Editing Crystal River, Florida (section)

==History==

In the [[Pleistocene]] era, the land on which Crystal River is located was vastly different from today. The west coast of Florida is thought to have extended an additional {{convert|50|to|60|mi}} into the Gulf of Mexico.<ref name=Dunn>{{cite book| last=Dunn| first=Hampton| title=Back Home: A History of Crystal River| year=1989| publisher=Citrus County Bicentennial Steering Committee}}</ref><ref name=Bash>{{cite book| last=Bash| first=Evelyn| title=A History of Crystal River, Florida| year=2006| publisher=Crystal River Heritage Council| isbn=1-59872-315-4}}</ref> During excavations for the [[Crystal River Nuclear Plant]] in 1969, scientists discovered [[rhinoceros]] and [[mastodon]] bones, as well as the shells of an extremely large [[armadillo]] and a large land [[tortoise]].<ref name=Dunn />

Around 500 BCE mound-building Native Americans (possibly [[Deptford culture]]) built a settlement along the Crystal River, which in the present day is the [[Crystal River Archaeological State Park]].<ref name=Bash /> It was abandoned prior to European colonization for unknown reasons.<ref name=Milanich>{{cite book| last=Milanich| first=Jerald T.| title=Famous Florida sites: Mount Royal and Crystal River| year=1999| publisher=Univ. Press of Florida| location=Gainesville [u.a.]| isbn=0-8130-1694-0| pages=22–23}}</ref> The Native American name for Crystal River was ''Weewahi Iaca''.<ref name=Dunn />

Following the [[Second Seminole War]], settlers were encouraged into the area due to the passing of the [[Armed Occupation Act|Armed Occupation Act of 1842]] by the United States federal government. Twenty-two men filed for patents for land in Crystal River.<ref name=Bash /> By the mid-1800s, families began to settle in the Crystal River area.

Mail was delivered by horse and buggy, and a [[stagecoach]] came from [[Ocala, Florida|Ocala]] ([[Fort King]]) to Crystal River, stopping at the Stage Stand, which today is the Stage Stand Cemetery in [[Homosassa, Florida|Homosassa]].<ref name=Bash />

While no land battles were fought in the Crystal River area during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], there were many instances of skirmishes on the water directly off the coast of the Crystal and [[Homosassa River|Homosassa]] rivers, as well as near Hickory Island in [[Yankeetown, Florida|Yankeetown]].<ref name=Bash /> By the time of the Civil War, Florida was an important source and supplier of food and other goods such as beef, pork, fish, corn, sugar, cotton, naval stores and salt. The [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] was aware of this, and soon after the war began, the [[Union Navy]] blockaded the entire coast of Florida.<ref name=Dunn />

Following the Civil War, Crystal River grew. People from states to the north began to arrive, attracted by the area's mild climate and the potential of becoming wealthy growing [[citrus]] fruits. Early settlers to the area had found wild citrus trees growing in abundance, thanks in part to the Spanish explorers who had brought oranges with them on their ships and had discarded the seeds in the new world.<ref name=Bash /> This gave rise to the planting of citrus groves. The "[[Great Freeze|Big Freeze]]" of 1894–1895 destroyed most of the citrus groves in the county.<ref name=Dunn />

A very early industry in the area was the [[turpentine]] business.<ref name=Bash /> Many of the barges during the Civil War blockade had been carrying turpentine, likely from the turpentine still of William Turner, who resided in Red Level.<ref name=Bash /> Other early industry in the Crystal River area included [[Chamaecyparis thyoides|cedar]] mills. In 1882, James Williams moved his cedar mill to Crystal River, and began operating on King's Bay.<ref name=Dunn /><ref name=Bash /> The mill produced pencil boards, which were then shipped to [[Jersey City, New Jersey]], by ship, and later on by train. The Dixon Cedar Mill was one of the largest industries in Crystal River, providing employment to many in the area, including women and African Americans.<ref name=Bash />

Crystal River had been part of [[Hernando County, Florida|Hernando County]] since its inception in 1843. In 1844, the county name changed from "Hernando" to "Benton", in honor of Senator [[Thomas Hart Benton (politician)|Thomas Hart Benton]] who had sponsored the [[Armed Occupation Act|Armed Occupation Act of 1842]], which had brought settlers to the area.<ref name=Dunn /> The county name returned to Hernando in 1850.

By the late 1800s, the area along the west side of the county was growing rapidly, and the citizens of the area began to see a need for a new county with a county seat that was easier to reach. In 1887, Hernando County was divided into three parts: [[Pasco County, Florida|Pasco County]], [[Hernando County, Florida|Hernando County]], and [[Citrus County, Florida|Citrus County]].<ref name=Bash /> The town of [[Mannfield, Florida|Mannfield]] was named the temporary county seat for two years. Mannfield was chosen as it was in the geographic center of the new county and was more accessible to citizens. The site for the eventual county seat, [[Inverness, Florida|Inverness]], was decided by a vote in 1891.<ref name=Dunn /><ref name=Bash />

[[Phosphate]] was discovered in 1889 in the east side of Citrus County, and the phosphate industry grew rapidly. Historians have claimed it to be "one of the richest phosphate deposits in the world."<ref name=Bash /> The phosphate industry would boom in Crystal River and Citrus County until 1914, when it could no longer be shipped due to [[World War I]].

In 1888, the railroad reached Crystal River. The arrival of the railroad proved to be a boon; it provided an easier way to ship and receive goods. It was also an easier way for tourists to travel in and out of the city. [[Sport fishing]] became a draw for many wealthy northerners. In the early 1990s, Arctic Air of America Inc. moved to Crystal River.<ref name=Bash />

Crystal River became a town in 1903. It was officially incorporated as a city on July 3, 1923.<ref name="City of Crystal River">{{cite web|url=http://www.crystalriverfl.org/|title=City of Crystal River, Florida|access-date=16 October 2013}}</ref>

[[Crystal River Mall]] opened north of the center of town in 1990, which is now closed down.