Plant City has a rich history dating back to the mid-1800's when settlers first began to populate Florida. Plant City was incorporated in 1885, 16 years after the state was chartered. Plant City derives its name not from the surrounding agricultural industry which greatly added to the city's growth, but from Henry Bradley Plant. The city has grown over the past 110 years to its present size of 26 square miles. Plant City is ideally located in the heart of Central Florida situated in the northeastern corner of Hillsborough County. Serviced by four major interchanges on Interstate-4. Plant City offers easy access to all Florida Interstates and State Highways. Plant City's original name was Ichepucksassa after the Indian village that once occupied this territory. So much confusion was created with the spelling and pronunciation that the Irish postmaster renamed the village Cork, after his home city. In 1884 Henry B. Plant extended the South Florida Railroad into the town and one year later, when the town was incorporated, it was once again renamed in honor of Henry B. Plant. Originally Plant City was a large cotton center. Changing its major crop to strawberries has brought it national recognition. Today, over three-quarters of the nation's midwinter strawberries come from Plant City. At the Strawberry Festival, held each winter, you can taste some of the finest shortcake, pie and cobblers made from the freshest strawberries in the land.