| Marion County is a county with an estimated population of 303,442, as of 2005. Its county seat is Ocala, but it also includes Belleview, Dunnellon, McIntosh and Reddick. In 1844, Belleview Marion County was created from parts of Alachua, Orange, and Hillsborough counties. The county is named for General Francis Marion of South Carolina, who was a guerilla fighter and hero of the American Revolutionary War. Many of Marion County's early settlers were from South Carolina. Its motto is "Kingdom of the Sun." Marion County is the southernmost county in North Central Florida. It is 90 minutes to Orlando, two hours to Tampa and Jacksonville in opposite directions, an hour and a half to Daytona Beach and Miami and Fort Lauderdale is about five hours away. Marion County is inland, between Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Although tornadoes are a major threat to this region, Marion County is not affected by as much hurricanes as the more coastal counties to its east and west. |