Wesley Chapel, Florida History

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From the Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee (2001)

The pioneer Boyett(e), Gillett(e), Godwin and Kersey families received land grants in the area in the 1840's. The real influx of settlers, however, began around the War Between the States when the Stanleys and Coopers arrived. Originally called Double Branch for the twin creeks that flowed across the Boyette land, the community was named for the Methodist chapel that stood on the northwest corner of SR 54 and Boyette Road. A popular nickname for the area was Gatorville.

Since its founding in 1878, the Double Branch Baptist Church (now the First Baptist Church) has served as a focus for community life. The church has had three buildings in its long history. Henry Ryals was pastor in the first building in 1880, Ed Bryant the second in 1935, and Lynn Foster the third in 1970.

The turpentine still and sawmill represented early industries, though cattle ranching and hog farming on the then open range, crop farming and citrus growing predominated. When times were hard people turned to charcoal making and even moonshining to survive. Construction of I-75 and the 1979 opening of the Saddlebrook Resort marked the beginning of the current growth of the community.