Sumter County, Florida, established in 1853, was named in honor of General Thomas Sumter, a hero from the Revolutionary War that died in Sumter, South Carolina. In the early 1800's as the settlers were coming into the area, many battles arose with the Seminole Indians that already resided in this area. Of all the battles, the most famous was known as The Dade Massacre. The Dade Massacre took place on December 28, 1835 and ultimately led to the Second Seminole War, which lasted until 1842. Major Francis L. Dade lead 108 U.S. troops from Tampa, then called Fort Brooke, to Fort King, known now as Ocala. Although Dade knew that his men may be attacked by the Seminoles, he had no idea that 180 Seminole Indians lay in wait just south of Bushnell crouched in the palmettos and cabbage palms. With the element of surprise on the warrior?s side, Major Francis Dade was killed within the first few shots of the attack and many of his soldiers were killed shortly thereafter. Some soldiers were not even able to retrieve their guns from their heavy winter coats in time to retaliate. In Bushnell, the Dade Battlefield Park now lays as a historical landmark with monuments, a museum and annual reenactments of this bloody battle that attracts history enthusiasts from all over the state of Florida. It was in 1881 that all the county boundary changes began to take place, many parts of Sumter county became Polk county, Orange county and in 1887 Leesburg, which is where all the county business was taking place, became part of Lake county. At this time Sumterville became the County seat and the courthouse was erected. In 1909 a fire leveled the Sumterville Courthouse and nearly all the contents within the building were destroyed. After much political brawling, an election was held in 1912 to determine where the County Seat for Sumter County would reside; Bushnell took the lead with a very small margin.

Today Sumter County has made the home to many cities, such as Bushnell, Center Hill, Cherry Lake, Coleman, Lake Panasoffkee, Linden, Mabel, Saint Catherine, Tarrytown, Wahoo, Croom a Coochee, Oxford, Sumterville, The Villages, Webster and Wildwood. Sumter County provides some of the most beautiful lakes in the State of Florida. Lake Panasoffkee offers 4,460 acres of prime Bluegill, Largemouth Bass and Shellcracker fishing. Black Lake, located near Cherry Lake, Florida furnishes 125 acres of mostly Bluegills and Black Crappies. Lake Miona, which is connected to Black Lake, specializes in Largemouth Bass, Bluegill and Redear Sunfish. The infamous Withlacoochee River, located near Lake Panasoffkee, Fl provides opportunities for swimming, tubing, paddling and also some incredible fishing. Sumter County caters to all those golf enthusiasts as well, whether you're sinking balls at The Continental Country Club, located in Wildwood, Fl or Hacienda Hills Golf & Country Club in The Villages, Fl., the golf in this area provides a challenge to even the most skilled golfers.

The real estate opportunities are never ending in Sumter County. Whether you?re looking for a place to retire, raise a family or just to enjoy the all that life has to offer, relocating to Sumter County brings all the close knit communities from yesterday back into the world of today! From the small community of Coleman, Florida to the more active city life of Bushnell, Florida, Sumter County has a little something for everyone! Opportunities to build your dream home on one of the many land lots of Sumter County are only a phone call away. Relocating to this bountiful area promises to provide many years of making memories, relaxing and enjoying life. Rich in history and nature with some of the friendliest people around, Sumter County offers the life of peace and prosperity that our ancestors fought so hard to achieve long ago.