by East Hillsborough Historical Society (Author)
Local legend says that Henry B. Plant never came to Plant City, Florida, the town named for him. That may be true; however, he played a significant role in the development of the city. In the mid-1880s, he extended his South Florida Railroad through Plant City, providing a means for growth and prosperity. Plant City was incorporated in 1885 in Hillsborough County. The original community settlement, known as Shiloh, was north of the current town center. A walk through historic Shiloh Cemetery is a walk through the history of Plant City, with granite markers dating as far back as 1841. There you will find the names of the founding families: Branch, Collins, Cone, Evers, Howell, Hancock, Hawthorne, Knight, Merrin, Wilder, and Wheeler.