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C+History
History · Bushnell

Bushnell dates to 1884, and 2 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 44% of U.S. towns · #91 of 638 in Florida. What drives it

Most of Bushnell was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1983. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1958 on, and the census since 1920.

1884founded
2on the National Register
5%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Bushnell’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Bushnell began, and where its name came from

When was Bushnell founded?

1884

Bushnell dates its founding to 1884 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1920.

First census: 400 in 19202020 census: 3,047142 years

How did Bushnell get its name?

Bushnell was named after John W. Bushnell, a chief engineer who was responsible for bringing the railroad to the community.

How historic is Bushnell?

C+

More historic than 44% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1885. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Bushnell’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bushnell is more historic than 44% of U.S. towns, #91 of 638 in Florida. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bushnell’s overall grade.
Founding era1884, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19404.8% of homes (±4.4) · typical FL town 0.6% · U.S. 8.4%CNational Register2 listings, 6.3 per 10,000 residents · typical FL town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 44%
NewerOlder
Florida towns of 2,500+ (638)Ahead of 86%

Few Florida towns list much on the Register (a typical Florida town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Bushnell’s 6.3 sits above most of its state (83% of Florida towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.4 points). Two sources give 1884.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Bushnell’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.A National Historic Landmark2 places on the National Register, including Dade Battlefield Historic Memorial, a National Historic Landmark.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Bushnell’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bushnell’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewFlorida [Sarasota County (part) - Washi…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the National Register

2 historic places in Bushnell

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmark
1
Dade Battlefield Historic Memorial
historic buildings protected
2
each building in a district counts
first listed
1972
Dade Battlefield Historic Memorial
Thomas R. Pierce HouseDade Battlefield Historic Memorial, built 1972★
BuildingsSites★ landmark

Architectural styles listings

Vernacular1
★ Landmark
Dade Battlefield Historic MemorialBuilt 1972
Thomas R. Pierce HouseVernacular

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story

How Bushnell came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bushnell.

Read it all →

The first non-indigenous settler in Bushnell was recorded in 1870, and five to six families started to move there once the post office opened on October 28, 1885. It was named after John W. Bushnell, a chief engineer who was responsible for bringing the railroad to the community. The city is also home to Dade Battlefield Historic State Park, a park where on December 28, 1835, Seminoles ambushed 107 men in the forested area. Only 3 survivors came out of Dade Battlefield, and the battle signaled the beginning of the Second Seminole War. The City of Bushnell was officially incorporated as a municipality on December 14, 1911.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Bushnell, 1884 to 1973

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1884
    FoundingBushnell is established
  3. 1885Post officeThe Bushnell post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1940In the archiveFlorida [Sarasota County (part) - Washington County] -- Georgia [Appling County - Effingh…
  6. 1958On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 1972BuiltDade Battlefield Historic Memorial is built
  8. 1973LandmarkDade Battlefield Historic Memorial named a National Historic Landmark
By decade

Bushnell, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1940s1 item
Florida [Sarasota County (part) - Washington County] -- Georgia [Appling County - Effingham County (part)]1940Florida [Sarasota County (part) - Washington County] …
1950s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today11 recent
CR48 Sign2012CR48 SignNB I-75 under Sumter CR 476 Bridge2011NB I-75 under Sumter CR 476 BridgeWB FL 48-Main Street to Belt Avenue2010WB FL 48-Main Street to Belt AvenueSumter County Transit; Multiple Buses2010Sumter County Transit; Multiple BusesNB US 301 & FL 48-Bushnell, FL2010NB US 301 & FL 48-Bushnell, FLUntitled photo2010Untitled photoEB FL 48 & Sumter CR 4752010EB FL 48 & Sumter CR 4752003-07 Ford E-450 Sumter County Transit Bus20102003-07 Ford E-450 Sumter County Transit BusBushnell city hall012008Bushnell city hall01Bushnell 201 noble ave house012008Bushnell 201 noble ave house01FLMap-doton-Bushnell2004FLMap-doton-Bushnell
On the map

Bushnell on the map in 1958

The U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bushnell.

Bushnell on the 1958 USGS map1958Bushnell sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bushnell.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Florida [Sarasota County (part) - Washington County] -- Georgia [Appling County - Effingham County (part)]
Retake this viewFlorida [Sarasota County (part) - Washington County] -- Georgia [Appling County - Effingham County (part)], 1940

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Bushnell’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Bushnell, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0001920194019601980200020203,047

Grew from 400 people in 1920 to 3,047 in 2020, 7 times over.

11 censuses, 1920–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Bushnell’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Bushnell

Nobody well known was born in Bushnell itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Bray WyattAmerican professional wrestler · b. 1987
Bo DallasAmerican professional wrestler · b. 1990
John CapelAmerican football player, track and field athle… · b. 1978
Elizabeth CookAmerican singer · b. 1972
Mike HamptonAmerican professional baseball player, pitcher · b. 1972
Bill McCollumAmerican lawyer and politician · b. 1944
Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Bushnell’s post office has been open since 1885.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Bushnell Trailer CourtCarverRosewood Mobile Home Park
1cemetery inside Bushnell
Evergreen

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Bushnell’s history

What year was Bushnell founded?

In 1884, according to Wikidata. Bushnell’s post office opened in 1885, and the census of 1920 counted 400 people here.

How does Bushnell rank for history?

Bushnell is more historic than 44% of U.S. towns, #91 of 638 in Florida. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Bushnell?

Two places: the Dade Battlefield Historic Memorial (listed 1972) and the Thomas R. Pierce House (1996).

How old are the homes in Bushnell?

5% of Bushnell’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.4 points), against a typical 0.6% for a Florida town; the median home was built in 1983.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (12), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.