Members of the Northeast Pasco County concerned citizen's group are quick to tell you about two endangered species in and around San Antonio, Florida: the first is "citrus sinensis," otherwise known as the orange; the second is "bos taurus," otherwise known as—the cow. Concerned citizens are acting now to maintain what they can
of their rural lifestyle in the face what seems to be inevitable progress.
To the folks in San Antonio and surrounds, rural is…
“A dark country night on a dark country road
Narrow, winding, green country roads
Individual, unique homesteads and the occasional architectural oddity
Deer in the garden and birds in the trees
The fruit and vegetable stand
A main street with small stores, churches and gathering places
Preserved historical homesteads, buildings, parks and graveyards
One or two gas stations, privately owned, throughout the community
A quiet country night with sounds in the distance
The smell of mowed hay
The lowing of cattle, the bleat of goats, the cackling of chickens
Not the loss of these things
(From the Northeast Pasco County Concerned Citizen's Web site)
”
San Antonio, by those criteria, is still perfectly rural—an oasis of gently rolling hills, orange groves and pastureland far from the hustle and bustle of the Greater Tampa metropolitan area, of which San Antonio is a part. The city itself, situated on just 1.2 miles square in the northeastern part of Pasco County, is about 30 miles northeast of Tampa—a 30 minute drive down I-75. With a population of just 913 in 2004, up to approximately 5,000 in 2005, San Antonio is experiencing growth, although, for now, very slowly. Being just a few minutes away from its larger neighbor Dade City to the north and east, and within driving distance of Tampa, this small city still offers country living near enough to big city
amenities—which is what's got people worried about growth in the first place.
San Antonio Schools
San Antonio is served by the Pasco County Public Schools system, which serves 64,680 students in 73 schools. Children in San Antonio attend Quail Hollow Elementary, San Antonio Elementary or Wesley Chapel Elementary, the latter two of which are "A" schools, as well as Thomas E. Weighton Middle, another "A" school, and Wesley Chapel High. San Antonio is also home to the James Irvin Education Center, an alternative school for children grades K-12 who need special help with behavioral, social and academic issues, as well as St. Anthony's Parochial School, which serves children from K-8. The private St. Leo University is also nearby.
