BRADENTON

city, seat (1903) of Manatee county, southwestern Florida, U.S., on the south bank of the Manatee River, near its mouth at Tampa Bay. Hernando de Soto landed nearby, probably at Shaw's Point, in 1539 (an event commemorated by a national memorial and an annual pageant). The first permanent settler was Joseph Braden, who planted sugar and built a castle (1854), remnants of which survive. The community developed as a winter resort and market processing centre for farm produce (citrus, winter vegetables, and flowers) and livestock and was incorporated in 1903. In 1947 it merged with Manatee (founded 1842), its neighbour to the east, to form the city of Bradenton. Its economy became more diversified with an influx of light industries. South Florida Museum and Bishop Planetarium, near Green Bridge, display Indian artifacts and marine life. Gamble Mansion (Judah P. Benjamin Memorial, built 184245) at nearby Ellenton is Florida's chief Confederate shrine. Manatee Junior College (1957) is in Bradenton. Pop. (1990) city, 43,769; Sarasota-Bradenton MSA, 489,483; (1998 est.) city, 47,049; Sarasota-Bradenton MSA, 543,082.