Wauchula, Florida Is An Interesting Little Town

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Wauchula, Florida. A Place Where It Feels Good To Be

Wauchula is a very cool city. As a matter of fact, it was once known as the "Cucumber Capital of the World". But now, their main agricultural crop is citrus. Wachula comes from a Miccosoukee Indian word "wa- tu- la- ha- kee", meaning "call of the sand hill crane". Wauchula may be small but a lot of "news worthy" things have happened there over the years. In this lens, we will spotlight a few of them. Video of Wauchula This Squidoo Lens Was UPDATED ON Feb5/12 Follow Me on Pinterest

This Squidoo lens was updated on May 19/12

Not A Big City But...

Wauchula is located in Hardee County, Florida, United States and has a population of a little more than 4,000 people. The small town is also more than a 100 years old.

Hard to believe that there is a Municipal Airport in such a small place.

The population is mostly white with the balance of mixed ethnics.

The Baby Swap In Wauchula

In 1978, something happened in Wauchula that brought a lot of grief to two families. It was in that town that a baby swap took place. The two babies Arlena Twigg and Kimberly Mays were switched at the hospital and went home with the wrong parents.

A book was published "The Baby Swap Conspiracy "by Loretta Schwarz-Nobel and later on a movie "Switched At Birth" was made of this incident.

Switched at Birth [VHS]

Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation

Wauchula is also home to the Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation, a residential therapy facility for patients suffering severe brain trauma.

It attracts people from all over the world.

The Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation, Inc. (FINR) is dedicated to excellence in the provision of rehabilitation, education and vocational services to both children and adult survivors of brain injury. Through the provision of individualized assessment, restorative service and foundational retraining in behavior, psych-social, cognitive, physical functioning, communication, daily living, education and vocational area, FINR seeks to assist its clients in attaining their maximum level of functioning and quality of life in the most normalized and least restrictive environment. FINR is also dedicated to promoting public awareness of the needs of brain injured survivors and their families and enriching the knowledge base in the field of rehabilitation through education and research.

Photo And Website

The Town Was Hit Hard In 2004 For Hurricane Charley

Oon Friday, August 13, 2004, the town was hit by Hurricane Charley. It was the biggest disaster to ever hit the area causing damages of over $750 million.

Power and water were practically inexistent for quite a while with temperatures in the high 90's.

Kids had no school for 2 weeks.

The area was labelled a federal disaster area after 85% of buildings were either damaged or destroyed.

More Of Poutine's Lenses

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Who's Talking About Wauchula, Florida?

Florida Citrus Organization Appeals Revocation of OJ 'Dump' Order Against Brazil
"I don't think I have ever seen this kind of drop in the futures market that fast," said Jay Clark, a Wauchula grower and member of the Florida Citrus Commission. Many other factors could be affecting futures, however. Not the least among them would be ...
Legend of the Skunk Ape has ties to the Suncoast
What are the odds of an actual ape-like creature living in the Everglades or anywhere in Florida? Very high; there are some living in Wauchula. "The Center For Great Apes is a sanctuary for orangutans and chimps." Patti Ragan runs the center, ...
Proposed Citrus Commission Budget Cuts Marketing Funds
"It's a realistic budget," said Commissioner Jay Clark, a Wauchula grower. "I don't think growers are happy with our results right now." The commission will vote on the budget at its June 13 meeting in Bonita Springs during the Florida Citrus Industry ...
Jim Jones column: The things you might see on a drive through Manatee County
Ervin, a cousin of Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame coach Eddie Shannon, had just completed the last of his bucket brigade classes. For 35 years, Ervin has worked with small farmers and home gardeners, judged the 4-H spring ...

Interesting Reads

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Where To Stay While In Wauchula, Florida

When in Wauchula, why not stay at The Quilter's Inn . Situated in historic downtown Wauchula, Florida, on Main Street, the Quilter's Inn is a genteel, decidedly Southern experience.

The Quilter's Inn offers five charming guest rooms to Travelers, all with private baths

Ever Visited Florida?

  • TampaFLAttractions Aug 14, 2011 @ 5:15 pm | delete
    I had no idea Wachula was such a hotbed of interest :), It's not often someone can teach me something about my home state - thank you!
  • CruiseReady Jul 9, 2011 @ 5:07 am | delete
    I have not been to Wachula, but will probably make it there one day.
  • Koupie Mar 9, 2011 @ 5:14 pm | delete
    Yes, I have been four times because my inlaws had a snowbird apartment there for a while, going there from Canada for the winter. I love the beaches and the flea markets where I look for vintage treasures but have not been back for a few years.
  • lollyj Mar 9, 2011 @ 2:38 pm | delete
    I've never been to Florida, but really enjoyed reading about Wauchula.
    Lensrolled to my travel / location lenses.
  • TeamSTM Mar 9, 2011 @ 12:44 pm | delete
    I have been to Florida before and Now I have a New Place to Checkout! Thanks for the Useful Information!
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poutine

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