Situated in the beautiful rolling hills and pasture lands of Pasco County lies Dade City and the surrounding communities of San Antonio, St. Leo and Saint Joseph. Here, far from the hustle and bustle of the big cities, you can take a step back to a simpler and less-hurried lifestyle.
If you like shopping you can stroll the picturesque downtown, with its array of antique shops, Bakeries, and unique restaurants all set within historic buildings. The beautiful courthouse stands in the center of activity, surrounded by all the quaint specialty shops, restaurants and other businesses all within convenient walking distance.
The annual Kumquat Festival is hosted every year in January. Held on the downtown square by a local business, Kumquat Growers, a large producer of the tart Kumquat since 1912. There are two varieties of Kumquat. A Meiwa or Large Round Kumquat is eaten whole. The Nagami or Oval Kumquat is used to make delicious pies as well as other products like jams and jellies.
An earlier community known as Fort Dade existed nearby in the 1870s and 1880s, but with the arrival of the railroad, the businesses chose to relocate a few miles to the east to be near the railroad. The newer town became known as Dade City. The name became official when the name of the Hatton post office was changed to Dade City on December 18, 1884.
Dade City was first incorporated in 1884 or 1885. That incorporation seems to have been forgotten subsequently, and the city was incorporated again in 1889. When Pasco County was formed from the southern section of Hernando County in 1887, Dade City became the county seat of the new county, first temporarily and later permanently, by a popular vote. read more