Eustis, Florida
Encyclopedia
Eustis is a city in Lake County
, Florida
, United States
. The population was 15,106 at the 2000 census. The Census Bureau
estimated the population in 2008 to be 19,129. It is part of the Orlando
–Kissimmee
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 9.6 square miles (24.9 km²). 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²) of it is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it (13.28%) is water.
The city limits are defined by Eudora, Abrams, and CR 44 (bypass) on the East, CR44 to the North, US Hwy 441 to the South, and Lake Eustis and Florida Hospital Waterman to the West.
of 2000, there were 15,106 people, 6,371 households, and 4,058 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,808.3 inhabitants per square mile (698.5/km²). There were 7,322 housing units at an average density of 876.5 per square mile (338.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.90% White, 18.98% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.89% from other races
, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.37% of the population.
There were 6,371 households out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples
living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,032, and the median income for a family was $39,519. Males had a median income of $30,807 versus $22,072 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,706. About 11.0% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
Eustis also serves as the center for many small communities of Rural East Lake County including Cassia and Pine Lakes. These communities are not reflected in the Census Bureau's City Statistics but make up for the vast discrepancy in county to city stats. When the rural statistics are compiled into the city stats, the total population of Eustis topped 50,000 in 2000.
Eustis Heights and Eustis Elementary both have versions of a student hall monitor programs, and after school program.
Eustis Middle has a number of programs, including a track team(girls/boys), a volleyball team(girls/boys), a junior football team, a basketball team, a jazz band, and many other numerous clubs.
Eustis High School is home to many various club and sport programs, some of the sport programs are listed: The Eustis Panther football team, bowling team, basketball team(girls/boys), soccer(boys/girls), swimming, cross-country, track, volleyball, softball, and baseball. Some of the clubs include: Television production with Mr. Klatte, The Society of Friends is one the most renown clubs, Eustis High Key Club, History Club, National Honor Society (NHS),and the Eustis High School Theater. Eustis High is also home to the United States Air Force's Junior ROTC FL-20024.
.
General Eustis, prominent in the Seminole Wars, had skirmished with the Indians on the south shore, near present-day Tavares, Florida
. In 1876, A.S. Pendry homesteaded and set out a citrus grove. In 1877 he opened the Ocklawaha Hotel. The post office in the lobby carried the sign Pendryville".
Before railroads came in the 1880s, Eustis was a busy port for steamers plying Lakes Harris, Eustis, Dora, and Griffin. In 1883 the "Lake" was dropped and the town became just Eustis.
Though the U.S. opened up the area for homesteading in the 1850s, settlement was delayed by the Civil War. Surveying was finally completed in 1875 and settlement began in earnest. Among the earliest settlers was G. D. Clifford, who established a store and began the first mail service for the new settlement. It was in the Clifford General Store second floor meeting hall that the town's first churches were formed. Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian groups all organized and held services there before they had their own buildings.
The first homes were those of D.W. Herrick, A.D. Herrick, and Henry Key. In 1881 Clifford and Smith built the first general store in the building later occupied by A.D. and C.D. Miller.
A big year was 1878 when the town's first telegraph line connected Eustis, Leesburg, and Sanford. The railroad arrived in 1880, the first train coming from Astor to Fort Mason, where passengers and freight made lake steamer connections to Leesburg, Helena, Yalaha, Bloomfield, Lane Park and Tavares.
Bertie Clifford was the first baby born before Eustis was incorporated in 1883, and Edith Hutchins the first baby of the newly incorporated town. D.W. Herrick was the first mayor.
Guilford David Clifford was a man with a big heart. Although his Eustis dream home was designed in 1894, the Big Freeze of 1894-1895 postponed its completion until 1911. Says Eustis historian Louise Carter, "Even though the freeze brought the town's economy to a standstill, Mr. Clifford kept his lakefront general store open and extended credit until people could recover." According to an 1887 business directory, the Clifford Store on Lake Eustis sold "groceries, hardware, building material, fertilizers, stoves, crockery, glassware, hay and grain. And the opera house, on the second floor, was a cultural center of Eustis and a wide swath of Central Florida.
The eighteen-room house at the corner of Bay Street and Bates Avenue was worth waiting for: Today it houses the Eustis Historical Museum and Preservation Society, and takes visitors back to the gracious Lake County lifestyle of one hundred-odd years ago.
Dr. J. H. Potter, the founding pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, encouraged the development of Eustis Seminary in 1886, under the direction of Professor Byron F. Marsh (for whom Marsh Memorial Park is named). The seminary served students from first through twelfth grades. Its buildings were located near the present site of Eustis High School on Washington Street. Struggling financially, the school closed around 1895.
By the early 1900's, Eustis was already a winter vacation spot for many. The Ocklawaha Hotel catered to the wealthy. Eustis continues to be a popular winter destination.
There are several locations in Eustis which have been included in the National Register of Historic Places
.
They are:
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
, 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 15,106 at the 2000 census. The 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...
estimated the population in 2008 to be 19,129. It is part of the 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...
–Kissimmee
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Eustis is located at 28.850993°N 81.681943°W.According to the United States 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...
