Florida Senate - 2019 (NP) SR 678 By Senator Perry 8-01784A-19 2019678__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution commemorating the 175th anniversary of 3 Marion County and recognizing March 25, 2019, as 4 “Marion County Day” in Florida. 5 6 WHEREAS, when the United States Government acquired Florida 7 in 1821, scouts were sent to survey the peninsula, and in 1825, 8 the government created the Seminole Agency to oversee the 9 Seminole Nation in what would become Marion County, and 10 WHEREAS, the United States Army established a military 11 outpost to protect the northern boundary of the Seminole Indian 12 reservation and in 1827, erected a site called Fort King, and 13 WHEREAS, as a result of the Armed Occupation Act of 1842, 14 which offered free land if certain conditions were met, pioneers 15 migrated to present-day Marion County, and 16 WHEREAS, between 1842 and 1844, Marion County was still a 17 part of Alachua, Mosquito, now known as Orange, and Hillsborough 18 Counties, and the closest county seat was in Alachua County, a 19 difficult 50 miles from Fort King, and so early settlers wanted 20 a new county, and 21 WHEREAS, Gabriel L. Priest, Sr., the first State Senator 22 from Marion County, represented Alachua County when he 23 introduced a bill to create the new county, and 24 WHEREAS, the territorial legislative council authorized the 25 formation of Marion County, and Richard Keith Call, the third 26 territorial Governor, signed the law on March 25, 1844, and 27 WHEREAS, Marion County has grown substantially and now 28 boasts significant economic development and the title of Horse 29 Capital of the World, and 30 WHEREAS, the people and natural landmarks of Marion County 31 have contributed greatly to the history of the State of Florida, 32 and 33 WHEREAS, March 25, 2019, marks the 175th anniversary of 34 Marion County’s creation, NOW, THEREFORE, 35 36 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 37 38 That March 25, 2019, is designated as “Marion County Day” 39 in Florida, and that all Marion County residents, past and 40 present, are thanked for their significant contributions to the 41 state. 42