Lithia

Lithia, Florida is a land of past and present, old and new. It's a land of stately oaks, towering pines, hardwood hammocks and river cypress swamps; yet a land resisting urban sprawl and development from its big brother Brandon just nine miles to the north. Some say Lithia has been "rediscovered"; until the early 1980s, the community remained largely agrarian, with large farms providing citrus, cattle and milk to neighboring towns. Today though, groups like U-CAN (United Citizens' Action Network) and R-LAND (the Rural Lithia Area Neighborhood Defense) are working hard to protect their land against what county planners say is inevitable: that the area south of the Alafia River, which includes Lithia, will swell to more than half-a-million people by 2025.

Lithia, originally called Pelot after a traveling preacher by the same name, was first homesteaded by the Alderman family, the area's first 'white' settlers, in 1847. Archaeological evidence reveals that the Pelot-Lithia area was inhabited by Native Americans as far back as 2,000 B.C. Pelot was renamed Lithia in 1904 after the town's doctor discovered lithium oxide, used in ceramic glazes, in the water supply.

 Homes in Lithia

Lithia is most well known for the famous Fishhawk communities, Fishhawk Trails and Fishhawk Ranch. Fishhawk Trails is a guarded, gated community with custom homes on half- to one-acre sites surrounded by towering oaks. The community offers a six-mile-long natural preserve trail system with a catwalk over Fishhawk Creek, as well as a recreation center and pavilion, tennis, roller hockey, playgrounds and more. Fishhawk Ranch is an award-winning, master-planned community offering residents an enclosed community-center life with neighborhood cafes, bars and restaurants, a movie house, skate park, aquatic center with waterslide, on-site daycare, and 20 miles of trails that connect the community's distinctive villages and parks. Fishhawk Ranch sits on 4,400 acres, 1,500 of which are reserved for conservation: the community received recognition from the National Arbor Day Foundation and the State of Florida for its work in saving trees during development. The 9,000+ homes in Fishhawk vary in price from $120,000 to $700,000+.

Older single-family homes are still available on country acreage outside of the major new developments; you can find a 3/2 on a country acre for $220,000, as well as undeveloped acres for reasonable rates. Despite booming planned developments, the median home price in Lithia is still at $296,000; the average is $345,000.

Lithia Schools

Lithia schools are well known to be schools of excellence: only one school received a "B" on its 2006-2007 Report Card; each of the others received an "A." Children in Lithia attend Colleen Bevis Elementary, Fishhawk Creek Elementary or Pinecrest Elementary, as well as Randall Middle and Newsome High.

Shopping and Dining in Lithia

Being so close to Brandon, Lithia residents do not lack for shopping and dining options. A few local favorites are Tim's Café, a haven and hangout for bikers on Lithia-Pinecrest Road; the recently expanded Rafaelo's Pizza on County Road 39 South in the Ace Plaza; and Bamboo's, a martini bar on Churchview Drive in Fishhawk Ranch. Bamboo's is a Fishhawk secret; it's hidden away on the 2^{nd floor of the Park Square shopping area—just follow the crowds and the noise on any Friday night and you'll find it! Also nearby is the Westfield Brandon Mall, one of the largest malls in the region offering 251 stores of shopping pleasure for hours of shopping delight.}

What Lithia might lack in shopping and dining, it makes up in opportunities for leisure and play. Most notably, Lithia is home to the Alafia River State Park, 6634 acres of off-road mountain biking trails, horseback trails, nature trails and fishing and boating opportunities. The park, on the site of the old Lonesome phosphate mine, offers the most extreme elevation changes to be found in Florida. Lithia Springs is another popular destination; on 160-acres, the Springs are a favorite swimming hole and an expression of Florida's Aquifer, pouring forth 24 million gallons of crystal clear 72-degree water every day. Lithia Springs was a major attraction in the late 1800s and the Roaring 20s; old-timers today still talk about the parties and fairs held at the springs. Today, the park offers overnight camping, fishing, canoeing, snorkeling and swimming.

Lithia is also home to several undeveloped, protected land sites, such as the Balm Boyette Scrub, which offers primitive Florida hiking experiences, as well as opportunities to view wildlife like deer and wild hogs that are still unfamiliar with—and unwary of—man. The area is also well known for its hammocks, which are dense stands of hardwood trees that grow on natural rises a few inches higher than surrounding marshlands.

For a more tame experience, try Alderman's Ford, one of Lithia's most popular parks. On 1,500 acres, Alderman's Ford marks the branching of the Alafia into its northern and southern prongs. The park offers canoe launching sites, picnic areas, wide and family-friendly hike-and-bike trails and boardwalk bridges, as well as a self-guided nature tour.