Avon Park, Florida
Encyclopedia
Avon Park is a city in Highlands County
, Florida
, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population in 2009 at 8,824. It is the oldest city in Highlands County, and was named after Stratford-upon-Avon
, England.
, and persuaded him to change the name of the settlement to Avon Park.
In 2006, then-mayor Thomas Macklin proposed City Ordinance 08-06, which that would have blocked the issuance or renewal of city licenses to businesses that hired illegal aliens, fined any property owner who rented and leased property to illegal aliens, and established English as the city's official language, banning the use of other languages during the conduct of official business except where specified under state or federal law. The ordinance was narrowly defeated by the city council, on a 3-2 vote.
, the city has a total area of 5.65 square miles (14.6 km2). 4.64 square miles (12 km2) of it is land and 1.02 square miles (2.6 km2) of it (18.1%) is water.
, there were 8,542 people, 3,218 households and 2,114 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,841.8 per square mile (710.8/km2). There were 3,916 housing units at an average density of 844.4 per square mile(325.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 58.90% White, 29.2% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 8.35% from other races
, and 2.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.71% of the population.
There were 3,218 households of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples
living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08.
Age distribution was 26.5% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median household income
was $23,576, and the median family income was $27,617. Males had a median income of $21,890 versus $18,678 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $11,897. About 21.3% of families and 27.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.4% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.
is a public-use airport
located 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the central business district
.
Park Elementary School
Memorial Elementary School
Avon Park Middle School
Avon Park High School
, the ABC
affiliate in Orlando
; WINK-TV
, the CBS
affiliate in Fort Myers
/Naples
; WFLA-TV
, the Tampa Bay area
NBC
affiliate; and WTVT
, the Tampa Bay area Fox
affiliate.
. Radio stations broadcasting from Avon Park include WFHT
/1390 (Lounge), WAPQ-LP
/95.9 (Religious), WWOJ
/99.1 (Country) "OJ99.1" & WWMA-LP
/107.9 (Religious).
, a daily local supplement to The Tampa Tribune
that covers newsworthy events in Highlands County.
Highlands County, Florida
Highlands County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the population was 97,346. Its county seat is Sebring, Florida. The county comprises the Sebring, Florida, Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population in 2009 at 8,824. It is the oldest city in Highlands County, and was named after Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
, England.
History
The first permanent settler in Avon Park was Oliver Martin Crosby, a Connecticut native who moved to the area in 1884 to study the wildlife of the Everglades. By 1886, enough people had followed that the town of "Lake Forest" was founded. An English woman who had settled in the area convinced Crosby that the area was reminiscent of her home of Stratford-upon-AvonStratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
, and persuaded him to change the name of the settlement to Avon Park.
In 2006, then-mayor Thomas Macklin proposed City Ordinance 08-06, which that would have blocked the issuance or renewal of city licenses to businesses that hired illegal aliens, fined any property owner who rented and leased property to illegal aliens, and established English as the city's official language, banning the use of other languages during the conduct of official business except where specified under state or federal law. The ordinance was narrowly defeated by the city council, on a 3-2 vote.
Geography
Avon Park is located at 27°35′40"N 81°30′12"W (27.594418, -81.503437). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.65 square miles (14.6 km2). 4.64 square miles (12 km2) of it is land and 1.02 square miles (2.6 km2) of it (18.1%) is water.
Demographics
At the 2000 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 8,542 people, 3,218 households and 2,114 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,841.8 per square mile (710.8/km2). There were 3,916 housing units at an average density of 844.4 per square mile(325.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 58.90% White, 29.2% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 8.35% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.71% of the population.
There were 3,218 households of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08.
Age distribution was 26.5% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $23,576, and the median family income was $27,617. Males had a median income of $21,890 versus $18,678 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $11,897. About 21.3% of families and 27.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.4% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The City of Avon Park operates under a Council-Manager form of government, with a City Manager who operates under the direction of an elected four-member council and mayor. As of January 2008, the mayor was Sharon Schuler and the Interim City Manager was Sarah Adelt. The city also provides police and fire protection, and water and sewer service to its residents.Transportation
Avon Park Executive AirportAvon Park Executive Airport
Avon Park Executive Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles west of the central business district of Avon Park, a city in Highlands County, Florida, United States...
is a public-use airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
.
Public Schools
Avon Elementary SchoolPark Elementary School
Memorial Elementary School
Avon Park Middle School
Avon Park High School
Avon Park High School
Avon Park High School, is located in Avon Park, Florida. It is a four year high school with a total student enrollment of 1164.-Fight Song:Fight on for Avon ParkWe will cheer you on your wayFight on for Avon ParkWe will cheer you as you play...
Private Schools
- Walker Memorial Academy
- Central Florida Academy
- Parkview Pre-K LLC
Television
Avon Park is located in a fringe viewing area; its television stations originate in distant cities. Local television services offer signals from WFTVWFTV
WFTV, channel 9, is the ABC-affiliated television station for Central Florida that is licensed to Orlando. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter between Bithlo and Christmas. Owned by Cox Enterprises, WFTV is sister to Independent WRDQ. The two stations...
