Your guide to the people, places and events that made Gainesville the
thriving city and educational center it is today. Gainesville, Florida,
was established in the early 1850s in an area of Alachua County known
for cotton farming, cattle and citrus. It soon became known for
education, with many fine private schools. The arrival of the railroads
made it a crossroads town that grew to be the state s fourth-largest
city. The arrival in 1906 of what became the University of Florida gave
Gainesville the major state-supported institution of higher education,
and thereafter the city and the university were inextricably entwined.
The city has grown to be a comfortable place to live, and the university
is now one of the largest in the nation, with an international
reputation for academics and sports.Local historian and UF Law School
graduate Steve Rajtar leads you through the decades with words and
pictures. An A-to-Z street guide is included to help you explore the
historic homes, churches and other sites of historic Gainesville on your
own.