ARCADIA HISTORIC DISTRICT

By  Mike Miller May 7, 2025

The Arcadia Historic District spans 3,400 acres in downtown Arcadia, Florida. It includes 293 historic buildings.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, the district showcases the city’s past. Visitors explore shops, homes, and landmarks.

Oak Street serves as the main hub. The area blends history and small-town charm. 

Arcadia Historic District

Settled in 1883, Arcadia grew with the Florida Southern Railway’s arrival in 1886. Reverend James Madison Hendry named the town after Arcadia Albritton, who baked him a birthday cake.

Incorporated in 1886, it became DeSoto County’s seat in 1888. A 1905 Thanksgiving Day fire destroyed the business district, costing $250,000. No lives were lost.

Rebuilding used brick and concrete, shaping today’s downtown. From 1917 to 1922, Carlstrom Field trained pilots for World War I.

The 1920s saw citrus and cattle industries boom. Hurricane Charley struck in 2004, damaging structures. 

Located in Arcadia, FL 34266, the district is bounded by Lee, Mills, Imogene, Cypress, Pine, and Magnolia Streets. It’s open daily, free to explore.

Park along Oak Street or nearby lots. Walk the 18-block commercial zone or drive residential areas. Allow 1–2 hours.

Use the self-guided walking tour via the South Florida State College website. Bring water and sun protection; shade is limited.

Check the city's website for events like the 4th Saturday Antique Fair. The district is ADA-accessible but lacks restrooms. 

• The 1912 Classical Revival courthouse is the district’s largest structure.  

• The “Tree of Knowledge” oak, planted in 1938, was a 1920s gathering spot for speeches. 

• Frederic Remington documented Arcadia’s “Cracker Cowboys” in an 1895 Harper’s article.  

• The Arcadia Opera House, built in 1906, hosts exhibits despite Hurricane Ian damage.  

• A mule-drawn railway once ran on Oak Street for phosphate transport.  

• The district’s antique shops draw statewide visitors, with over 100 vendors monthly. 

•  Barack Obama visited in 2009, the first sitting president to do so, touring a solar plant.  

• The Patterson House, built in 1900, was Arcadia’s first bed-and-breakfast. 

CITY OF ARCADIA WEBSITE