Sweetwater

Sweetwater is an unincorporated, and sparsely-populated area in the southeast section of Hardee County, Florida. It is bordered by U.S. Highway 17 to the west, State Highway 66 to the North, and the unincorporated communities of Crewsville to the east and Fish Branch/Gardner to the South. An 1888 map of Florida shows the name of the town as "Maltese".

It contains a significant portion of the Oak Creek watershed and borders on the Charley Creek watershed, both of which empty into Peace River. For many years, Sweetwater was the location of Hardee County’s only lake, Lake Frances, which is privately owned. The center of the community is now the intersection of Sweetwater (formally County Road 656 and Merle Langford Road) and Crewsville Roads.

Sweetwater once had a thriving rural population that farmed and raised cattle and at one point, had its own one room school and was home to a large turpentine mill with a commissary. Most families lived off the land, farming and harvesting domesticated animals such as beef, pork and poultry.

The population has steadily declined since the 1950’s and the major industry is now citrus and cattle. The population continues to be comprised mainly of working class families, with a few retirees.