Homestead, Florida
Encyclopedia
Homestead is a city in Miami-Dade County
, Florida
, United States
nestled between Biscayne National Park
to the east and Everglades National Park
to the west. Homestead is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area.
Homestead was incorporated in 1913 and is the second oldest city in Miami-Dade County next to the city of Miami
. It is located approximately 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Miami, and 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Key Largo
. The name originates from when the Florida East Coast Railway
extension to Key West
was being built. The rail line was passing through an area opened up for homesteading
, and as the construction camp at the end of the line did not have a particular name, construction materials and supplies for the workers were consigned to "Homestead Country", shortened to "Homestead" by the engineers who mapped the area. The population was 31,909 at the 2000 census.
The city of Homestead is located near the southern terminus of the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
where it ends at its junction with U.S. 1
. Homestead is immediately north and east of Florida City, and these two cities comprise the greater Homestead-Florida City area. Some of the notable unincorporated communities in the area are Redland
, Leisure City
, Naranja
, and Princeton
.
Homestead bore the brunt of Hurricane Andrew
, a Category 5 hurricane, which hit South Florida on August 24, 1992. The city of Homestead made national headlines due to the sheer devastation wrought by Hurricane Andrew
. Since 2002, the city has experienced a building and housing boom due to the scarcity of developable land elsewhere in Miami-Dade County.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 14.4 square miles (37.3 km²). 14.3 square miles (37 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.63%) is water.
Homestead is a small-sized city. At its greatest north-south points – along SW 137th Avenue (Speedway Boulevard) – its city limits extend only 4 miles (6 km) – from SW 288th Street (Biscayne Drive) at the north end to (theoretical) SW 352nd Street at the south end. At its greatest east-west points – along SW 328th Street (North Canal Drive / Lucy Street) – its city limits extend 6 miles (10 km) – from (theoretical) SW 132nd Avenue at the east end to SW 192nd Avenue at the west end. U.S. 1 – known as Homestead Boulevard within the city limits – extends through a rather narrow northeast / southwest corridor of the city from SW 304th Street (Kings Highway) at the north end to SW 328th Street (Lucy Street) at the south end. It is at this point at the south end that Homestead and Florida City share a common border. (North of the north end at SW 304th Street is known as Unincorporated Miami-Dade County, but it is locally known as the community of Leisure City).
Major east-west streets within Homestead include SW 304th Street / NE & NW 15th Street (Kings Highway), SW 312th Street / NE & NW 8th Street (Campbell Drive), SW 320th Street (Mowry Drive), SW 328th Street / SE & SW 8th Street (North Canal Drive / Lucy Street), and SW 344th Street / SE 24th Street (Palm Drive).
The original Homestead Air Force Base was once located several miles to the northeast of Homestead, but due to annexation of formerly unincorporated land immediately to the east and northeast of the original city limits during the late-1990s the city and the far southwestern perimeter of the (now) Homestead Air Reserve Base
share a common border for a small portion along SW 137th Avenue (Speedway Boulevard).
A noteworthy tourist attraction within Leisure City is the mysterious Coral Castle
, built by a jilted lover, Edward Leedskalnin
, over the course of 28 years from 1923 to 1951. The Fruit and Spice Park
is also of interest.
(Köppen climate classification
Aw) similar to that of Miami and most of South Florida. Summers are hot and humid and high temperatures average between 88° and 92°F (31° to 33°C). Winters are mild, but average cooler than nearby coastal areas. The all-time record high temperature is 100°F (38°C), on 21 July 1942. Lows in summer average between 70° and 75°F (21° to 24°C), with low temperatures in all times of year averaging 5–15 degrees cooler than coastal Miami, mainly because of its inland and rural location. In winter, the area sees cold fronts bring cold weather for short periods from November to March. The lowest temperature ever recorded is 26°F, on 13 December 1934, which was recorded at Homestead Air Force Base, some 10 miles east of the town. In the farm areas west of downtown, frosts and freezes are common 5–10 times per year. High temperatures in winter average between 65° and 80°F(18° to 26°C), and lows average between 47° and 57°F (8° to 14°C). Summer is the season when most of the rain occurs. Homestead has a wet season lasting from mid-May to early October. The dry season sees little if any rain, with most of it coming with the passing of cold fronts. Snowfall has been recorded once at Homestead Air Force Base, on January 20, 1977, and marked the farthest south that snowfall has ever been reported in the lower 48 United States.
