Glover School Building
N 27° 56.571 W 082° 04.767
17R E 393806 N 3091340
Located on Horton St in Bealsville
Waymark Code: WM1TZ5
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 07/09/2007
Views: 30
Glover School 5110 Horton Rd., Bealsville Plant City 2001-11-29
Unlike Eatonville, Florida that was made popular by the anthropologist and writer, Zora Neale Hurston, the history of the Bealsville community is relatively unknown. A small, semi-rural community about 40 miles east of the city of Tampa, Bealsville does not have its own post office, and the mailing address for its 1,200 residents reveals that they officially reside in Plant City, Florida. For those driving on the main thoroughfare, Highway 60, there is nothing to distinguish the community except for small signs on the East and West borders, Ruby Williams's fruit and folk art stand, and a small brown sign marking the turn for the Glover School Historic Site. But like many small places, the history of Bealsville uncovers an insightful story about the American past.
Bealsville was first named Alafia by former slaves who homesteaded the area in the 1860s. Over the years, residents were able to work together to prevent losing large amounts of land due to the effects of foreclosures, migration, and heir property. Although some land has been sold to neighboring phosphate mines, strawberry farms, and families migrating to the area, the majority of the land in Bealsville is still owned by descendants of its first settlers. However, Bealsville's rural character is undergoing a slow but definite change due to the recent encroachment of urban sprawl from the Brandon and Plant City areas.
Increases in land prices and associated taxes have caused several residents to sell land that was once strictly kept in the family. In many cases, the resultant newcomers, often representing a diversity of ethnicities, lack a shared sense of historical connection to the community and tend to prioritize their commitments to surrounding urban areas. Likewise, many longtime Bealsville families also have a greater involvement in affairs outside of Bealsville. For the first time in the history of this small community, residents are experiencing the more urban- and suburbanassociated sense of estrangement from their neighbors. This is compounded by the fact that there are now seven churches in this small community that used to have one central church for fellowship.
Street address: 5110 Horton Rd. Plant City, FL USA 33563
County / Borough / Parish: Hillsborough
Year listed: 2001
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event
Periods of significance: 1925-1949, 1950-1974
Historic function: Education
Current function: Social
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 1: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
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