Duette, Florida

Duette is an unincorporated community in Manatee County, Florida, United States. State Road 62 intersects with Keentown Road in Duette. The area is home to Bunker Hill Vineyard and Winery. The mayor is Betty Glassburn.

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.^[1] In 2016, it was announced that the school was to be permanently closed after a lack of students and financial reasons.^[2] The area is also home to Duette Preserve, the largest preserve in the Manatee county system.^[3][4]

History

A post office called Duette was established in 1888, and remained in operation until 1907.^[5] The community may be named for a Canadian settler.^[6] In the early morning hours of January 17, 2016, the area west of the town was hit by a high-end EF2 tornado, killing two people and injuring four more.^[7]

References

1. "Duette Cracker Fest: Florida musicians to play concert for Duette Elementary". 2 April 2014. Bradenton.com. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
2. Kruse, Michael. "As Florida's last one-teacher school, Duette Elementary, faces closure, a community must consider its values". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
3. "Duette Preserve". Manatee County, Florida. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
4. "Duette Preserve". Florida Birding. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
5. "Manatee County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
6. Grimes, David (Nov 23, 1979). "The Legends Behind Manatee Names". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. pp. 3B. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
7. "NWS Damage Survey for 01/17/16 Manatee County Tornado Event". National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Tampa, Florida. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. January 17, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2016.

Coordinates: 27°35′25″N 82°07′22″W / 27.59028°N 82.12278°W