Vero Beach, Florida facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Vero Beach
City
The famous Vero Beach Boardwalk in October
Nickname(s): The Hibiscus City
Motto(s): Where the Tropics Begin
Location in Indian River County and the state of Florida
Vero Beach, Florida Location in Florida Show map of Florida Vero Beach, Florida Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Indian River
Settled	1870
Incorporated (Vero)	1919
Incorporated (Vero Beach)	1925
Government
• Type	Commission-Manager
Area
• City	13.40 sq mi (34.72 km²)
• Land	11.50 sq mi (29.78 km²)
• Water	1.91 sq mi (4.93 km²) 14.31%
Elevation	13 ft (4 m)
Population (2020)
• City	16,354
• Density	1,422.21/sq mi (549.10/km²)
• Metro	130,100
	Census Bureau
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	32960 thru 32969
Area code(s)	772
FIPS code	12-74150
GNIS feature ID	0292760
Website	http://www.covb.org

Vero Beach is a city in and the seat of Indian River County, Florida, United States. Vero Beach is the second most populous city in Indian River County. Abundant in beaches and wildlife, Vero Beach is located on Florida's Treasure Coast. It is thirty-four miles south of Melbourne. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 data, the city had a population of 15,220.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, there were 15,220 people, 7,505 households, and 3,946 families residing in the city. There were 10,258 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 87.5% White, 4.8% Black, 0.30% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 3.7% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.7% of the population.

There were 7,505 households, out of which 16.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.4% were non-families. 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, with 4.8% being 85 years and older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.65.

In the city the population was spread out, with 14.1% under the age of 16, 84.1% over 18, 4.3% from 15 to 19, 4.9% from 20 to 24, 5.5% from 20 to 25 and 29.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.9 years.

For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. The population consists of 51.3% female and 48.7% male.

Geography

Climate

Vero Beach has a humid subtropical climate, with hot and humid summers and warm, sunny, and dry winters. The average annual temperature is 72.7 °F, with an annual high temperature of 81.4 °F and an annual low temperature of 64 °F. On average Vero Beach is frost free.

History

Pre-Columbian

A neolithic skull was discovered in 1915. It has since been misplaced but appears to represent a culture from 11 to 14,000 years ago, with 13,000 years ago as the most likely timeframe.

Post-Columbian

In 1872 Captain Allen W. Estes officially established the first land patent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon.

In 1893 Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway began operation through the area.

Vero Beach became chartered as an official town in 1919.

When Indian River County is formed in 1925, Vero Beach became the county seat.

During the war year of 1942 the U.S. Navy selected 1,500 acres (6.1 km²) surrounding the Vero Beach Municipal Airport as the site of a Naval Air Station. It was commissioned November.

In 1951 Barber Bridge was built from mainland to barrier islands. It was later demolished and replaced in 1995 with the Merrill P. Barber Bridge.

In 1957 Piper Aircraft began research and development in Vero Beach.

In 1965 the A1A bridge over the Sebastian Inlet connected the two barrier islands.

Economy

Industry

Vero Beach is home to general aviation manufacturer Piper Aircraft, which is the largest private employer in Indian River County. As of July 2015, Piper employed approximately 750 people. Aside from Piper, the bulk of commercial activity in Vero Beach centers around tourism, the citrus industry and service activities.

Retail

There are two shopping malls: the Indian River Mall, and the Vero Beach Outlets just west of I-95 on State Road 60. There are small specialty shops along Ocean Drive on the barrier island. There are also a set of shops directly inland in what is called "Miracle Mile." The Historic Downtown is a newly revitalized area of shopping, dining, antique stores, and art galleries.

Tourism

Points of interest

Beaches

The beaches in Vero Beach are part of Florida's Treasure Coast. Vero's three main public beaches are South Beach, accessible at the eastern end of Florida State Road 656 at the eastern end of 17th Street; Humiston Park, in Vero's Central Beach Business District on Ocean Drive and Jaycee Park which is adjacent to Conn Beach. There are 26 miles (42 km) of oceanfront shore in Indian River County. Vero Beach also has other free public access trails and walkways with beach access, such as Riomar Beach, Sea Cove, Sea Grape Trail, Sexton Plaza, and Turtle Trail.

Water recreation in the Indian River Lagoon

The Indian River Lagoon, passing through Vero Beach, forms a significant portion of the Intracoastal Waterway, and is a hub for boating, fishing, water skiing, diving, kayaking and other small-craft waterborne activities.

