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I live here: Valrico

Cow pastures made way for car dealerships. Apartments replaced cute houses. But it's home, and in some ways better than ever.

May 31, 1976, was a bright sunshine-filled day - and it was my 40th birthday.

I turned left off U.S. 301 onto State Road 60 and read the sign: Brandon 4, Bartow 39. State Road 60 from 301 to Nativity Church was a two-lane black top intersected by four roads with red lights and no more than two cars at each intersection.

State Road 60 began with cow pastures, Carey Cattle Co., Brandon Veterinary Hospital, Hillsborough Memorial Gardens, and more pastures with grazing cattle.

At the second red light (Kings) was a bright new shopping center called Clayton Plaza. Next door were Brandon State Bank and Stowers Funeral Home.

I was the new basketball coach at Brandon High School.

Victoria Street was rural, full of big oaks, and I mused to myself, "There's not much in Brandon."

Later that day I scouted for suitable housing accommodations and drove down oak-lined streets with low block houses, and Victorian homes with inviting front porches. There were few apartment complexes and subdivisions. This worried me. How was I going to find a suitable place to live?

More than 25 years later, State Road 60 is eight lanes with an accident waiting to happen. Four red lights have given way to countless cars stopped at each intersection. Cow pastures are now rows of car dealerships. The old establishments have been replaced with every fast food chain imaginable.

Tree-lined streets and Victorian homes gave way to rows of lookalike houses (with no trees) so close together you can hear your neighbor's toilet flush. Dozens of multistoried apartment complexes, rainbows of flags and discount signs show prospective renters the way to the office.

Why do I continue to live here?

The girl I married 19 years ago is a fourth-generation of two Florida pioneer families. Many of my former students drive State Road 60 every day to and from work, and live in the new subdivisions. It's a wonderful place to live because we have the greatest access to the beach, spring training baseball, Bucs, Bulls, Rays, Lightning and high school sporting events.

Lest we not forget, we can eat out approximately 30 straight days in the restaurant of our choice and never have to drive on Interstate 4 or venture into Tampa, Clearwater or St. Pete.

"There's not much in Brandon." Ha! Anybody moving to Brandon today would probably say there is a plethora of activities, churches, doctors, lawyers, car dealerships, eating establishments, homes, apartments, an outstanding hospital and wonderful schools for our children.- Bennett lives on Kiowa Lane.

We're looking for readers to tell us, in 400 words or less, why you live where you live. Please include your likes and dislikes. Send essays to brandon@sptimes.com and please include a daytime phone number. We reserve the right to edit for brevity and clarity.