1903 - Bradenton was incorporated as a city, got Electric Light Plant and Trolley Car at Christmas, population 2,000.

1913 - Brick Courthouse erected in Bradenton 12th St W. and Manatee Ave. it took 16 months to build.

1921 - Dr. & Mrs. Charles William Larrabee bought the Leonard Sanitarium located on 12th St. W. and Manatee and converted it into a hospital, which originally had 18 beds, later to become  the Bradenton General Hospital.

1925 - Bradentown voted to drop the “W” and became Bradenton, hence adopted the motto “The Friendly City”

 

Manatee River Hotel at 309 10th ST W. was built with 285 rooms and each with a bath.

1926 - Memorial Pier was originally built as a loading dock for steamboats. (The end of 12th St. W.) on Barcarottam Blvd. And was named in honor of WW I Veterans.

1937 -   Art League of Manatee County was organized.

1953 - Manatee Memorial Hospital opened with 100 beds and five stories tall.

1976 - Manatee Village Historical Park in East Bradenton was created.

             The City Leased the land for $1.00 which includes the1860

             Original County Courthouse and the 1887 United Methodist Church Building

1978 - New Manatee County Central Library opens

1979 - Old Carnegie Library building reopened as Manatee County Historical Records Library

1983 -  The  65 acre “Sandpile” an area dredged from the Manatee River started with $400,000 worth of construction including the  “Old Cabbage Head” locomotive.

1984 - The sale of Manatee Memorial Hospital marked the end of public hospital in Manatee County.

1985 - Manatee County Civic Center opened on the north bank of the

Manatee River near the DeSoto Bridge. New high-rise skyline for downtown Bradenton as new banking buildings opened.  Almost all banks changed their names and affiliations at least once from 1984-1987, as new banking laws allowed mergers.

1987 - Downtown buildings across from the courthouse torn down to m ake way for multistory County Government office building.

1989 - County Administration Building is completed

1990 - Tropicana moves into it’s new facility on 9th St and 13th Ave.

1995 - South Florida Museum and Planetarium adds the aquarium