Moore Haven, Florida
Encyclopedia
Moore Haven is a city in Glades County
, Florida
, United States
. The population was 1,635 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,726http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2004-04-12.xls. It is the county seat
of Glades County
. Moore Haven is located on the southwest shoreline of Lake Okeechobee
.
and earlier Native Americans
had lived for thousands of years.
The community was named after James A. Moore, its Anglo-American founder. In its early days, Moore Haven was often called "Little Chicago", reflecting its status as a significant boom town
. It was ideally located at the apex of Lake Okeechobee
and the Caloosahatchee Canal.
The Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 dramatically altered the landscape of the area. The storm surge
from the lake caused widespread death and destruction, sometimes literally relocating houses to the opposite side of the river. The town might have recovered, but it was hit not long after by the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane
. This decimated areas that had escaped damage in 1926.
Today Moore Haven is a small, sleepy town that has little industry and infrastructure. Moore Haven is home to the Annual Chalo Nitka
Festival, which is held the first weekend in March.
A large bridge that crosses the Caloosahatchee River was completed in the last 10 years.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), of which, 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (6.09%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,635 people, 572 households, and 414 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,508.8 people per square mile (584.5/km²). There were 792 housing units at an average density of 730.9 per square mile (283.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.28% White, 22.32% African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 14.56% from other races
, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.01% of the population.
There were 572 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples
living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 107.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,801, and the median income for a family was $28,542. Males had a median income of $26,615 versus $20,250 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,183. About 19.0% of families and 23.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.0% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
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 :...
, 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 1,635 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,726http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2004-04-12.xls. It is the 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....
of Glades County
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 :...
. Moore Haven is located on the southwest shoreline of Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee , locally referred to as The Lake or The Big O, is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Florida. It is the seventh largest freshwater lake in the United States and the second largest freshwater lake contained entirely within the lower 48 states...
.
History
The village was established near where SeminoleSeminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
and earlier Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
had lived for thousands of years.
The community was named after James A. Moore, its Anglo-American founder. In its early days, Moore Haven was often called "Little Chicago", reflecting its status as a significant boom town
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
. It was ideally located at the apex of Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee , locally referred to as The Lake or The Big O, is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Florida. It is the seventh largest freshwater lake in the United States and the second largest freshwater lake contained entirely within the lower 48 states...
and the Caloosahatchee Canal.
The Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 dramatically altered the landscape of the area. The storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
from the lake caused widespread death and destruction, sometimes literally relocating houses to the opposite side of the river. The town might have recovered, but it was hit not long after by the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane
1928 Okeechobee Hurricane
The Okeechobee hurricane, or San Felipe Segundo hurricane, was a deadly hurricane that struck the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Florida in September of the 1928 Atlantic hurricane season...
. This decimated areas that had escaped damage in 1926.
Today Moore Haven is a small, sleepy town that has little industry and infrastructure. Moore Haven is home to the Annual Chalo Nitka
Chalo Nitka
Chalo Nitka Festival and Frontier Days are the county fair of Glades County, Florida. The Festival and parade is held the first Saturday every March. The festival now spans a week with the livestock shows and sale during the week leading up to the main Festival weekend Festivities which now...
Festival, which is held the first weekend in March.
A large bridge that crosses the Caloosahatchee River was completed in the last 10 years.
Geography
Moore Haven is located at 26.834120°N 81.096095°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 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), of which, 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (6.09%) is water.
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 1,635 people, 572 households, and 414 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 1,508.8 people per square mile (584.5/km²). There were 792 housing units at an average density of 730.9 per square mile (283.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.28% White, 22.32% African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 14.56% 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 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.01% of the population.
There were 572 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% 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, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 107.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,801, and the median income for a family was $28,542. Males had a median income of $26,615 versus $20,250 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 $12,183. About 19.0% of families and 23.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.0% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.