In the years before Plant City was chartered, pioneers and rugged individuals out to seek a better life migrated to the land of thick forests and rich soil. In 1885, when Connecticut Yankee Henry Bradley Plant laid the railroad tracks connecting Tampa to Sanford—and from there to the world—Plant City blossomed into an “instant city.” Plant City became the model for small-town America. In many ways, it remains so today. The small town known more for its strawberries than for anything else has grown and prospered, struggled, sacrificed and evolved into a complex community of industrial strength and residential quality, historic homes and brick streets. Over the years and along the way, many individuals have passed through, and many stories have been told about the people and their attributes, attitudes and activities. Here are some of them.