DeSoto County, Florida - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

DeSoto County is a county

County (United States)

In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...

located in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

of 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...

. As of 2000, the population was 32,209. The U.S. Census Bureau

United 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...

2005 estimate for the county is 35,406 . Its county seat

County seat

A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

is Arcadia, Florida

Arcadia, Florida

Arcadia is a city in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,604 as of the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city grew to 7,151. It is the county seat of DeSoto County; it is also DeSoto County's only incorporated community. On October 27, 2009,...

. The county comprises the Arcadia, Florida Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

DeSoto County was created in 1887. It was named for Spanish

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

explorer Hernando de Soto

Hernando de Soto (explorer)

Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who, while leading the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States, was the first European documented to have crossed the Mississippi River....

, whose name was also honored in Hernando County

Hernando County, Florida

Hernando County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 130,802. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 165,409 . Its county seat is Brooksville, Florida. The majority of the county's population is in Spring Hill, west portion of Hernando...

.

DeSoto County originally included several other present-day counties until 1921, when the Florida legislature created the following new counties: Charlotte

Charlotte County, Florida

Charlotte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 141,627. In 2005, the population of the MSA was 154,030.The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county was 152,814...

, Glades

Glades County, Florida

Glades County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 10,576. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 11,252 . Its county seat is Moore Haven, Florida.- History :...

, Hardee

Hardee County, Florida

Hardee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 26,938. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 28,286 . Its county seat is Wauchula, Florida. The county comprises the Wauchula, Florida, Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :It...

, and Highlands

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 :...

.

During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, DeSoto County operated the Carlstrom Field Air Base, which provided training for both American and British pilots. Twenty-three British pilots were killed while training at the base and are honored at DeSoto County's Oak Ridge Cemetery, which is located in the town of Arcadia. In 1945, the base turned out its last cadets and was decommissioned. The base was then sold to the State of Florida for one dollar and later converted into a mental health facility known as G. Pierce Wood Memorial Hospital. The hospital has since been converted into a facility for juvenile offenders.

On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley

Hurricane Charley

Hurricane Charley was the third named storm, the second hurricane, and the second major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. Charley lasted from August 9 to August 15, and at its peak intensity it attained 150 mph winds, making it a strong Category 4 hurricane on the...

passed directly through DeSoto County. Hurricane-force winds persisted for an hour, damaging most of the structures in the county and causing some to be completely destroyed.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 639.5 square miles (1,656.3 km²), of which 637.27 square miles (1,650.5 km²) (or 99.65%) is land and 2.23 square miles (5.8 km²) (or 0.35%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Hardee County, Florida
Hardee County, Florida
Hardee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 26,938. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 28,286 . Its county seat is Wauchula, Florida. The county comprises the Wauchula, Florida, Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :It...

- north
Highlands County, Florida
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 :...

- east
Glades County, Florida
Glades County, Florida
Glades County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 10,576. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 11,252 . Its county seat is Moore Haven, Florida.- History :...

- southeast
Charlotte County, Florida
Charlotte County, Florida
Charlotte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 141,627. In 2005, the population of the MSA was 154,030.The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county was 152,814...

- south
Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 372,057. Its county seat is Sarasota, Florida....

- west
Manatee County, Florida
Manatee County, Florida
Manatee County is a county in the state of Florida. According to the 2010 census by the U.S. Census Bureau there are 322,833 people living in Manatee Country.Manatee County is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area...

- northwest

Demographics

As of the census

Census

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...

of 2000, there were 32,209 people, 10,746 households, and 7,672 families residing in the county. 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 50 people per square mile (20/km²). There were 13,608 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 73.33% White

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...

, 12.72% Black

Race (United States Census)

or African American

Race (United States Census)

, 1.59% Native American

Race (United States Census)

, 0.41% Asian

Race (United States Census)

, 0.04% Pacific Islander

Race (United States Census)

, 10.49% from other races

Race (United States Census)

, and 1.43% from two or more races. 24.90% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

or Latino

Race (United States Census)

of any race.

2005 estimates showed the population as being 56.3% non-Hispanic white, 31.4% Latino, 11.8% African-American and 2.9% Native American.
(Source=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12/12027.html)

In 2000 there were 10,746 households out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% 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, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 21.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.70% under the age of 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 128.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 134.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,714, and the median income for a family was $34,726. Males had a median income of $22,572 versus $20,004 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 county was $14,000. About 14.20% of families and 23.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.50% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Arcadia
Arcadia, Florida
Arcadia is a city in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,604 as of the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city grew to 7,151. It is the county seat of DeSoto County; it is also DeSoto County's only incorporated community. On October 27, 2009,...

Unincorporated communities

Brownville
Brownville, Florida
Brownville is an unincorporated community in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. It is located north northeast of the city of Arcadia....
Fort Ogden
Fort Ogden, Florida
Fort Ogden is an unincorporated community in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. It is located about southwest of the city of Arcadia....
Hull
Hull, Florida
Hull is an unincorporated community in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. It is located southwest of the city of Arcadia.-References:...
Lake Suzy
Lake Suzy, Florida
Lake Suzy is an unincorporated community in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. It is located at the extreme southwest corner of DeSoto County northeast of Port Charlotte in Charlotte County....
Nocatee
Nocatee, DeSoto County, Florida
Nocatee is an unincorporated community in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. It is located just south southwest of the city of Arcadia....
Pine Level (ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...

)
Southeast Arcadia
Southeast Arcadia, Florida
Southeast Arcadia is a census-designated place in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,064 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Southeast Arcadia is located at ....

(census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...

)

Politics

DeSoto County typically votes Republican for most state and national offices, although there is a tradition of electing Conservative Democrats to local offices.

**Presidential elections results**
Year	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Other Third party (United States) The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
2008	55.4%	43.1%	1.5%
2004	58.1%	41.1%	0.8%
2000	54.5%	42.5%	3.0%
1996	43.7%	43.0%	12.9%
1992	41.3%	35.6%	22.7%
1988	65.6%	33.7%	0.6%

History

Geography

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Cities and towns

Unincorporated communities

Politics

See also

Government links/Constitutional offices

Special districts

Judicial branch

Tourism links

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