Bushnell, Florida was named in honor of John W. Bushnell. Bushnell was an engineer that laid out the old railroad that created the ties between Bushnell and Panasoffkee. Established in 1885 and incorporated in 1911, Bushnell, Florida is the County Seat of Sumter County. In 1835, 180 Seminole Indians ambushed Major Francis L. Dade and his troops just south of Bushnell, Florida, killing Major Dade and 103 of his men, leaving only three men alive. This bloody attack, now known as the Dade Massacre, led to the Second Seminole War. In 1862, Congress enacted a legislation that would authorize the President of the United States to buy land that would be used as National cemeteries for any and all soldiers that perished while in the service of their country. Fourteen cemeteries were established during that first year, to date there are 125 of these cemeteries throughout the country. Florida National Veterans Cemetery, located in Bushnell, Florida is one of these burial grounds.
Bushnell is now the home to over 2,000 residents. Although it is a small community, it is a community that thrives for the close knit feeling that so many people are looking for. Every year, on the third Saturday of October, Bushnell, Florida celebrates the Fall Festival, in remembrance of its Birthday! The day kicks off with a parade at 10:00 a.m. and closes the party with a majestic fireworks display! The in-between activities include food vendors, crafts, contests, games and all day music and dancing. The Dade Battlefield State Historical Site was built on the very spot that the Dade Massacre took place so many years ago. It has become a National Historic Site and a Florida State Park. This park was built not only to protect this incredible battlefield, but to provide a place where visitors can experience life as it was then. Strolling down the 1/2 mile trail among the pine flats you can almost see the brutal attack that took place so long ago. During the month of January, a Dade Massacre Reenactment takes place at this spot on an annual basis.
Relocating to Bushnell, Florida provides a lifestyle that is both captivating and alluring to those folks that seek a relaxed way of life that can only be found within this area. Bushnells motto is committed to the Quality of Life which, with the history and small town, old Florida charm, is the only way to describe this amazing little community,