, the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
; WINK-TV
WINK-TV
WINK-TV, virtual channel 11, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Southwest Florida that is licensed to Fort Myers. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 50 from a transmitter north of Fort Myers Shores near the Lee and Charlotte County line in Punta Gorda. The...
, the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate in Fort Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
/Naples
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
; WFLA-TV
WFLA-TV
WFLA-TV, virtual channel 8, is the NBC-affiliated television station in Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida. The station is the flagship station of its owner and operator, Media General. Its transmitter is located in Riverview, Hillsborough County, Florida. WFLA is the only station in the market to be...
, the Tampa Bay area
Tampa Bay Area
The Tampa Bay Area is the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay. Definitions of the region vary. It is often considered equivalent to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau currently...
NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate; and WTVT
WTVT
WTVT, channel 13, is a television station in Tampa, Florida. It is an owned and operated station of the Fox Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of the News Corporation...
, the Tampa Bay area Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate.
Radio
Avon Park is in the Sebring radio market, which is ranked as the 288th largest in the United States by ArbitronArbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
. Radio stations broadcasting from Avon Park include WFHT
WFHT
WFHT is a radio station licensed to Avon Park, Florida. WFHT operates with 1kW daytime & 77 watts at night.WFHT became the first of six stations in Highlands County to broadcast live over the Internet at , and the first to video stream live when it broadcasts its debate weeks over the Internet at...
/1390 (Lounge), WAPQ-LP
WAPQ-LP
WAPQ-LP is a low-power non-commercial radio station in Avon Park, Florida, broadcasting to the Sebring area. It is affiliated with Radio 74 Internationale, an international religious broadcasting network. Other Florida stations in Radio 74 Internationale are nearby Sebring-based WGSE-LP and...
/95.9 (Religious), WWOJ
WWOJ
WWOJ is a commercial radio station in Avon Park, Florida, broadcasting to the Sebring area. The stations is known as "OJ 99.1". The station's format is Country music, and the station consistently achieves the highest Arbitron ratings for the Sebring radio market.WWOJ signed on at 106.3 FM in 1982;...
/99.1 (Country) "OJ99.1" & WWMA-LP
WWMA-LP
WWMA-LP is a radio station licensed to Avon Park, Florida, USA. The station is currently owned by Highlands County Chapter of ASI with some local programming as well as rebroadcasts from a station from Radio 74 from Walker Memorial Academy, Genevois, France....
/107.9 (Religious).
Newspapers
Local print media include the News-Sun, a newspaper published on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, and Highlands TodayHighlands Today
Highlands Today is a Media General-owned newspaper published in Sebring, Florida. It is associated with The Tampa Tribune; Copies of the Tribune distributed in Highlands County, Florida include the supplement, which focuses on issues relevant to Sebring, Avon Park, Lake Placid, and other...
, a daily local supplement to The Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune, published in Tampa, Florida, is one of two major newspapers published in the Tampa Bay area, second in circulation and readership to the St. Petersburg Times. The paper's tagline is "Life...
that covers newsworthy events in Highlands County.
Points of interest
- Avon Park Air Force RangeAvon Park Air Force RangeThe Avon Park Air Force Range is a United States Air Force bombing range and air-ground training complex in the U.S. state of Florida located east of the city of Avon Park.-History:...
- Avon Park Historic DistrictAvon Park Historic DistrictThe Avon Park Historic District is a U.S. historic district in Avon Park, Florida. It runs along Main Street from South Delaney Avenue to U.S. 27, encompasses approximately , and contains 13 historic buildings and 1 object. On March 22, 1990, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic...
- Lake AdelaideLake AdelaideLake Adelaide is a lake located in the northwest corner of Highlands County, Florida. It is bounded on the north by Holiday Ranch RV Park, which borders the Polk-Highlands County line, on the east by Adelaide Shores RV Resort and on the west by the Avon Park Lakes residential subdivision...
Notable residents
- Thomas "Flash" GordonTom GordonThomas Gordon , nicknamed "Flash", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played with the Kansas City Royals , Boston Red Sox , Chicago Cubs , Houston Astros , Chicago White Sox , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies and the...
, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the... - Hal McRaeHal McRaeHarold Abraham McRae is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals . Utilized as a designated hitter for most of his career, McRae batted and threw right-handed...
, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
Hall of FameHall of FameA hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
. - Hans von Walter, winner of the 2004 Florida Geographic BeeNational Geographic BeeThe National Geographic Bee is an annual geography contest sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The bee, held every year since 1989, is open to students in the fourth through eighth grade in participating American schools.The entities represented at the national level are all fifty U.S....
and 2005 and 2007 Florida AAA Travel High School Challenge and 2010 College Challenge on Jeopardy - Shelby DresselShelby DresselShelby Kathleen Dressel is an American Country Singer-Songwriter from Avon Park, Florida, who made the top 50 on the ninth season of American Idol. In describing Dressel's ambitions, Rachel Pleasant Chambliss of Lakeland, Florida's "The Ledger" wrote, "At 19, Shelby Dressel still has a lot of...
, 2010 "American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
" contestant.