, the city has a total area of 9.6 square miles (24.9 km²). 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²) of it is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it (13.28%) is water.
The city limits are defined by Eudora, Abrams, and CR 44 (bypass) on the East, CR44 to the North, US Hwy 441 to the South, and Lake Eustis and Florida Hospital Waterman to the West.
Demographics
As of the 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...
of 2000, there were 15,106 people, 6,371 households, and 4,058 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 1,808.3 inhabitants per square mile (698.5/km²). There were 7,322 housing units at an average density of 876.5 per square mile (338.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.90% White, 18.98% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.89% 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 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.37% of the population.
There were 6,371 households out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% 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, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,032, and the median income for a family was $39,519. Males had a median income of $30,807 versus $22,072 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 $18,706. About 11.0% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
Eustis also serves as the center for many small communities of Rural East Lake County including Cassia and Pine Lakes. These communities are not reflected in the Census Bureau's City Statistics but make up for the vast discrepancy in county to city stats. When the rural statistics are compiled into the city stats, the total population of Eustis topped 50,000 in 2000.
Schools In Eustis
Numerous educational institutions are zoned for Eustis, including: Eustis Heights Elementary, Eustis Elementary, Eustis Middle School, and Eustis High School, and Alee Academy.Eustis Heights and Eustis Elementary both have versions of a student hall monitor programs, and after school program.
Eustis Middle has a number of programs, including a track team(girls/boys), a volleyball team(girls/boys), a junior football team, a basketball team, a jazz band, and many other numerous clubs.
Eustis High School is home to many various club and sport programs, some of the sport programs are listed: The Eustis Panther football team, bowling team, basketball team(girls/boys), soccer(boys/girls), swimming, cross-country, track, volleyball, softball, and baseball. Some of the clubs include: Television production with Mr. Klatte, The Society of Friends is one the most renown clubs, Eustis High Key Club, History Club, National Honor Society (NHS),and the Eustis High School Theater. Eustis High is also home to the United States Air Force's Junior ROTC FL-20024.
History
The people of Eustis, on the east shore of Lake Eustis, took their time deciding on a name. First it was Highlands, then Pendryville, and finally Lake Eustis, itself named about 1825 for General Abraham EustisAbraham Eustis
Abraham Eustis was a lawyer and notable U.S. Army officer, eventually rising to become a Brevet Brigadier General...
.
General Eustis, prominent in the Seminole Wars, had skirmished with the Indians on the south shore, near present-day Tavares, Florida
Tavares, Florida
Tavares is a city in central Florida in the United States. It is the county seat of Lake County. The population was 9,700 at the 2000 census. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 13,746. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. In 1876, A.S. Pendry homesteaded and set out a citrus grove. In 1877 he opened the Ocklawaha Hotel. The post office in the lobby carried the sign Pendryville".
Before railroads came in the 1880s, Eustis was a busy port for steamers plying Lakes Harris, Eustis, Dora, and Griffin. In 1883 the "Lake" was dropped and the town became just Eustis.
Though the U.S. opened up the area for homesteading in the 1850s, settlement was delayed by the Civil War. Surveying was finally completed in 1875 and settlement began in earnest. Among the earliest settlers was G. D. Clifford, who established a store and began the first mail service for the new settlement. It was in the Clifford General Store second floor meeting hall that the town's first churches were formed. Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian groups all organized and held services there before they had their own buildings.
The first homes were those of D.W. Herrick, A.D. Herrick, and Henry Key. In 1881 Clifford and Smith built the first general store in the building later occupied by A.D. and C.D. Miller.
A big year was 1878 when the town's first telegraph line connected Eustis, Leesburg, and Sanford. The railroad arrived in 1880, the first train coming from Astor to Fort Mason, where passengers and freight made lake steamer connections to Leesburg, Helena, Yalaha, Bloomfield, Lane Park and Tavares.
Bertie Clifford was the first baby born before Eustis was incorporated in 1883, and Edith Hutchins the first baby of the newly incorporated town. D.W. Herrick was the first mayor.
Guilford David Clifford was a man with a big heart. Although his Eustis dream home was designed in 1894, the Big Freeze of 1894-1895 postponed its completion until 1911. Says Eustis historian Louise Carter, "Even though the freeze brought the town's economy to a standstill, Mr. Clifford kept his lakefront general store open and extended credit until people could recover." According to an 1887 business directory, the Clifford Store on Lake Eustis sold "groceries, hardware, building material, fertilizers, stoves, crockery, glassware, hay and grain. And the opera house, on the second floor, was a cultural center of Eustis and a wide swath of Central Florida.
The eighteen-room house at the corner of Bay Street and Bates Avenue was worth waiting for: Today it houses the Eustis Historical Museum and Preservation Society, and takes visitors back to the gracious Lake County lifestyle of one hundred-odd years ago.
Dr. J. H. Potter, the founding pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, encouraged the development of Eustis Seminary in 1886, under the direction of Professor Byron F. Marsh (for whom Marsh Memorial Park is named). The seminary served students from first through twelfth grades. Its buildings were located near the present site of Eustis High School on Washington Street. Struggling financially, the school closed around 1895.