Hurricanes pose a threat to the area, and even though it is not located on the immediate coast, Homestead has been affected by hurricanes before. The only recent strong one was Hurricane Andrew
, in 1992, which devastated the town. It took 5 to 10 years for things to recover. Hurricanes Katrina
and Wilma
brushed by in 2005, but did not pass directly over Homestead.
, Leisure City
, Homestead Base
Unincorporated Miami-Dade County
Homestead Base
of 2000, there were 31,909 people, 10,095 households, and 7,157 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,233.9 inhabitants per square mile (862.8/km²). There were 11,162 housing units at an average density of 781.4 per square mile (301.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.00% White (22.9% were Non-Hispanic White,) 22.55% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 9.84% from other races
, and 5.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.83% of the population.
There were 10,095 households out of which 42.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples
living together, 22.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.54.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.2% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,775, and the median income for a family was $26,409. Males had a median income of $23,118 versus $20,261 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $11,357. About 29.1% of families and 31.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.9% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, speakers of Spanish
as a first language
accounted for 51.10%, while English
was at 43.22%, and French Creole made up 4.71% of the population.
operates the Dade Correctional Institution and the Homestead Correctional Institution in an unincorporated area
near Homestead. The Dade CI was originally the Dade Correctional Institution Annex, and the Homestead CI was originally the Dade Correctional Institution; the two received their current names on July 1, 2003.
The United States Postal Service
operates the Homestead Post Office.
The Homestead Police Department located at 4 South Krome Avenue is the primary Law Enforcement Agency in Homestead.
district.
Homestead is zoned to the following elementary and middle schools:
Homestead has the following (K-8) charter school
s
Most of Homestead is zoned to Homestead High School
, while a northwest portion is zoned to South Dade High School
, located outside the city limits in unincorporated Miami-Dade County.
Homestead is also home to Miami-Dade College (Homestead Campus).
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
, 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...
nestled between Biscayne National Park
Biscayne National Park
Biscayne National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southern Florida, due east of Homestead. The park preserves Biscayne Bay, one of the top scuba diving areas in the United States. Ninety-five percent of the park is water. In addition, the shore of the bay is the location of an extensive...
to the east and Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park is a national park in the U.S. state of Florida that protects the southern 25 percent of the original Everglades. It is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, and is visited on average by one million people each year. It is the third-largest...
to the west. Homestead is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area.
Homestead was incorporated in 1913 and is the second oldest city in Miami-Dade County next to the city of Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. It is located approximately 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Miami, and 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Key Largo
Key Largo
Key Largo is an island in the upper Florida Keys archipelago and, at long, the largest of the Keys. It is also the northernmost of the Florida Keys in Monroe County, and the northernmost of the Keys connected by U.S. Highway 1...
. The name originates from when the Florida East Coast Railway
Florida East Coast Railway
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
extension to Key West
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
was being built. The rail line was passing through an area opened up for homesteading
Homestead Act
A homestead act is one of three United States federal laws that gave an applicant freehold title to an area called a "homestead" – typically 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River....
, and as the construction camp at the end of the line did not have a particular name, construction materials and supplies for the workers were consigned to "Homestead Country", shortened to "Homestead" by the engineers who mapped the area. The population was 31,909 at the 2000 census.
The city of Homestead is located near the southern terminus of the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike , designated as the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, and originally known as the West Dade Expressway is a north–south free-flow toll road southern extension of the tolled Florida's Turnpike...
where it ends at its junction with U.S. 1
U.S. Route 1 in Florida
U.S. Route 1 in Florida runs along the state's east coast from Key West to its crossing of the St. Marys River into Georgia north of Boulogne, and south of Folkston. US 1 was designated through Florida when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926.US 1 runs in the state of Florida, and...
