Prelude to a Town

Prehistory to 1900

"Alachua" is a word with a mysterious origin. The Timucua were the native people of North Central Florida at the time of Spanish contact in the 16th Century, and "chua" is a Timucuan word meaning "hole." Folklore suggests the Timucua also referred to sinkholes as "chuas," and in the 17th Century, a large Spanish cattle ranch near Paynes Prairie and the Alachua Sink was identified as "La Chua." "Alachua" is therefore likely a combination of Spanish ("A la") and Timucuan ("Chua") combined together. Soon, "Alachua" referred to the entire area of North Central Florida.

Read More Early 1800's

Humble Beginnings

1900 to 1930 

On April 12th, 1905 the City of Alachua was officially incorporated and had a population of 526. In 1914 Alachua had two banks, three hotels, a number of stores ranging from a fruit stand to a large, well-stocked department store, ice plant, electric light plant, waterworks, two cotton gins, two grist mills and bottling works. The electric light and waterworks plant began operating in 1913.

Read More Early 1900's

Adversity Leads to Strength

1930 to 1950

As the 1930s came, so did adversity. The Great Depression hit, and banks across the nation began to fail. Long lines formed, and when some banks weren`t able to produce the money people had in checking and savings accounts, they closed their doors, leaving people in financial disarray. The Bank of Alachua closed in 1931. However, some banks withstood the money runs, such as the First National Bank of Alachua. People coming out of the bank were asked how much money remained, and their assurances that there was plenty left helped return the confidence of those who had withdrawn their funds, and they returned to redeposit their money.

Read More Early 1900's to mid 1900's

Moving Forward

1950 and Beyond

The City of Alachua continued to grow, albeit slowly. The economy was impacted by the construction of US Highway 441 in the 1940s, which moved traffic off the Dixie Highway and therefore bypassed Main Street businesses. The construction of Interstate-75 in the 1960s west of the City made access to Gainesville easier and faster, further shifting commerce away from local businesses.  Still, the community slowly grew.

Mid 1900's and Beyond