North Port, Florida
North Port, Florida | |
---|---|
Etymology: Shortened form of North Port Charlotte | |
Motto: Achieve Anything | |
Coordinates: 27°3′58″N 82°10′19″W / 27.06611°N 82.17194°W[1] | |
Country | United States |
State | Florida |
County | Sarasota |
Incorporated | June 18, 1959 |
Government | |
• Type | Council–manager government |
• City Manager | A. Jerome Fletcher II |
• City Mayor | Pete Emrich |
Area | |
• Total | 104.21 sq mi (269.91 km2) |
• Land | 99.38 sq mi (257.39 km2) |
• Water | 4.83 sq mi (12.52 km2) 4.40% |
Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 74,793 |
• Density | 752.60/sq mi (290.58/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
ZIP codes | 34286, 34287, 34288, 34289, 34290, 34291, 34293 |
Area codes | 941 |
FIPS code | 12-49675 |
GNIS feature ID | 0294334 |
Website | cityofnorthport |
[3] |
North Port is a city located in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. The population was 74,793 at the 2020 US Census.[4][5] It is part of the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was originally developed by General Development Corporation as the northern / Sarasota County portion of its Port Charlotte development, the other portion located in the adjacent Charlotte County. GDC dubbed the city North Port Charlotte, and it was incorporated under that name through a special act of the Florida Legislature in 1959. By referendum in 1974, the city's residents approved a change to its name as North Port, dropping Charlotte from its name to proclaim the city as a separate identity.[6][7] It is home to the Little Salt Spring, an archaeological and paleontological site owned by the University of Miami.
History
Archaeological digs at the Little Salt Spring show that what is now North Port was inhabited by pre-Columbian Native Americans. Evidence of their existence includes projectile points, a carved oak mortar, and a piece of a nonreturnable wooden boomerang.[8]
In 1954, the Mackle Brothers started the General Development Corporation with the intention of selling property in Florida to northerners. Not only would they plat and sell a majority of what is now North Port, the company's employees served on the city's first council.[9] The city itself was incorporated in 1959.[10][11]
After Hurricane Ian hit Florida in 2022, North Port would experience flooding.[12]
Geography
North Port is a municipality containing large-scale residential subdivisions along with an extensive network of streets. The municipality has annexed nearby locales, including the area known as Warm Mineral Springs, the location of a notable artesian spring, as well as its own significant residential subdivision.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 104.16 square miles (269.8 km2), of which 99.58 square miles (257.9 km2) is land and 4.58 square miles (11.9 km2) (4.40%) is water.
Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park is in North Port.
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1960 | 178 | — | |
1970 | 2,244 | 1,160.7% | |
1980 | 6,205 | 176.5% | |
1990 | 11,973 | 93.0% | |
2000 | 22,797 | 90.4% | |
2010 | 57,357 | 151.6% | |
2020 | 74,793 | 30.4% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[13] 2020[4] |
As of the 2020 US Census, there were 74,793 people and 25,592 households residing in the city. The population density was 576.0 inhabitants per square mile (222.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 87.5% White, 6.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.1% Asian, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.5% of the population.
Of the 25,592 households, 4.8% of the population were under 5 years old, 18.6% were under 18 years old, and 26.7% were 65 years and older. 52.5% of the population was female.
The median income for a household in the city was $64,543. The per capita income for the city was $34,514. About 7.0% of people were below the poverty line.[14]
Economy
North Port is the Spring Training home for the Atlanta Braves, who hold extended spring training in North Port.[15]
Arts and culture
In 1960, the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum was opened in North Port. The opening ceremony included remarks from the then Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy.[16] The museum has since relocated, first to Miami, and then to the present location in Titusville, Florida.[17][18]
In 2007, the North Port Art Guild leased a building from the city and established the North Port Art Center. The center hosts exhibits as well as classes.[19]
Government
North Port has a city commission/city manager form of government.
The current city manager is A. Jerome Fletcher, II. The city commission has five members. The mayor/vice mayor roles are voted upon annually from the commission ranks. The current commission includes mayor Pete Emrich (District 4), vice mayor Barbara Langdon (District 2), commissioner Gisele "Jill" Luke (District 5), commissioner Debbie McDowell (District 3) and commissioner Alice White (District 1).
The city of North Port has its own police force, fire department, and waste management.[20] City Hall of North Port is located at 4970 City Hall Boulevard.[21]
Education
North Port has five elementary schools, one public charter school, two middle schools, one high school, and one college [22] operated by Sarasota County Public Schools.
- Toledo Blade Elementary School (K–5)
- Glenallen Elementary School (K–5)
- Cranberry Elementary School (K–5)
- Atwater Elementary School (K–5)
- Lamarque Elementary School (K–5)
- Imagine School at North Port (K–12)
- Heron Creek Middle School (6–8)
- Woodland Middle School (6–8)
- North Port High School (9–12)
- Suncoast Technical College
References
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ "North Port". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. October 19, 1979. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
- ^ a b US Census Bureau. "US Census Bureau Quick Facts - North Port city, Florida". US Census Bureau Quick Facts. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "North Port city, Florida". Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010; 2010 Demographic Profile Data. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020.
- ^ City of North Port History Book
- ^ City of North Port Charter, §1.02, City Ordinance 74-5
- ^ Milanich, Jerald T. (1994). Archaeology of Precolumbian Florida. Gainesville: University Press of Florida. p. 53. ISBN 9780813012728.
- ^ Grove, Marshall W. (2009). North Port : the first 50 years. North Port, Fla.: City of North Port. p. 17-19. ISBN 978-0976759461.
- ^ City of North Port History Book
- ^ Staff Report (September 17, 2021). "Archaeology, sprint training, but no port: Five things to know about North Port". Sarasota Herald Tribune. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
- ^ Licon, Adriana; Anderson, Curt (October 1, 2022). "After Ian, river flooding menaces Florida inland towns". Associated Press. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "QuickFacts North Port city, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
- ^ Murdock, Zack (January 24, 2017). "Atlanta Braves executives 'can't wait' to land in North Port stadium". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
- ^ Arenberg, Gerald (1965). "National Police Museum and Hall of Fame". American Bar Association Journal. 51 (2): 161–162. JSTOR 25723117. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
- ^ Yanez, Luisa (February 6, 1990). "POLICE HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM MOVES TO MIAMI". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
- ^ "American Police Hall of Fame & Museum". Retrieved May 16, 2022.
- ^ "Our Story". North Port Art Center. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "City Services". City of North Port. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ "Contact us". City of North Port. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ North Port, FL : Education