Citrus County is located in the central part of Florida, 68 miles north of Tampa. The center of Florida is situated in Citrus County. Jaun Ponce de Leon was the first European to visit Citrus County, but the Indians were so hostile, he did not stay. The United States purchased Florida from Spain in 1821. It was between two rivers, just north of Crystal River that the land was first cleared, citrus groves started, and cattle ranches were developed. The settlement was known as Red Level. It was in Red Level, in Citrus County, that a famous confrontation took place between Emathla, chief of Black Dirt territory, and Osceola, the chief of the Seminoles. Emathla had agreed to leave the land and move to federally provided land in Oklahoma, but Osceola was determined that his people would not leave. Osceola stabbed Ematha to death.