. Homestead is immediately north and east of Florida City, and these two cities comprise the greater Homestead-Florida City area. Some of the notable unincorporated communities in the area are Redland
Redland, Florida
Redland, sometimes pluralized The Redlands, is an agricultural community in metropolitan Miami, Florida, United States, about southwest of Downtown Miami. Many farms, original clapboard homes of early settlers, u-pick'em fields and coral rock walls dot the landscape. It is named for the red clay...
, Leisure City
Leisure City, Florida
Leisure City is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 22,152 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Leisure City is located at ....
, Naranja
Naranja, Florida
Naranja is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Many orange groves were once located in this area, so the community name came from the Spanish word for orange, "naranja". Naranja was also a stop for the Florida East Coast Railroad that once ran through this area...
, and Princeton
Princeton, Florida
Princeton is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,090 at the 2000 census.- History :...
.
Homestead bore the brunt of Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
, a Category 5 hurricane, which hit South Florida on August 24, 1992. The city of Homestead made national headlines due to the sheer devastation wrought by Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
. Since 2002, the city has experienced a building and housing boom due to the scarcity of developable land elsewhere in Miami-Dade County.
Geography
Homestead is located at 25°28′16"N 80°28′5"W (25.471190, -80.468122).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 14.4 square miles (37.3 km²). 14.3 square miles (37 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.63%) is water.
Homestead is a small-sized city. At its greatest north-south points – along SW 137th Avenue (Speedway Boulevard) – its city limits extend only 4 miles (6 km) – from SW 288th Street (Biscayne Drive) at the north end to (theoretical) SW 352nd Street at the south end. At its greatest east-west points – along SW 328th Street (North Canal Drive / Lucy Street) – its city limits extend 6 miles (10 km) – from (theoretical) SW 132nd Avenue at the east end to SW 192nd Avenue at the west end. U.S. 1 – known as Homestead Boulevard within the city limits – extends through a rather narrow northeast / southwest corridor of the city from SW 304th Street (Kings Highway) at the north end to SW 328th Street (Lucy Street) at the south end. It is at this point at the south end that Homestead and Florida City share a common border. (North of the north end at SW 304th Street is known as Unincorporated Miami-Dade County, but it is locally known as the community of Leisure City).
Major east-west streets within Homestead include SW 304th Street / NE & NW 15th Street (Kings Highway), SW 312th Street / NE & NW 8th Street (Campbell Drive), SW 320th Street (Mowry Drive), SW 328th Street / SE & SW 8th Street (North Canal Drive / Lucy Street), and SW 344th Street / SE 24th Street (Palm Drive).
The original Homestead Air Force Base was once located several miles to the northeast of Homestead, but due to annexation of formerly unincorporated land immediately to the east and northeast of the original city limits during the late-1990s the city and the far southwestern perimeter of the (now) Homestead Air Reserve Base
Homestead Air Reserve Base
Homestead Air Reserve Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-northeast of Homestead, Florida.The host unit at Homestead is the 482d Fighter Wing assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command Tenth Air Force...
share a common border for a small portion along SW 137th Avenue (Speedway Boulevard).
A noteworthy tourist attraction within Leisure City is the mysterious Coral Castle
Coral Castle
Coral Castle is a stone structure created by the Latvian American eccentric Edward Leedskalnin north of the city of Homestead, Florida in Miami-Dade County at the intersection of South Dixie Highway and West 157th Avenue. The structure comprises numerous megalithic stones , each weighing several...
, built by a jilted lover, Edward Leedskalnin
Edward Leedskalnin
Edward Leedskalnin was an eccentric Latvian emigrant to the United States and amateur sculptor who single-handedly built the monument known as Coral Castle in Florida...
, over the course of 28 years from 1923 to 1951. The Fruit and Spice Park
Fruit and Spice Park
The Fruit and Spice Park is a botanical garden in metropolitan Miami at 24801 SW 187 Avenue, located in the rural agricultural community of the Redland, Florida, United States.-Exhibits:...
is also of interest.
