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Newberry dates back to the late 1880's, when a narrow vein of "hard-rock phosphate" was discovered
in the area. Mining companies and prospectors began buying up land. Phosphate processing plants
with steam-powered equipment soon dotted the surrounding countryside. Narrow-gauge tram railroads
criss-crossed the area to High Springs and Archer.
The phosphate boom was on! Henry Plant extended his Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad from High Springs to Archer in 1893, and Newberry was established the following year as a railroad stop and trading center. A few years later, the Cummer Lumber and Phosphate Company completed the Jacksonville and Southwestern Railroad line from its lumber mill near Jacksonville to Newberry. Prior to 1900, the Newberry Miner Newspaper reported more than 500 men worked at the 14 mines located within 6 miles of town. As the mines prospered, so did the fledgling town of Newberry. By 1907, the city's occupations license roll listed livery stables, restaurants, boarding houses, hotels, barbers, cleaners, pharmacies, meat markets, general merchandise stores, photographers, bicycle shops, pool halls , saloons, side shows and theaters. Newberry's population of 1,500 swelled on the weekends as the miners came to town for supplies and entertainment. Cuttings and shootings were common - they kept Newberry's three doctors busy. W.N. "Doc" Barry, Sr. worked at his mother's pharmacy during this period. Barry described Newberry as, "A real wild west town in the East." Despite its wild nature, Newberry's prosperity also brought the trappings of civilization in the form of churches, schools, and in 1913, an electric light plant. Those early electric customers enjoyed four hours of light each night. Newberry's prosperity began to wane with the discovery of soft-rock phosphate near Dunnellon. An increase in soft-rock production meant a reduction in mining hard-rock phosphate found near Newberry. However, the real blow came with the declaration of war in 1917. The first World War ended shipments of phosphate to the United States' primary buyer, Germany, and brought Newberry's economy to a screeching halt. Many of Newberry's residents left. Those who stayed turned to farming. Vegetables were grown for the table, while crops like watermelons and tobacco were grown for cash. The land boom of 1925-26 brought hordes of tourists to Tampa and Miami. They traveled through the eastern edge of town on a newly paved road known as the Tamiami Trail (US 41). Newberry's population remained stable until the advent of the Second Would War, when many of Newberry's finest went away to war. These vets came home filled with energy, fresh ideas and new skills. Most returned to the farm and Newberry's economy picked up pace. An American Legion was formed in 1946 and the members decided to hold a festival in celebration of the town's major cash crop - the watermelon. The first Watermelon Festival included a beauty contest and a dance at the skating rink. The Festival has grown and now brings about 10,000 people to Newberry each June. As the fifties ended and the sixties rolled by, the agriculturally-driven seasonal economy was gradually replaced with steady jobs and regular paychecks. Newberry today is close to the cultural attractions in Gainesville but still retains its rural nature. Newberry is well-positioned both geographically and economically to take advantage of Alachua County's westward growth. Infrastructure and equipment owned by the City of Newberry allows residents to receive city water and sewer, cable TV, electric power, and regular garbage pickup. The costs of the city services are among the lowest in Alachua County because the city is debt-free. Alachua County's school system is generally recognized as one of the top systems in the state and Newberry can further boast that it is one of the few places in Alachua with true neighborhood schools. The elementary, middle and high schools are all located within one mile of downtown Newberry. A strong-mayor form of government governs the city. City commission meetings are televised for live broadcast over the city's own cable system. Excerpt from "Newberry: The Early Years", a video written and produced by Don L. Davis |