dexter (TV series), tel ...
and his girlfriend Rita go to Dade City to clear out the house of Dexter's recently deceased biological father. * Parts of the film ''
Edward Scissorhands ''Edward Scissorhands'' is a 1990 American gothic romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton. It was produced by Burton and Denise Di Novi, written by Caroline Thompson from a story by her and Burton, and starring Johnny Depp as the title ...
,'' starring
Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for ...
, were filmed in Dade City during the spring of 1990.


References


External links


City of Dade City – official website


* {{authority control Cities in Pasco County, Florida County seats in Florida Cities in the Tampa Bay area Cities in Florida 1884 establishments in Florida