Meadowood Homes
Palmetto
Palmetto was named by Samuel Sparks Lamb after his birth place South Carolina the "Palmetto State." Lamb pioneered his family here from Mississippi in a covered wagon in 1866. His log cabin home later became the first school house and the first religious services were held here.
Palmetto lies on the north bank directly across the mouth of the Manatee River from Bradenton. Here, Don Ybor moved his hand-rolled cigar industry from Key West before venturing onward to Tampa.
Prior to the first bridge being built in 1919, ferry boats were used to cross the Manatee River. The fare was 10 cents and ran every hour from the Main Street dock in Palmetto to the Main Street dock in Bradenton.
Today, the main industry in Palmetto is packing and shipping fruits and vegetables. Port Manatee is Florida's fifth largest deepwater seaport. It leads the nation in exporting and importing fruit juices, and not far behind in fruit, vegetables, and seafood.
