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Chicora, Polk County, Florida
Chicora was established in 1885, by A. Hendry. Pioneer Families included such names as Albritton - Taylor's - Alderman and Altmans. At one time Chicora was a thriving community, small town. They had a school, a general store a blacksmith and a post office. The Bethleham Church was a part of this town ( Now a part of Hillsborough Co. ) The town was home to many a cattleman and families. When the town was passed up by the railroad so boundries were changed and buildings such as the post office were moved and the new site was called New Chicora, Old Chicora still remained. Some time later a phosphate company came in and began to mine the area of New Chicora they changed the name to Brewster. The town of Chicora was home to 2 famous men according to historian Roy Albritton. Dr. Vincent Atanasoff, he invented this modern computer and had attended the Chicora School as a child. The other was a Dr. Paul J. Sheffield, who is a retired Air Force Colonel, he was the U.S. Air Force Surgen General's Chief of Air Force Aeorospace Physiology. In 1978, he was named scientist of the year. |