Historic Downtown Plant City
From a railroad stop called Ichepucksassa to the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World — the brick streets and historic buildings of downtown tell the story of Plant City's first century.
Origins & Early Days
Ichepucksassa to Plant City
A Village Finds Its Name
The area that became downtown Plant City was first settled in the late 1830s. In 1839, the U.S. Army built Fort Hichipucksassa about four miles northeast of the present-day city center. The settlement was briefly called Cork — after the postmaster's hometown in Ireland — before receiving its permanent name in 1885: Plant City, honoring railroad magnate Henry Bradley Plant.
The catalyst was the arrival of the South Florida Railroad in December 1883. Henry Plant's rail lines connected the small agricultural village to markets across the North, and grateful city fathers voted to name their town after the Connecticut Yankee who had transformed their future.
The Great Fire of 1907
A City Rebuilt in Brick
In 1907, a devastating fire razed several blocks of wooden structures in downtown Plant City. Citizens made a decisive choice: they would rebuild in brick. The Plant City Roux Composite Brick Company manufactured and sold five million bricks locally in 1913 alone, and the iconic brick streets that still define downtown today were laid during this rebuilding era.
By 1911, railroad tracks ran in five directions from Plant City, making it the largest inland shipping point in Florida. Between 50 and 60 trains passed through town daily, carrying strawberries, lumber, and phosphate to markets across the country. The brick-paved streets and granite curbs, shaded by oak and magnolia trees, remain a hallmark of Plant City's historic residential districts.
Landmark Buildings
Hotel Plant
Built 1926 | Demolished 1966
Completed in 1926, the Hotel Plant stood at the southwest corner of North Evers and West Mahoney streets, serving as a prominent downtown landmark through Plant City's early boom years. The hotel welcomed travelers, business visitors, and seasonal workers drawn by the railroad and strawberry industry.
The building was demolished in 1966 when the new Hillsborough Bank was constructed on the site. Though the hotel is gone, its memory endures as a symbol of downtown Plant City's growth during the early 20th century.
The Lee Building
Built 1922 | 110 East Reynolds Street
A two-story brick commercial structure and the largest of Plant City's older buildings at 19,200 square feet. Featuring a plain, wide entablature below the cornice, the Lee Building was fully restored and modernized in 1987 and remains a cornerstone of the downtown commercial district.
Hooker's Store / S.C. Wells Drug Store
Built 1904 | 102 North Collins Street
Built by Sheldon Wells, this building housed the S.C. Wells & Company drug store on the ground floor, with Judge G.B. Wells' law office and other professional offices on the second floor. Located at the center of the business district, it represents the commercial heart of early 20th-century downtown Plant City.
Notable Figures
William E. Lee
Businessman & Mayor, 1920–1926
A successful businessman who served as Mayor of Plant City from 1920 to 1926. In 1922 he constructed the W.E. Lee Building at 110 East Reynolds Street — at 19,200 square feet, the largest of Plant City's older buildings and a contributing structure to the Downtown Commercial District on the National Register of Historic Places. Fully restored in 1987, it remains a cornerstone of downtown.
Nettie Draughon
City Manager, 1975–1997
c. 1920 – 1998
Nettie Mae Berry Draughon began her career at Plant City Hall on July 1, 1940 as an assistant to the city clerk. She rose through the ranks over five decades, serving as city clerk-finance officer for 28 years before being appointed City Manager in 1975. Over 57 years of service — 23 as City Manager — she guided Plant City through decades of growth. In 1990, City Hall was named the Nettie Berry Draughon Municipal Building in her honor. She retired in 1997.
Sadye Gibbs Martin
City Commissioner & Vice-Mayor
1928–1999
A teacher and community leader, Sadye Gibbs Martin was the first African American — and first woman — to serve on the Plant City Commission and as Vice-Mayor. A graduate of Midway Academy, she dedicated her life to public service and expanding opportunity in Plant City. The Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard stands as a thriving hub for recreation and community events, and the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Service Award continues to honor her legacy of civic leadership.
Plant City Photo Archives
Stewards of Local History
Founded in 2000 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Photo Archives & History Center preserves over 100,000 historical images and documents of the Greater Plant City area. For nearly three decades, hundreds of historic photographs from photographers Gladys Jeffcoat and Bill Friend lined the Lee Building hallways. Now located at 110 East Reynolds Street in the heart of downtown, the center operates the Dr. Scotty & Hsiu Huang History Center research library and rotates exhibits highlighting local heritage.
Did your family own a business downtown, work the rails, or live in one of the historic residential districts? We would be honored to preserve their story.
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