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Florida City
City of Florida City
Florida City FL city hall02.jpg
Motto(s): 
Gateway to the Florida Keys and the Everglades
Location in Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida
Location in Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida
U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits
U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits
Country United States
State Florida
County Miami-Dade
Incorporated December 29, 1914
Government
 • Type Mayor-Council
Area
 • Total 6.06 sq mi (15.69 km2)
 • Land 5.99 sq mi (15.51 km2)
 • Water 0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2)  0%
Elevation
3 ft (1 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 13,085
 • Density 2,184.47/sq mi (843.49/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
33034, 33035
Area code(s) 305, 786
FIPS code 12-22975
GNIS feature ID 0282605

Florida City is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States and is the southernmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area. Florida City is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area.

The city lies to the south and west of, and is contiguous with, Homestead. Both cities suffered catastrophic damage in August 1992 when Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida.

The city originated as a land promotion named Detroit. There were no buildings in the area when the first thirty families arrived in 1910, and they had to stay in Homestead until their houses could be built. The name was changed to Florida City when the town incorporated in 1914. It has a small historic area, but much of the city is hotels and other tourist facilities.

The city is at the eastern end of the only road running through the Everglades National Park, which terminates at Flamingo. Florida City is the southernmost city in the United States which is not on an island. It is also the last stop on the mainland north of the Florida Keys. The southern terminus of the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike where it ends at its junction with U.S. 1 is located in Florida City. Homestead is immediately north and east of Florida City, and these two cities comprise the greater Homestead-Florida City area. Some of the notable unincorporated communities in the area are Redland, Leisure City, Naranja, and Princeton.

Physiography and natural history

Florida City is situated mostly atop a limestone ridge called the Miami Rock Ridge that extends south from present day North Miami Beach serves as the higher ground within the community. The ridge extended from northeast to southwest across the city. The old location of the Florida East Coast Railway track marks the approximate boundary of the location of the limestone ridge south of Davis Parkway. The range of elevation of the ridge is from 5 to 8 feet above sea level.

Prior to settlement, the ridge was vegetated by South Florida Slash Pine trees, which were alternatively known as "Dade County Pine" (Pinus elliottii var. densa). (Remnants of these pines can be seen today in local parks and in Everglades National Park at the Long Pine Key picnic area.) These pine rocklands were crushed by equipment and converted to farmland during the 1900s. near Krome Avenue and Palm Drive, driving the local economy throughout the 1900s.

East of the natural ridge was a broad area of marshlands surrounding the area. Old timers of Florida City called these coastal glades the "East Glade". This was an extension of Everglades that extended from areas west and south of Florida City to its east. East of the East Glade, marshlands gave way to mangrove swamp

Development schemes in the East Glade led to the construction of canals in the early 1900s. in the late 1970s. Potatoes were mostly harvested from February to March.

Florida City was historically bisected by a slough. Sloughs were commonly found crossing the limestone ridge at a roughly perpendicular angle from Miami to Florida City. Florida City's slough (officially called "Long Slough" or "Long Glade Slough") entered the city near Redland Road and Lucy Street, and extended across the city to the southeast to a location near today's NW 3rd Street and NW 3rd Avenue. East of that point, the slough entered the East Glade.

Long Slough was a slow flowing body of water that originated in the Everglades just south of the Miami Homestead General Aviation Airport. NW 6th Avenue north of Davis Parkway, and NW 3rd Avenue about fifty feet north of NW 3rd Street) had culverts constructed under them to allow water to pass through the slough. NW 4th Street east of NW 5th Avenue dead ended near the approximate location where a fictional NW 4th Avenue would intersect that street. During the late 1980s the street was constructed to reach NW 3rd Avenue since water in the slough had been drained away. Eventually fill was added to the slough and it was destroyed.

Extensive filling operations were conducted in Long Slough near NW 3rd Avenue in the late 1970s. Fill was obtained as waste rock from a nearby rock cutting operation (utilizing Key Largo Limestone, a local coral rock) and was allowed to be dumped in the location by the landowners. Today, this portion of Long Slough serves as a housing development.

An additional natural feature existed along Davis Parkway, extending into the Florida City Camper Park. This feature was a live oak hammock. The understory of the hammock was cleared for the camper park, but much of the hammock remained undisturbed to the south of Davis Parkway and NW 1st Road prior to the late 1970s.

Florida City today serves as the southern terminus of the Florida Turnpike.

Geography

Florida City is located at 25°27′05″N 80°29′04″W / 25.451331°N 80.484383°W / 25.451331; -80.484383.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.3 km2 (3.2 mi2), all land.

Surrounding areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1920 355
1930 452 27.3%
1940 752 66.4%
1950 1,547 105.7%
1960 4,114 165.9%
1970 5,133 24.8%
1980 6,174 20.3%
1990 5,806 −6.0%
2000 7,843 35.1%
2010 11,245 43.4%
2020 13,085 16.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Florida City racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 498 3.81%
Black or African American (NH) 5,786 44.22%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 13 0.1%
Asian (NH) 24 0.18%
Pacific Islander (NH) 3 0.02%
Some Other Race (NH) 56 0.43%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 182 1.39%
Hispanic or Latino 6,523 49.85%
Total 13,085

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 13,085 people, 2,860 households, and 2,278 families residing in the city.

2010 census

Florida City Demographics
2010 Census Florida City Miami-Dade County Florida
Total population 11,245 2,496,435 18,801,310
Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010 +43.4% +10.8% +17.6%
Population density 1,888.7/sq mi 1,315.5/sq mi 350.6/sq mi
White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic) 5.6% ?% ?%
(Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian) 5.6% 15.4% 57.9%
Black or African-American 52.4% 18.9% 16.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 42.4% 65.0% 22.5%
Asian 0.3% 1.5% 2.4%
Native American or Native Alaskan 0.2% 0.2% 0.4%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian 0.0% 0.0% 0.1%
Two or more races (Multiracial) 2.6% 2.4% 2.5%
Some Other Race 5.4% 3.2% 3.6%

As of 2010, there were 3,792 households, out of which 12.3% were vacant. In 2000, 46.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 34.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.1% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.48 and the average family size was 3.95.

Climate

The Köppen Climate Classification sub-type for this climate is "Aw". (Tropical Savanna Climate).

Climate data for Florida City
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 26
(78)
27
(80)
28
(82)
29
(85)
31
(88)
32
(90)
33
(91)
33
(92)
32
(90)
31
(87)
28
(83)
26
(79)
29
(85)
Average low °C (°F) 12
(54)
13
(56)
14
(58)
16
(61)
19
(66)
22
(71)
23
(73)
23
(73)
23
(73)
21
(69)
17
(63)
14
(57)
18
(65)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 41
(1.6)
46
(1.8)
51
(2)
69
(2.7)
150
(5.9)
230
(9.1)
180
(7)
210
(8.1)
220
(8.7)
140
(5.5)
58
(2.3)
36
(1.4)
1,420
(56.1)
Source: Weatherbase

Education

Florida City is a part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system.

Florida City is zoned to:

  • Florida City Elementary School (Florida City)
  • Homestead Middle School (Homestead)
  • Homestead High School (Homestead)

In addition Rise Academy-South Dade Charter School is in the area.

Florida City also has the following Charter Schools:

  • Lawrence Academy Charter
  • Lincoln Marti International Campus
  • Miami Community Charter

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Florida City para niños

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