Duette, Florida

Local lore explains that the area's name stems for an early settler named Duette from Canada. While no records indicate this surname purchasing land in Manatee County, in the earliest years of settlement some homesteaders never established legal claim over their land, and therefore a record may not exist.{{cite news|author=Grimes, David|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4zogAAAAIBAJ&pg=6818%2C4195067|title=The Legends Behind Manatee Names|date=November 23, 1979|work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|access-date=June 6, 2015|pages=3B}} The area was also referred to as Dry Prairie. A post office called Duette was established on July 17, 1888. It remained in operation until January 2, 1907.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/332288963/?terms=%22Duette%22|title=7 Nov 1982, 37 - Tampa Bay Times at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-22}}{{cite web|url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=FL&county=Manatee |title=Manatee County |publisher=Jim Forte Postal History |access-date=June 6, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715012047/http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=FL&county=Manatee |archive-date=July 15, 2015 }}{{Cite book|last=McInnis|first=M.T.|url=https://cdm16681.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16681coll2/id/5006|title=Speech by M.T. McInnis "Forgotten Communities of Manatee County"|year=1967|pages=16}}

The annual Duette Cracker Fest, an open-air fair and concert, was held to raise funds for education to prevent the proposed closing of the local one-teacher elementary school by the Manatee County School District.{{cite web|title=Duette Cracker Fest: Florida musicians to play concert for Duette Elementary|url=http://www.bradenton.com/2014/04/02/5080490/duette-cracker-fest-florida-musicians.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140621131100/http://www.bradenton.com/2014/04/02/5080490/duette-cracker-fest-florida-musicians.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 21, 2014|date=April 2, 2014|work=Bradenton Herald|access-date=June 21, 2014}} In 2016, it was announced that the school was to be permanently closed after a lack of students and financial reasons.{{cite web|url=http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/as-floridas-last-one-teacher-school-duette-elementary-faces-closure-a/1007722|title=As Florida's last one-teacher school, Duette Elementary, faces closure, a community must consider its values|work=Tampa Bay Times|last1=Kruse|first1=Michael|access-date=June 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704013010/http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/as-floridas-last-one-teacher-school-duette-elementary-faces-closure-a/1007722|archive-date=July 4, 2013|url-status=dead}} The area is also home to Duette Preserve, the largest preserve in the Manatee county system.{{cite web|title=Duette Preserve|url=http://www.mymanatee.org/home/government/departments/parks-and-recreation/natural-resources/preserves/duette-preserve.html|publisher=Manatee County, Florida|access-date=June 21, 2014}}{{cite web|title=Duette Preserve|url=http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/trip/trail/Duette_Preserve/|publisher=Florida Birding|access-date=June 21, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131108163457/http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/trip/trail/Duette_Preserve/|archive-date=November 8, 2013}}

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Category:Unincorporated communities in Manatee County, Florida

Category:Unincorporated communities in Florida

Category:1888 establishments in Florida

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