TheWithlacoochee River orCrooked River is a river in centralFlorida, in the United States. It originates in theGreen Swamp, east ofPolk City, flowing west, then north, then northwest and finally west again before emptying into theGulf of Mexico nearYankeetown. The river is 141 miles (227 km) long[1] and has adrainage basin of 1,170 square miles (3,000 km2).
Along the route of central Florida's Withlacoochee River is the 46-mile-long (74 km)Withlacoochee State Trail, the longest pavedrail trail in Florida;[2] theCypress Lake Preserve, a 324-acre (1.31 km2) park with approximately 600 feet (180 m) of frontage;[3] andNobleton Wayside Park, a 2-acre (8,100 m2) park inNobleton that includes a boat ramp, shelter, basketball court, and picnic tables.
TheSouthwest Florida Water Management District operates a 5,484-acre (2,219 ha) nature preserve and recreational area with 3.7 miles (6.0 km) of frontage on the Withlacoochee River inCitrus County. The property was purchased for $13.5 million in 2005 from theSouth Florida Council, which had used it as the McGregor Smith Scout Reservation.[4]
The Withlacoochee River flows throughPasco andHernando counties, and then forms part of the boundary between Hernando County andSumter County and all of the boundary between Citrus County and Sumter County, between Citrus County andMarion County and between Citrus County andLevy County (includingLake Rousseau). The largest city close to the river isDade City.
Tsala Apopka Lake is an area composed of a number of lakes, swamps and marshes interspersed with islands located in Citrus County within the bend of the river where it turns from north flowing to west flowing. The area was historically connected to the river bywetlands. Starting in the 1880s, canals were dug connecting the river to various parts of the lake area.[5] The area of Tsala Apopka Lake historically has been known as the "Cove of the Withlacoochee".[6]
During theSecond Seminole War, Seminole chiefOsceola founded a camp of fellow Seminole and escaped slaves called theCove of the Withlacoochee.[7] On December 31, 1835, theBattle of Withlacoochee was fought at the cove. It was one of the first engagements of the war.[8]
In the 1890s, logs, stumps, and other debris were removed from the river to facilitate the travel of barges carrying phosphate toPort Inglis. Phosphate continued to move along the river this way until WWI, when shipping lanes were closed, and then by the early 1930s, the phosphate deposits were completely depleted.[9]
"Withlacoochee" probably stems from aMuskhogean dialect, which suggests that its application is comparatively recent. It is compounded ofCreekwe (water),thlako (big), andchee (little), orlittle big water. This word combination signifieslittle river in the Creek language, and aswe-lako orwethlako may also refer to a lake, it may signify a river of lakes, or lake river.[10] An alternate etymology holds that Withlacoochee is a Native American word meaning "crooked river", which accurately describes the river as it makes its 70-mile (110 km) journey from the Green Swamp in northern Polk County to the Gulf of Mexico at Yankeetown.[11]
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28°59′41″N82°45′28″W / 28.9948°N 82.7579°W /28.9948; -82.7579
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