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Newberry, Florida

Coordinates: 29°38′23″N 82°36′31″W / 29.63972°N 82.60861°W / 29.63972; -82.60861
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Newberry, Florida
City
Newberry Municipal Building
Newberry Municipal Building
Location in Alachua County and the state of Florida
Location in Alachua County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 29°38′23″N 82°36′31″W / 29.63972°N 82.60861°W / 29.63972; -82.60861
Country United States
State Florida
County Alachua
Government
 • TypeCommission-Manager
 • MayorJordan Marlowe (LP)[1]
 • City Commission[2]
Members
  • Rick Coleman
  • Monty Farnsworth
  • Matt Hersom
  • Tim Marden
  • Paul Norfleet
 • City ManagerMike New
Area
[3]
 • Total58.32 sq mi (151.04 km2)
 • Land57.28 sq mi (148.35 km2)
 • Water1.04 sq mi (2.69 km2)
Elevation
75 ft (23 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total4,950
 • Estimate 
(2019)[4]
6,231
 • Density108.79/sq mi (42.00/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
32669
Area code352
FIPS code12-48200[5]
GNIS feature ID0307635[6]
Websitewww.ci.newberry.fl.us

Newberry is a city located in the southwest corner of Alachua County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,950 at the 2010 census[7] and its population has grown since 1990. The University of Florida estimates the city's population at 6,115 as of 2018. Much of the city borders neighboring Gilchrist County, to the west. The current Mayor is Jordan Marlowe.

Developed as a mining and railroad town in the late 19th century, since the mid-20th century it has developed new commodity crops for agriculture. In 1984 Freddie Warmack was elected as its first black mayor, gaining 60% of the white vote. The city's historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

Newberry developed as a mining town after phosphate was discovered in the western part of Alachua County in the 1880s. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railway was extended southward from High Springs to Newberry, leading to its development as a railroad town and trading center.[8] A post office established in March 1894 was named Newton, but changed to Newberry in August of that year.

In this period, racial violence against blacks rose in Alachua County, where lynchings took place to enforce white supremacy. A total of 21 people, 19 of them black, were lynched in the county between 1891 and 1926.[9]

By 1896 there were fourteen mines operating nearby. Newberry had hotels, boarding houses, and saloons to accommodate the area's transient and sometimes unruly population. The demand for phosphate ended abruptly in 1914 when war was declared against Germany, the principal customer for Newberry's phosphate. This caused a loss of jobs in the area, and social tensions rose.

The community turned from phosphate production to agriculture and new commodity crops. It was particularly successful in producing watermelons. The Watermelon Festival, first held in 1946 in the year after the end of World War II, continues to be celebrated as an annual event.

Race relations have improved in the town since the late 20th century. Residents elected Freddie Warmack as its first black mayor in 1984; he gained 60% of the white vote.[9]

In 1987 Newberry's Historic District was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lynchings

Main article: Newberry Six lynchings

On August 19, 1916 what are called the Newberry Six lynchings took place, when three black men, including a minister, and two black women were killed by a white mob in a mass hanging; another man was shot. They had allegedly helped the escape of another African-American man, Boisy Long. He was accused of hog stealing and shooting two men.[9] Filmmaker Patricia Hilliard-Nunn, who is working on a documentary about African Americans in Alachua County, has studied these events. She believes that another three persons may have been lynched in association with the Boisy Long incident, either hanged, as were the Six, or shot to death.[9]

Geography

Newberry is located at 29°38′23″N 82°36′31″W / 29.639605°N 82.608715°W / 29.639605; -82.608715.[10]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 54.6 square miles (141.3 km2), of which 53.5 square miles (138.6 km2) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.7 km2) (1.93%) is water.[7]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1910816—
192091712.4%
1930766−16.5%
1940735−4.0%
195087318.8%
19601,10526.6%
19701,24712.9%
19801,82646.4%
19901,644−10.0%
20003,316101.7%
20104,95049.3%
2019 (est.)6,231[4]25.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]

As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 4,950 people, 1,884 households, and 1,383 families residing in the city. The population density was 92.5 inhabitants per square mile (35.7/km2). There were 2,068 housing units at an average density of 38.7 per square mile (14.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 79.6% White, 14.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.0% some other race, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.2% of the population.[12]

There were 1,884 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were headed by married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63, and the average family size was 3.07.[12]

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.[7]

For the period 2007–11, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $49,623, and the median income for a family was $62,461. Male full-time workers had a median income of $50,990 versus $36,417 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,851. About 11.5% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.2% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.[13]

Notable places

The City of Newberry is home to both Champions Park of Newberry and the Easton-Newberry Sports Complex. Champions Park of Newberry is one of the premier baseball & softball tournament complexes in the United States today. Attracting more than 30,000 visitors annually for games and tournaments, Champions Park (originally Nations Park) was completed in June 2013 and renamed in May 2014. Located in North Central Florida, Champions Park of Newberry is easily accessible and is conveniently located near Gainesville, Florida. Champions Park has 16 state-of-the-art fields that were built with the player, parent, and family in mind, ensuring that each and every person will have the baseball or softball experience of their dreams.[14]

Easton Newberry Sports Complex, a shared-use facility that combines the Easton Foundation Archery Center with the City of Newberry multiuse Recreation Department, and was selected by the United States Olympic Committee as a Community Olympic Development Program. Easton Newberry Sports Complex is one of only 10 programs nationwide to designated by the USOC for its ability to train coaches and athletes, and provide world-class venues in the sport of archery. The Easton-Newberry Sports Complex serves as a regional archery center for all skill levels, teaching archers the National Training System of USA Archery and giving all interested archers opportunities for advancement. With 100 acres of multipurpose facilities – including dedicated areas for archery training and events – the site currently reaches 6,200 people each year.[15]

Gatorback Cycle Park is an off-road motorcycle park located northeast of the city.

Education

Newberry is served by the School Board of Alachua County, which operates an elementary school, a middle school and Newberry High School in the city,[16] and the Alachua County Library District, which operates a branch library in the city.[17]

  • The city is mentioned in Muddy Waters' song "Deep Down in Florida".
  • In the novel, Once A Runner, written by John L. Parker, Jr., the main character, Quenton Cassidy, goes out to Newberry to live in isolation and train for distance running.

References

  1. ^ "Elected Officials". My Libertarian Party. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Mayor and City Commission | Newberry Florida". www.ci.newberry.fl.us. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  3. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  7. ^ a b c "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Newberry city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  8. ^ "History". City of Newberry, Florida. Archived from the original on 2017-08-29. Retrieved 2017-08-28.
  9. ^ a b c d Nicole Dan, "Newberry Lynchings: Should They Be Memorialized?", WUFT-TV, 6 December 2017; accessed 20 March 2018
  10. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  11. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Newberry city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  13. ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics: 22007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (DP03): Newberry city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  14. ^ "Champions Park of Newberry, FL – Invitational Tournament Baseball Park". championsparkfl.com. Retrieved 2017-07-14.
  15. ^ "U.S. Olympic Committee Designates Easton Newberry Sports Complex a Community Olympic Development Program | Newberry Archery Centers". esdf.org. Retrieved 2017-07-14.
  16. ^ Alachua County Public Schools: Schools and Centers Archived 2011-12-17 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ Alachua County Library District: Newberry
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