Climate
Homestead experiences a tropical savanna climateTropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Aw) similar to that of Miami and most of South Florida. Summers are hot and humid and high temperatures average between 88° and 92°F (31° to 33°C). Winters are mild, but average cooler than nearby coastal areas. The all-time record high temperature is 100°F (38°C), on 21 July 1942. Lows in summer average between 70° and 75°F (21° to 24°C), with low temperatures in all times of year averaging 5–15 degrees cooler than coastal Miami, mainly because of its inland and rural location. In winter, the area sees cold fronts bring cold weather for short periods from November to March. The lowest temperature ever recorded is 26°F, on 13 December 1934, which was recorded at Homestead Air Force Base, some 10 miles east of the town. In the farm areas west of downtown, frosts and freezes are common 5–10 times per year. High temperatures in winter average between 65° and 80°F(18° to 26°C), and lows average between 47° and 57°F (8° to 14°C). Summer is the season when most of the rain occurs. Homestead has a wet season lasting from mid-May to early October. The dry season sees little if any rain, with most of it coming with the passing of cold fronts. Snowfall has been recorded once at Homestead Air Force Base, on January 20, 1977, and marked the farthest south that snowfall has ever been reported in the lower 48 United States.
Hurricanes pose a threat to the area, and even though it is not located on the immediate coast, Homestead has been affected by hurricanes before. The only recent strong one was Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
, in 1992, which devastated the town. It took 5 to 10 years for things to recover. Hurricanes Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and Wilma
Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Wilma was the twenty-second storm , thirteenth hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and fourth Category 5 hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 season...
brushed by in 2005, but did not pass directly over Homestead.
Surrounding areas
Unincorporated Miami-Dade CountyMiami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
, Leisure City
Leisure City, Florida
Leisure City is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 22,152 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Leisure City is located at ....
, Homestead Base
Homestead Base, Florida
Homestead Base is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 446 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Homestead Base is located at ....
Unincorporated Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
Homestead BaseHomestead Base, Florida
Homestead Base is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 446 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Homestead Base is located at ....
- Unincorporated Miami-Dade CountyMiami-Dade County, FloridaMiami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
, Florida CityFlorida City, FloridaFlorida City is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States and is the southernmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 5,413,212 in 2007. The population was 7,843 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S....
Homestead BaseHomestead Base, FloridaHomestead Base is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 446 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Homestead Base is located at ....
, Unincorporated Miami-Dade CountyMiami-Dade County, FloridaMiami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
Florida CityFlorida City, FloridaFlorida City is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States and is the southernmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 5,413,212 in 2007. The population was 7,843 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S....
Unincorporated Miami-Dade CountyMiami-Dade County, FloridaMiami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
Florida CityFlorida City, FloridaFlorida City is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States and is the southernmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 5,413,212 in 2007. The population was 7,843 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S....
, Unincorporated Miami-Dade CountyMiami-Dade County, FloridaMiami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
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 31,909 people, 10,095 households, and 7,157 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 2,233.9 inhabitants per square mile (862.8/km²). There were 11,162 housing units at an average density of 781.4 per square mile (301.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.00% White (22.9% were Non-Hispanic White,) 22.55% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 9.84% 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 5.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.83% of the population.
There were 10,095 households out of which 42.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% 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, 22.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.54.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.2% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,775, and the median income for a family was $26,409. Males had a median income of $23,118 versus $20,261 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 $11,357. About 29.1% of families and 31.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.9% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, speakers of Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as a first language
First language
A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...
accounted for 51.10%, while English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
was at 43.22%, and French Creole made up 4.71% of the population.
Media
The city of Homestead is served by the Miami market for local radio and television. The City of Homestead has its own newspaper, the South Dade News Leader, which has been serving the South Dade community since 1912. The News Leader is published once a week, on Friday.Government and infrastructure
The Florida Department of CorrectionsFlorida Department of Corrections
The Florida Department of Corrections, established in 1821, operates state prisons in Florida. It has its headquarters in Tallahassee.The Florida Department of Corrections operates the third largest state prison system in the United States...
operates the Dade Correctional Institution and the Homestead Correctional Institution in an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
near Homestead. The Dade CI was originally the Dade Correctional Institution Annex, and the Homestead CI was originally the Dade Correctional Institution; the two received their current names on July 1, 2003.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Homestead Post Office.
