Masaryktown
N 28° 26.498 W 082° 27.437
17R E 357296 N 3146990
An immigrant town founded in 1925.
Waymark Code: WM3TN7
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 05/17/2008
Views: 43
In 1924-26, a group of Slovak and czech immigrants moved down from New York and Pennsylvania to establish a farming community in Florida, and bought about 10,000 acres in Hernando County. They founded a town here, which they named after Thomas G Masaryk (1850-1937), "founding father" and first president of the independent republic of Czechoslovakia, formed in 1918 with the help of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. They named the town's streets for American presidents and for Slovak and Czech patriots and writers who contributed to the independence movement. Initial attempts at growing citrus and vegetables failed, but eventually a thriving egg poultry farming community developed. Slovak cultural traditions were maintained for more than one half century. The building on this sit was erected in 1925 as the "Masaryk Hotel" for initial housing of newly arrived settlers, and retained that name until 1997.
Marker Number: F-426
Date: 2000
County: Hernando
Marker Type: Roadside
Sponsored or placed by: Masaryktown Board of Directors and the Florida Department of State
Website: Not listed
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