Gadsden County became Florida's fifth county in 1823, two years after the territory was formally acquired from Spain. Named for James Gadsden, the aide-de-camp to Andrew Jackson, Gadsden County has attracted people for centuries. From prehistoric Indian settlements and Spanish explorers to land acquisitions of the Forbes Purchase, the county has long been a magnet. Its mystique includes the "Coca-Cola Legend," shade tobacco, and ties to two popular books about the South: Gone with the Wind and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
