Looking back at 100 years of Gilchrist County history

Looking back at 100 years of Gilchrist County history.

1929

The ladies of the Trenton Woman’s Club held their first meeting on January 22, 1929. A total of seven members attended the first meeting and annual dues were $1. Today this club is known at the Gilchrist County Woman’s Club.

1930

The Gulf Co-operative held livestock sales in both Bell and Trenton. Yearly hog sales were during the 30s averaged about $150,000 a year during this time. Turkey sales averaged $11,000 yearly.  The county population in 1930 was 3,300 and in 1935 it was 3,467.

1968

The new Trenton Elementary School building was finished and students were in school there. The building was built for $183,000. Today this building is the Gilchrist County School District administration building.

Hog cholera hit Gilchrist County and large herds were destroyed. T.O. (Theatis) Thomas north of Bell lost 141 purebred Duroc hogs. Thomas said 20 died from cholera and the State Inspector shot 121 of his hogs. A large ditch was dug to bury the hogs. Thomas’ herd was the third to be lost, J. D. Wilkerson and Henry Langford also lost their hog herds to cholera.

2003

Dr. Ted Yoho opened Trenton Animal Hospital in the former Gold Kist building in Trenton. Dr. Yoho went on to represent Gilchrist County as the United States Representative for Florida’s 3rd Congressional District from 2013-2021.

The Tommy Philman family of Bell was honored with the Outstanding Cattleman Award for 2003.

• By Cindy Jo Ayers