Bradenton is a city of 50,000 people in Manatee County, Florida, United States. Originally 'discovered' by Hernando De Soto at Shaw's Point in 1539. The city took the name of Dr. Joseph Braden, whose nearby fortlike house was a refuge for early settlers during Native American attacks. It is the county seat of Manatee County.
Bradenton is served by the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in nearby Sarasota, Florida and is connected to St. Petersburg, Florida by the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
Colleges near Bradenton include Manatee Community College, Lake Erie College of Osteopathetic Medicine (LECOM) and Manatee Technical Institute. The world-renowned tennis academy run by Nick Bollettieri bears a Bradenton address.
Tropicana Products is a Bradenton-based company which is one of the world's largest producers and marketers of orange juice. Founded in 1947 by Anthony T. Rossi, an Italian immigrant, it has grown to over 8,000 employees in 2004, and has brought their products to market throughout the United States. It has been owned by PepsiCo, Inc. since 1998. Tropicana has trusted CSX with the duty of hauling their famous juice trains since 1971.
Bradenton's Riverfront Theatre boasts a three-year record of first-place wins within the Florida Theatre Conference and the Southeastern Theatre Conference competitions. In addition, the theatre currently holds the first place title from the American Association of Community Theatre competition.
Bradenton is located on US 41 between Tampa and Sarasota. The area is surrounded by miles of waterways, both fresh and saltwater. Along the blue-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and into Tampa Bay are over 20 miles of fine Florida beaches - many which are shaded by tall Australian Pines. The swimming, boating and fishing activities available in Bradenton and the surrounding locations make this a great recreational area.
Located on the Manatee River in downtown Bradenton is the South Florida Museum, Bishop Planetarium and Parker Manatee Aquarium. This one-stop museum-planetarium-aquarium offers a glimpse of Florida history, a star and laser show, and viewing of live manatees.
Bradenton, located on the mainland, is separated from the outer barrier islands of Anna Maria and Longboat Key by the Intracoastal Waterway. Anna Maria Bayfront Park located on the north end of Anna Maria island is a quiet beach park overlooking Tampa Bay. The business district and community of Bradenton Beach on the southern end of Anna Maria island is oriented toward vacationers who come to enjoy the surrounding beaches. Longboat Key, the next barrier island south, is popular with shell hunters along its beaches.
The Sunshine Skyway to the north is an impressive 4 mile, cross-bay bridge that soars 250 feet above the bay at its highest point and provides a link to St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Remnants of the old Skyway bridge have been converted into a first rate fishing pier extending into Tampa Bay from both sides of the bay.
Nearby Sarasota continues the beach theme with its own beautiful white beaches. Sarasota offers the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, an upscale shopping complex at St. Armands Key, Sarasota Jungle Gardens, and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
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