It was in 1882 that people first settled in Coleman; moving nearer to the Warm Springs Hammock lands that they were farming.  Dr. B.F. Coleman is listed in the Florida Gazette, in 1886-87 as one of the early citizens and for whom the town was named.  Adamsville had been the home of most of the early settlers but the settlers chose to buy land, build homes and move nearer to the hammock.

The main source of revenue was growing and selling oranges, but they also made a living raising cotton, cattle, sheep and hogs.  However, after the 1894-95 freeze, the residents of Adamsville moved away in search of other means of a livelihood.  The stage line running through Adamsville furnished transportation for the people.  Mail and other items were shipped over this line.  In 1883 the transportation problem was solved, the railroad was built from Wildwood and finally completed to Tampa.  

In 1925, the city received its Charter.  Streets were paved, electric lights installed and the city collected refuse for the citizens.  The Adamsville School was used for the children even after their parents moved to Coleman.  A one-room structure was the first building in Coleman used for holding classes and it also served for holding church services.  Three buildings had been used for school houses, however, the high school grades had to attended the Wildwood School.  

Many of the local residents were employed at a mill at Warnell in the Panasoffkee area.  In 1910, Mr. Swicord built a hotel and by 1923 Coleman became known as the "Cabbage" capital of the world.  Mr. Swicord's hotel and other boarding houses were usually filled with buyers flocking to this town to buy up the crops.  The town was so prosperous that most every home had a telephone and the town owned its own telephone system.

In the mid-20's, Sumter county was again the scene of important railroad construction.  Beginning at Coleman, a completely new railroad was constructed to West Palm Beach and Miami and on through to Homestead.  On January 1927 there was a city-wide celebration greeting the first train to reach Miami.