LEVY COUNTY

Created in 1845 and  named for David Levy (U.S. Senator serving from 1845-1851 and from 1855-1861) Levy County is the ninth largest county, geographically in Florida.  It is predominantly rural with open woodlands, springs, rivers and more than 50 miles of coastline on the Gulf of Mexico.  Nearly one-fifth of the county is set aside for state and national wildlife areas.

Levy county offers a rural and coastal lifestyle.  Located on the Gulf of Mexico south of Gainesville and west of Ocala, Levy County was home to the first railroad in Florida linking the ports of Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico to Fernandina on the Atlantic Ocean.      A look back from the fishing pier at Cedar Key.  This quaint little town is filled with good food, wonderful shops and a relaxed coastal lifestyle.

With miles and miles of trails, springs, parks, forest , marshland and more than 50 miles of coastline it's no wonder that nature based tourism is the leading industry.

Rich with history and heritage charming towns and fishing villages add to Levy County's appeal for antique shoppers or archaeology buffs.

Twilight falls at the Shell Mound Unit of the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge.  Oyster, clam and other mollusk shells discarded by Archaic cultures form the mound from atop which this view of the Gulf awaits.

The unspoiled Withlacoochee Gulf area of Inglis and Yankeetown on the banks of the Withlacoochee River, the historic Lower Suwannee River bordering the county's north end, the Gulf of Mexico and the crystal clear waters of Levy's numerous springs all beckon the water enthusiast.