Editing Brooker, Florida (section)

==History==
[[File:Brooker, Florida 2.jpg|thumb|left|A street view of Brooker homes and stores]]
In 1838, the community was initially called ''Ward City'', which was named after an early settler, E. P. Ward.<ref name=ToB>{{Cite web|title=WELCOME TO OUR TOWN!|url=https://townofbrooker.com/|website=townofbrooker.com}}</ref> In 1892, Thomas R. Collins petitioned for a [[US Post Office]], and became [[postmaster]] in 1894. Between April 17, 1893, and August 23, 1894, the post office was briefly renamed ''Vandy'', before ultimately being renamed yet again as ''Brooker'' on August 24, 1894.<ref name="Herald-Tribune">{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=exQcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=d3wEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5309%2C1516226 | title=North Florida town small, friendly place | work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune | date=January 12, 1995 | access-date=June 6, 2015 | author=Lane, George | pages=4B}}</ref><ref name=AboutBrooker>{{Cite web|title=About Brooker|url=https://townofbrooker.com/about-us/|website=townofbrooker.com}}</ref><ref name=POB>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=FL&county=Bradford | title=Bradford County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=June 6, 2015}}</ref> Collins renamed the post office after the old Brooker Bridge located across the [[Santa Fe River (Florida)|Santa Fe River]], which had been named after early local farmer, Ed Brooker. A majority of the residents preferred this name for the area over the name "Ward City", prompting Collins' decision.<ref name="ToB" /><ref name="Herald-Tribune" /><ref name="AboutBrooker" /> The '''Town of Brooker''' was finally incorporated as a municipality in 1952.<ref name="BroInc">{{Cite web|title=FLORIDA CITIES BY INCORPORATION YEAR WITH INCORPORATION & DISSOLUTION INFO|url=https://www.flcities.com/docs/default-source/research-institute-reports/2020citiesbyincorporationwithinfo.pdf?sfvrsn=5009d6d5_0|website=www.flcities.com}}</ref><ref name="BKInc">{{Cite web|title=MUNICIPAL DIRECTORY: Town of Brooker|url=https://www.floridaleagueofcities.com/research-resources/municipal-directory|website=www.floridaleagueofcities.com}}</ref>