| Bethany, Florida | |
| Settlement Type: | Unincorporated community |
| Pushpin Map: | Florida#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Bethany |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Florida |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Manatee |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Timezone: | EST |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Coordinates: | 27.4742°N -82.2642°W |
| Elevation Ft: | 66 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Area Code: | 941 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 12-05850[1] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 300018 |
Bethany is an unincorporated community in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The community was previously known as Riley.
Advertised as an “ideal and natural orange land,” a post office was established at what was then Riley on October 12, 1894. The community was named for one of its earliest property owners and first postmaster, William O’Riley.[2] That same year, a church established by O'Riley was built in Riley and named Bethany Missionary Baptist Church. A school was also opened and was called Bethany School. By 1897, the Riley community was home to 14 households.[3]
As the citrus industry in the area grew, new nearby communities such as Waterbury and Oak Knoll were developed. The Riley Post Office was discontinued on April 7, 1914, in favor of delivery at the newly established Oak Knoll post office.
After the post office closed and there was no official reason to refer to the area as Riley, it quickly became known by Bethany in reference to the community's school and church.