By the early 1900's, Eustis was already a winter vacation spot for many. The Ocklawaha Hotel catered to the wealthy. Eustis continues to be a popular winter destination.
National historic status
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
They are:
- Clifford HouseClifford House (Eustis, Florida)The Clifford House is a historic home in Eustis, Florida, United States. It is located at 536 North Bay Street. On April 4, 1975, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It was owned by G.D. Clifford, an early settler and local merchandiser.Built in 1910, the...
- Eustis Commercial Historic DistrictEustis Commercial Historic DistrictThe Eustis Commercial Historic District is a U.S. historic district located in Eustis, Florida. The district is bounded roughly Lake Eustis, McDonald Avenue, Grove Street and Orange Avenue.-External links:* at...
- Ferran Park and the Alice McClelland Memorial BandshellFerran Park and the Alice McClelland Memorial BandshellFerran Park and the Alice McClelland Memorial Bandshell is a historic site in Eustis, Florida. It is located at the junction of Ferran Park Road and Orange Avenue, on Lake Eustis. On June 23, 1994, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places...
- Gould Hyde Norton HouseGould Hyde Norton HouseThe Gould Hyde Norton House is a historic home in Eustis, Florida, United States. It is located at 1390 East Lakeview Drive. On May 16, 1997, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.- References and external links :* at * *...
- Moses J. Taylor HouseMoses J. Taylor HouseThe Moses J. Taylor House is a historic home in Eustis, Florida, United States. It is located at 117 Diedrich Street. On August 1, 1997, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References and external links:* at * at...
- Purdy VillaPurdy VillaThe Purdy Villa is a historic U.S. home in Eustis, Florida. It is located at 3045 Eudora Road. On March 10, 2004, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References and external links:* at * at * at...
- William Kimbrough Pendleton HouseWilliam Kimbrough Pendleton HouseThe William Kimbrough Pendleton House is a historic home in Eustis, Florida, United States. It is located at 1208 Chesterfield Road. On January 13, 1983, it was added to the U.S...
- Woman's Club of EustisWoman's Club of EustisThe Woman's Club of Eustis is a historic woman's club in Eustis, Florida, United States. It is located at 227 North Center Street. On August 5, 1991, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References and external links:* at * **...
Notable natives and residents
- Edgar James BanksEdgar James BanksEdgar James Banks . American diplomat, antiquarian and novelist. Banks was an antiquities enthusiast and entrepreneurial roving archaeologist in the closing days of the Ottoman Empire, who has been held up as an original for the fictional composite figure of Indiana Jones...
, diplomat, antiquarian and novelist. - Jon SchneckJonathan SchneckJonathan Schneck is a guitarist, banjo player, and bell player for the band Relient K. He joined the band in January 2005, shortly after the release of their fourth full-length album Mmhmm. Schneck is the band's youngest member...
, a former resident of Eustis and graduate of Eustis High School, plays guitar for the popular Christian rockChristian rockChristian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band Relient KRelient KRelient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio by Matt Thiessen, Brian Pittman, and Matt Hoopes during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University...
. Also, Christian rockChristian rockChristian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band FireflightFireflightFireflight is an American Christian rock band formed in Eustis, Florida in 1999. The band is signed by Flicker Records. They have played in Shoutfest, Revelation Generation, and have been featured on The Scars Remain tour with Disciple, Family Force 5, and Decyfer Down...
comes from Eustis. - Thomas McClary - Lead guitarist of the Commodores
- Joe BurnettJoe BurnettJoe Burnett is a CFL cornerback who currently plays for the Edmonton Eskimos. He played college football for the UCF Knights and high school football at Eustis High School in Eustis...
graduate of Eustis High School and plays pro football for New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and previously Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. - Hughie Lee-SmithHughie Lee-SmithHughie Lee-Smith was an American artist and teacher whose signature works were slightly surreal in mood, often featuring distant figures seen under vast skies in desolate urban settings.-Life:...
, artist - Solomon JonesSolomon JonesSolomon Jones was a doctor, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in New Jersey, America around 1756 and the family later moved to New York state. He studied medicine in Albany; at the start of the American Revolution, he became a surgeon's mate in Edward Jessup's Loyal Rangers...
, Professional basketball player - Dr. Isaac B. Deas II, contributing author of "Don't Let Go!", an inspirational story of loss and recovery.
- Jonathan LucroyJonathan LucroyJonathan Charles Lucroy is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.-High school and college:...
, Professional baseball player for the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League... - David WalkerDavid Walker-Musicians:* Dave Walker , British musician, member of the band Fleetwood Mac* David Walker , American opera singer* David Walker , American singer of Southern Gospel music...
, Astronaut - John Robert SchriefferJohn Robert SchriefferJohn Robert Schrieffer is an American physicist and, with John Bardeen and Leon N Cooper, recipient of the 1972 Nobel Prize for Physics for developing the BCS theory, the first successful microscopic theory of superconductivity.-Biography:...
, Nobel Prize in Physics