Brandon is an unincorporated community located in just east of downtown Tampa. Brandon, Florida consists of approximately 196 square miles and a population of more than 110,000. It includes the communities of Seffner, Dover, Durant, Mango, Valrico, Riverview and Bloomingdale.
Single-family homes in Brandon have a broad price range, but a typical home is priced between $160,000 and $600,000. Many of these properties have scenic views of nearby lakes and rivers, providing ideal conditions in which to watch the sun setting in the evening. Brandon and its' surrounding areas have several subdivisions such as River Hills Country Club, Woodberry, Brentwood Hills, and Lakeview. The subdivisions in Brandon are perfect for raising a family in a rapidly growing community. Brandon also has condominiums and townhouses available typically priced from around $125,000. Just like the single-family homes, many of the condominiums and townhouses provide water frontage and/or amazing views of Florida´s lakes and rivers, but at more reasonable prices.
Brandon homes are easily accessible to all parts of Tampa by the Crosstown Expressway, State Road 60, Interstate 4, Interstate 75 and a number of county roads. Driving time to downtown Tampa is approximately 15-20 minutes. MacDill Air Force Base is located in South Tampa is a 25-30 minute drive on the Crosstown Expressway. Tampa International Airport is within a 30-minute drive of Brandon.
Entertainment
Brandon is home to Westfield Shoppingtown (originally Brandon Town Center). Westfield Shoppingtown is quickly becoming the one of the largest malls in Central Florida. The local movie theater is Regency 20. Plenty of other activities are available in this area.
History
Brandon, FL was named after the settler, John Brandon, who founded the town in the 1850's. The Railroad first arrived in 1890 and the depot was stationed on present-day Moon Avenue. Its first census came in 1960 when the community's population was only 1,655.
Brandon's Population History from the U.S. Census Bureau
*1960......1,655
*1970.....12,749
*1980.....41,826
*1990.....57,985
*2000.....77,895
Establishments
Known for being Tampa's premier bedroom community, Brandon boasts many chracteristic establishments that have lasted over a quarter of a century. Most notably, Babe's Pizza has been a Brandon staple that has fed the stomachs of local suburbanites with its infamous "Double Decker Pizza". Brandonites (or sometimes referred as Brandonians, a spin-off of the more recognizable term "Bohemians") have indulged in popular desert shops such as Campbell's Dairy Land, an ice cream parlour that reopened its doors in July of 2003 due to a tragic fire. Brandon is also known as the birthplace of Beef O'Bradys, a family-oriented bar and grill chain restaurant prevalent throughout the South.
External links
* Brandon Chamber of Commerce
* Brandon News- Information and tools for researching the Tampa Bay area including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Brandon, Lithia, Riverview, Valrico, and Apollo Beach.
* Center Place - Center Place offers cultural enrichment opportunities for all ages through a variety of programs including original art exhibits, art education and the performing arts.
* Osprey Observer