Wesley Chapel in Pasco County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Wesley Chapel
(side 1)
The pioneer Boyett(e), Gillett(e), Godwin, and Kersey families received land grants in the area in the 1840s. The real influx of settlers, however, began around the War Between the States when the Stanleys and Coopers arrived. Originally called Double Branch for the twin creeks that flowed across the Boyette land, the community was named for the Methodist chapel that stood on the northwest corner of SR 54 and Boyette Road. A popular nickname for the area was Gatorville.
Since its founding in 1878, the Double Branch Baptist Church(now the First Baptist Church)
The turpentine still and sawmill represented early industries, though cattle ranching and hog farming on the then open range, crop farming, and citrus growing predominated. When times were hard people turned to charcoal making and even moonshining to survive. Construction of I-75 and the 1979 opening of the Saddlebrook Resort marked the beginning of the current growth of the community.
Erected 2001 by The Pasco Board of County Commissioners and The Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1878.
Location. 28° 14.422′ N, 82° 19.444′ W. Marker is in Wesley Chapel, Florida, in Pasco County. Marker is at the intersection of State Road 54 and Woodbine Drive, on the right when traveling east on State Road 54. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 29716 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel FL 33543, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Double Branch Baptist Church and Cemetery (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Florida Honors and Remembers our POW's and MIA's (approx. 3.2 miles away); Holton Cemetery (approx. 3.3 miles away); a different marker also named Florida Honors and Remembers our POW’s and MIA’s (approx. 3˝ miles away); Concord Stagecoach Road (approx. 5.3 miles away); Prospect Community (approx. 6.1 miles away); Ehren Community (approx. 6.9 miles away); St. Anthony School (approx. 7.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wesley Chapel.
Also see . . . First Baptist Church of Wesley Chapel. (Submitted on January 30, 2017.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 26, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 14, 2013, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 837 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 14, 2013, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. 3. submitted on January 25, 2022, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.