The Homestead Police Department located at 4 South Krome Avenue is the primary Law Enforcement Agency in Homestead.
Points of interest
- ArtSouth
- Biscayne National ParkBiscayne National ParkBiscayne National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southern Florida, due east of Homestead. The park preserves Biscayne Bay, one of the top scuba diving areas in the United States. Ninety-five percent of the park is water. In addition, the shore of the bay is the location of an extensive...
- Coral CastleCoral CastleCoral Castle is a stone structure created by the Latvian American eccentric Edward Leedskalnin north of the city of Homestead, Florida in Miami-Dade County at the intersection of South Dixie Highway and West 157th Avenue. The structure comprises numerous megalithic stones , each weighing several...
- Everglades Alligator Farm
- Everglades National ParkEverglades National ParkEverglades National Park is a national park in the U.S. state of Florida that protects the southern 25 percent of the original Everglades. It is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, and is visited on average by one million people each year. It is the third-largest...
- Fruit and Spice ParkFruit and Spice ParkThe Fruit and Spice Park is a botanical garden in metropolitan Miami at 24801 SW 187 Avenue, located in the rural agricultural community of the Redland, Florida, United States.-Exhibits:...
- Homestead Library
- Homestead Rodeo
- Homestead-Miami SpeedwayHomestead-Miami SpeedwayHomestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
- Homestead Air Reserve BaseHomestead Air Reserve BaseHomestead Air Reserve Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-northeast of Homestead, Florida.The host unit at Homestead is the 482d Fighter Wing assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command Tenth Air Force...
- Monkey JungleMonkey JungleMonkey Jungle is a renowned wildlife park established in 1933 for the exhibition and study of endangered monkeys in semi-natural habitats. Many novel and innovative projects have been conducted at the park, which is also a popular tourist attraction in the Miami, Florida area...
- Schnebly Redland's Winery
- Seminole Theatre
- Turkey Point Nuclear Generating StationTurkey Point Nuclear Generating StationTurkey Point Nuclear Generating Station is a twin reactor nuclear power station located on a 3,300-acre site 2 miles east of Homestead, Florida, United States, next to Biscayne National Park located about 25 miles south of Miami, Florida near the southernmost edge of Miami-Dade...
Education
Homestead is within the Miami-Dade County Public SchoolsMiami-Dade County Public Schools
Miami-Dade County Public Schools is a public school district serving Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1885, it is the largest school district in Florida and the Southeastern United States, and the fourth largest in the United States, with a student enrollment of 380,006 as of July 5, 2010...
district.
Homestead is zoned to the following elementary and middle schools:
- Avocado Elementary School
- Campbell Drive Elementary School
- Campbell Drive Middle School
- Homestead Middle School
- Redland Middle School
- Laura C. Saunders Elementary School
- Neva King Cooper Education
- Peskoe Elementary School
- Redondo Elementary School
- South Dade Middle School (Grades 4–8)
- West Homestead Elementary School
Homestead has the following (K-8) charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s
- Keys Gate Charter School
- Waterstone Charter School
- Leisure City K-8 Center (Also knowns as Leisure City Elemiddle)
- Gateway Environmental K-8 Learning Center
- Mandarin Lakes K-8 Academy
- Rise Academy-South Dade Charter SchoolRise Academy-South Dade Charter SchoolRise Academy-South Dade Charter School opened in August 2008 and currently serves over 200 students in Kindergarten through Seventh Grades.Rise Academy-South Dade Charter School is located on two campuses...
Most of Homestead is zoned to Homestead High School
Homestead High School (Homestead, Florida)
Homestead High School is a secondary school located at 2351 SE 12 Avenue in Homestead, Florida. It is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools district. The principal is Ms. Cory R. Rodriguez....
, while a northwest portion is zoned to South Dade High School
South Dade High School
South Dade Senior High School is a secondary school located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, near Homestead.The school was established in 1953....
, located outside the city limits in unincorporated Miami-Dade County.
Homestead is also home to Miami-Dade College (Homestead Campus).