What's Plant City Like?

History of Plant City

Plant City has a long and rich history, having been built on the site of a Native American village.

Originally the community was called Ichepucksassa (also known as Idasukshed) for the name of the village where it rose. The name was so difficult to pronounce that the postmaster of the town changed it to Cork, which had been his home town, in about 1864. The name changed again a few years after, to Plant City.

While many people think that the town was named for the plant life, such as the strawberries and citrus groves that it is famed for, in reality it was not.
Plant City Florida was named for a quite prominent railroad developer who helped to build the area, Henry B. Plant.

In the beginning, Plant city was a large center of cotton, but after the Civil War era, the primary crop of the area became strawberries, for which the town became famed and it has gained recognition also for its annual Strawberry Festival that garners visitors from many countries.

Henry Plants railway helped to get all of the local fruits to market while they were still viable and as such, the town was named in his honor.

Brief History of First United Methodist Church of Plant City

In 1850, the First Methodist Church in this area was organized in a tiny candle-lit log house, somewhere between Knights Station and the present Plant City. A local preacher, Mr. Samuel Knight, supervised a small group of people in worship services, until 1868, when a Rev. Jordan, a circuit rider, came once a month to perform the services.

In 1873, the church moved to a little community known as Shiloh, about two miles north of Plant City. Here the Methodists erected a story and half structure from pines cut from the native forests.This was the first building in the area to use glass windows.

The first Sunday School and the first Missionary Society were organized in 1881, along with purchase of the first organ.

After the railroads came to the area, the Town of Plant City was incorporated in 1885, around the primary rail crossings. Because of this, the church purchased a lot on the corner of Haines and Howard streets for a new building in 1885.

By 1901, the church had again outgrown its building and a lot was secured at the corner of Reynolds and Wheeler streets from Capt. W.F. Merrin. This church had the first stain glass windows and real pews.

Again, the sanctuary was too small, so a block was purchased in 1921 from Mr. Edgar Chapman. The cornerstone was laid in 1924, and the main auditorium was completed in 1926. A new pipe organ was purchased at a cost of $15,000, and new large stain glass windows were installed as memorials to family members.

Later, in 1958, the cornerstone for the new three story education building was installed.

In 1968, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethen Church merged forming the United Methodist Church, hence our current name as the First United Methodist Church.

In 1998, a “Vision Committee” was formed to determine the vision of the First United Methodist Church for the next 15 years. A part of the plan resulted in the purchase of the adjacent Suntrust Bank block, in 1999, for approximately $900,000 , to assure that our church could continue to be located in downtown Plant City, and to further the missions of the church.

After extensive renovations of the former bank building, the new “Wesley Centre” held its first church services October 5, 2003.

The story of the First United Methodist Church of Plant City, like that of the Church Universal, is a moving story that does not end.

Donald P. Humphrey, O.D.

Church Historian