Historians tell us that there was an Indian town at the present site of Lake City as late as 1817, under a Seminole Chief by the name of HALPATTER TUSTENNUGGEE, also called Alligator. Chief Alligator gave his name to the village. By 1824 there were several white families living here in the village of Alligator. One family was named Edward’s and at least two families by the name of O’Steen and a Mr. Noel Raulerson is said to have been the first white man to locate on the present site of Lake City.

A treaty was signed with the Indians in 1824. Under this treaty the Indians agreed to move across the state locating their villages south of a line across the state locating their new villages about the present site of Ocala.

CHIEF ALLIGATOR is reported to have been one of the most intelligent of the Seminole Indian Chiefs. He spoke English and mingled with the earlier settlers on the friendliest terms. Later he was embittered against the whites and became a cruel and crafty warrior and at last was transported to Arkansas along with the other Seminole Indians from Florida.

ABer the Seminoles were transported south the white families were forever in danger of Indian raids, making it necessary at times to abandon their farms and rush to the nearest forts for protection. Fort Alligator on Alligator Lake and Fart Lancaster on the spot where the Community National Bank building now stands were built by the early whites for defense against these raids.

In 1830 a census was taken of Alachua County showing many settlers in and around the town of Alligator. The names of many of these original settlers are shown on the tombstones in a number of old cemeteries in this area. Many of our citizens of today are the descendants of these first settlers.

Columbia County was formed in 1832 from part of the original Alachua County with the town of Alligator as the county seat. Columbia County was Florida’s 16' county. It originally included the present areas of Suwannee, Branford, Baker and Union Counties. The first post office for the town of Alligator was established in 1833, with John W. Robert’s as postmaster.

When the first convention to formulate plans to apply for statehood was held in St. Joseph, Dec. 3, 183 S, John F. Webb, Wilson Brooks and George McClellen were the delegates from Columbia County. After Florida obtained statehood, Adam Souder Goodbread was our first senator, 1845 – 1846. Giles U. Ellis, William B. Ross and George E. McClellen were our first state representatives, 1845

The beautiful fresh water lakes in and around their beautiful settlement with the great forests, fertile lands, exotic plants and green pastures brilliant m the warmth of the sun and the showers of this semi-tropical land brought a certain feeling of innate pride to these early settlers. They became impatient with the name Alligator and sought a name more in keeping with this sense of their appreciation of God’s good earth where they had come to establish their homes, live their lives and pass on down to their children’s children.

On Dec. 14", 1858, a legislative bill was introduced to change the name of the town of Alligator to Lake City and was suggested by Mrs. Elex Young and Col. Robert Brown, Columbia County representative, introduced the bill. The city was incorporated as Lake City on January 15", 1859.