Resorts

Disney's Vero Beach Resort is officially located in Wabasso, a small town north of Vero Beach. As of 2021^[update], the city hosts 14 private golf clubs.

Historic Dodgertown

Vero Beach is home to Historic Dodgertown, which initially started operations during World War II as a U.S. Naval Air Station, and later served as the Spring Training facility of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, until 2008. After the team's departure for a new Spring home in Arizona in 2008, it has served as a year-round multi-purpose facility for athletes of all ages. As of January 2, 2019, MLB has assumed control of the historic facilities with plans to expand the complex and rename it The Jackie Robinson Training Complex. This is to honor both the late Jackie Robinson and the site's history as the first racially integrated spring-training center in the American South.

Vero Beach had been the Spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers since 1948. The Dodgers left Vero Beach in 2008 for Glendale, AZ.

National Register of Historic Places

Vero Railroad Station

McKee Jungle Gardens

Driftwood Inn
Hallstrom House
Old Indian River County Courthouse
Judge Henry F. Gregory House
Maher Building
McKee Jungle Gardens
Old Palmetto Hotel
Pueblo Arcade
Royal Park Arcade
Theodore Hausmann Estate
Old Vero Beach Community Building
Vero Beach Diesel Power Plant
Vero Beach Woman's Club
Vero Railroad Station
Vero Theatre

Education

Public schools

The Indian River County School District operates the following public schools serving Vero Beach:

Vero Beach High School
Gifford Middle School
Oslo Middle School
Storm Grove Middle School
Beachland Elementary School
Citrus Elementary School
Dodgertown Elementary School
Glendale Elementary School
Indian River Academy (elementary school)
Liberty Magnet School (elementary)
Osceola Magnet School (elementary)
Rosewood Magnet School (elementary)
Vero Beach Elementary School
Alternative Center for Education

Charter schools

Indian River Charter High School
Imagine South Vero
North County Charter Elementary
St. Peter's Academy

Private schools

Saint Edward's School. Independent College Preparatory in Episcopal School Tradition; grades pre-K–12
St. Helen Catholic School
Anderson Academy. grades 8–12
Masters Academy. grades pre-K–12
Tabernacle Christian School. grades K-8
SunCoast School. grades pre-K–8

Colleges

Indian River State College – Mueller Campus
Treasure Coast Technical College

Infrastructure

Transportation

Air

Vero Beach Regional Airport is a public airport one mile northwest of Vero Beach, offering commercial jet service by Elite Airways.

Bus

Vero Beach is served by GoLine Bus routes.

Rail

The Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) mainline bisects Vero Beach, with an active team track in town serving two off-line lumber/building products customers, who receive boxcars, flatcars and gondolas, . The Vero Railroad Station served the transportation needs of the community and its surrounding agricultural area for almost 65 years from 1903 to 1968. It now serves as a county historical exhibit center.

Notable people

Fred Barnes, journalist, editor of The Weekly Standard and Fox News contributor
Lake Bell, actress, attended school in Vero Beach and her film I Do... Until I Don't is set there
Jade Cargill, professional wrestler signed to AEW and fitness model
Alex Cobb, pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, attended Vero Beach High School
Gloria Estefan, singer, has a house and owns a hotel in Vero Beach
Tom Fadden, actor
Prince Fielder, professional baseball player
Mardy Fish, former professional tennis player and Olympic Silver medalist
Calvin Souther Fuller, inventor of the solar cell, died 1994
Horace Gifford, architect
Carl Hiaasen, journalist, novelist, and author
Sandy Koufax, former professional baseball player
Ivan Lendl, former professional tennis player
Richard Littlejohn, columnist for the Daily Mail, lives in Vero Beach
Debbie Mayfield, Florida state senator
F. James McDonald, former president and chief operating officer of General Motors
Alison Mosshart, lead singer of The Kills and The Dead Weather
Jake Owen, country music singer-songwriter, graduate of Vero Beach High School, 1999
Peter George Peterson, co-founder, Blackstone Group
Albert Reed, model, 2007 Dancing with the Stars competitor, actor, graduate of Vero Beach High School, 2003
Priscilla Renea, singer-songwriter signed to Capitol Records, debut album entitled "Jukebox" released in 2009
Norman Sas, inventor of Electric football
Waldo E. Sexton, early settler and pioneer
Parvati Shallow, winner of Survivor: Micronesia, runner-up in Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
Eric Smith, former professional football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League
Bryan Stork, professional football player for the Washington Redskins of the NFL
Roscoe Tanner, former professional tennis player
Rick Wiles, Christian Broadcaster and antisemitic conspiracy theorist