Why is Gainesville called Hogtown?
The name dates to a 19th century Seminole settlement that was located near what is now Westside Park in Gainesville. Prior to European expansion, the settlement supported a vibrant community of hog-raising Seminoles. However, after the United States acquired Florida from Spain in 1819, white settlers moved to the area. In 1823, the Treaty of Moultrie Creek required the Seminoles to move out of Hogtown and onto reservation land. Chief John Mico was granted a sum of $20 dollars by the United States government for honoring the treaty.