Wahoo, Florida
| Wahoo, Florida | |
|---|---|
| Populated area | |
 Wahoo, Florida
|
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| Coordinates: 28°41′26″N 82°11′44″W / 28.69056°N 82.19556°WCoordinates: 28°41′26″N 82°11′44″W / 28.69056°N 82.19556°W | |
| Country |
 United States
|
| State |
 Florida
|
| County | Sumter |
| Elevation | 49 ft (15 m) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 2,673 (estimated) |
| • Density | 854.2/sq mi (336.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 33513 |
| Area code(s) | 352 |
| FIPS code | 12-12119 |
| GNIS feature ID | 294963 |
Wahoo is a populated area within Sumter County, Florida, United States. First settled by the Timucua, the area was eventually settled by the Seminoles. During the Second Seminole War, Wahoo and the surrounding area served as shelter to the Seminoles and as the site of several skirmishes. After the war, white settlers migrated to the area and established a thriving town.
Today, the rural community is connected to the nearby town of Bushnell. Wahoo is home to a middle-aged population whose ancestry mainly hails from Europe. As for the battle site, it is protected by the state of Florida for ecological purposes.
The origin of the town’s name is unknown. The word “wahoo” itself does not appear in any of the native languages, but English settlers anglicized the Muskogee word “vhahwu” to “wahoo” circa 1770. Sumter County historians believe that the town’s name is derived from the wahoo trees, or the winged elms, that grew in the area.
The Timucua were the first to arrive in the area of present-day Wahoo. The group of tribes formed the Paracoxi Confederacy, or Urribaracuxi, united under Chief Paracoxi. In May 1539, a group of Spanish explorers, led by Hernando de Soto passed near the area. Historians believe that the introduction of malaria by DeSoto’s expedition spread throughout the river valleys and killed about two-thirds of the Timucuan population. Those who survived migrated to St. Augustine. During the Queen Anne's War, Colonel James Moore raided Timucua villages and either sent them to the allies or to prisons.
Members of the Upper Creek Seminole tribe settled in the area between 1767 and 1823, with most arriving following the Creek War of 1813-1814. Prior to the Creek War, the Creeks became concerned and angered over America’s expansion into tribal lands. At the same time, the Creek National Council decided to use government annuity payments toward settling debts at the time where the Creek economy was transitioning from a trade economy to an agriculturally based economy. After several skirmishes between settlers and the Creeks, the Creek National Council publicly executed the offenders, a punishment traditionally performed by families. The Upper Creeks (Red Sticks) rebelled against the council. They attacked other Creeks who sided with the Americans. When the conflict ended in 1814, the war had killed about 15% of the Creeks and destroyed more than 48 towns in the Upper Creek territory in Alabama.
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Wikipedia