Recognizing the 100th Anniversary of the City of Coleman, Florida

Floor Speech

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Mr. WEBSTER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize and celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the City of Coleman, Florida. While unofficial records indicate that Coleman was first incorporated under general laws on June 20, 1908, it was in 1925 that the city officially received its charter, thus marking the beginning of its formal governance and development.

Coleman was first settled in 1882 by pioneers who farmed the fertile lands of the Warm Springs Hammock. The Florida Gazette of 1886-1887 listed Dr. B.F. Coleman, a physician and one of the area's earliest settlers, as the town's namesake.

Many early settlers came from nearby Adamsville, which had flourished through orange cultivation until the devastating freeze of 1894 through 1895. That natural disaster forced many to seek new livelihoods, and Coleman soon emerged as a center of diverse agricultural production. In addition to citrus, settlers in Coleman raised cotton, cattle, sheep, and hogs, with wool even shipped to Baltimore for processing. By 1923, Coleman had earned national recognition as the ``Cabbage Capital of the World'', attracting buyers from across the country.

Today, the City of Coleman is in the heart of Sumter County and is home to approximately 700 residents. The city retains its Old Florida charm, with a quiet rural character and deep historical roots. As we commemorate this centennial milestone, we honor the generations who have shaped Coleman's legacy as a city built on resilience, agriculture, and a deep sense of community.

Happy Centennial to the City of Coleman.

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