Relevant Date
1917 – Okeechobee County, Florida’s 54th was created on this date. Carved from portions of Osceola, St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties, it comprised nearly 500,000 acres. By early 1917 leading citizens of Okeechobee approached St. Lucie County Representative J.M. Swain who introduced the bill to the legislature in early April. The original partition plan included part of De Soto County but representatives from that county protested against the loss of territory. The county seat, largest city, and only incorporated city is Okeechobee located on the north end of the largest freshwater lake in Florida which shares its name.
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