Though Plant City's name may seem indicative of the many luscious flowers and produce grown in Florida's plant nurseries, the town is actually named for one specific man.
Local legend says that railroad magnate Henry B. Plant never came to Plant City—true or not, he played a significant role in the development of the area. The original community settlement, known as Shiloh, was north of the current town center; a walk through the historic Shiloh Cemetery is a walk through the history of Plant City, with granite markers dating back as 1841. It wasn't until the mid-1880s that Plant extended his South Florida Railroad through the area, providing a means for growth and prosperity. Plant City was incorporated in 1885, and the rest is Florida history.