Spring Hill, Florida
Encyclopedia
Spring Hill is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Hernando County
, Florida
, United States
. The estimated population was 92,144 in 2007 by the United States Census
. Spring Hill belongs to Florida's Nature Coast
and is in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
metro area.
, which was developed by the Deltona Corporation and the Mackle Brothers
who built the community. The plans for the community are actually identical to the community of Deltona, Florida
. The Mackle Brothers sold many of the properties and land in the area through intense advertising. It appeared on maps of Florida as early as 1856. It has since become a sprawling semi-city in its own right, though it is an unincorporated area. The main entrance to the original development is marked by the Spring Hill waterfall on Spring Hill Drive and US Route 19 (Commercial Way). Its location has Hernando Beach to the west, Brooksville, Florida
to the east, and Tampa
to the south via the Suncoast Parkway, US 41
, and I-75
. Spring Hill is the largest town in population north of Tampa
in the St. Petersburg-Clearwater
metro area.
Spring Hill has in the past two decades attracted a large number of business chains, reflecting the recent boom in population and the tastes of the recent influx of residents seeking lower property values, quiet suburban life, and a low crime rate. With its proximity to Tampa
, about 35 miles (56.3 km) south and the completion of the Suncoast Parkway in 2001, has made Spring Hill easily accessible to the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.
school system, which oversees all public schools in Hernando County. The main public schools that serve the Spring Hill area are:
In addition to the public schools in Spring Hill, there are also several private school
s:
called Spring Hill Campus. The University of South Florida
in Tampa is also accessible via the Suncoast Parkway.
, Cracker Barrel
, Office Depot
, Ross
& Sports Authority
. A Kohl's
on Spring Hill Drive, just east of the Suncoast Parkway opened in Fall 2008; a Supersize Target
was constructed at the same location and recently opened in July 2009. The new Target store is the 2nd of its kind in the state of Florida and one of only 14 in the country. Just a few miles south of Kohl's and Target off of the Suncoast Parkway at County Line Road and Anderson Snow road is a new plaza called The Shoppes of Avalon. Their anchor store is Publix
which opened fall of 2009. There is also a Nail Star, China Star & Leo Liquors. The newest businesses that have opened on SR 50 is Five Guys and Texas Roadhouse, Panera Bread and HHGregg.
The Gulf Of Mexico
is two miles (3 km) away to the west and has five parks that offer many different activities. One of the parks, Pine Island Park
, a beach that is very popular and was recently refurbished. Weeki Wachee Springs
is home to the famous live mermaid show and Florida's only spring-fed water park, Buccaneer Bay
. Canoeing and Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee river just one of many water based activities to do in the area.
Restaurants and retail stores have been in great demand in Spring Hill, making the area a major destination for shoppers in and outside the area. Golf courses are quite abundant in the area and has made Spring Hill a top pick for golf enthusiasts. Spring Hill also has a public skate park with street and vert courses.
) serve the county. Spring Hill Newsletter is a free magazine published monthly and mailed to residents.
Spring Hill belongs in the Tampa
media market, the 13th largest designated market area in the United States.
, the CDP has a total area of 54.8 square miles (141.9 km²), of which, 53.1 square miles (137.5 km²) of it is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²) of it (3.12%) is water.
of 2000, there were 69,078 people, 28,274 households, and 21,035 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 1,300.1 people per square mile (502.0/km²). There were 30,658 housing units at an average density of 577.0/sq mi (222.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.4% White, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 3.00% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.8% from other races
.
There were 28,274 households out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.74.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 19.5% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 29.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,861, and the median income for a family was $37,608. Males had a median income of $30,076 versus $21,364 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $17,184. About 6.4% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
that passes through Spring Hill and serves as a connection to Pasco
and Hillsborough
counties (and, by extension, Tampa
) to the south.
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...
(CDP) 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...
, 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 estimated population was 92,144 in 2007 by the United States Census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
. Spring Hill belongs to Florida's Nature Coast
Nature Coast
The Nature Coast is a region of the U.S. state of Florida. It comprises the inside curve or Big Bend area of the western coast of the state and encompasses Citrus, Dixie, Hernando, Jefferson, Pasco, Levy, Taylor, and Wakulla counties...
and is in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
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...
metro area.
History and overview
Spring Hill was founded in 1968 as a planned communityPlanned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
, which was developed by the Deltona Corporation and the Mackle Brothers
Mackle Brothers
The Mackle brothers - Elliott, Robert and Frank Jr. - were the developers of the land at Marco Island, Florida. In 1962 they purchased most of the site from the heirs of Barron Gift Collier for US$7M and through their development company, The Deltona Corporation, began to transform it into a resort...
who built the community. The plans for the community are actually identical to the community of Deltona, Florida
Deltona, Florida
Deltona is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida and is the largest city in Volusia County. It is located east of DeBary and north of Lake Monroe. It is the twenty-ninth largest city in Florida, with a 2010 Census population of 85,182...
. The Mackle Brothers sold many of the properties and land in the area through intense advertising. It appeared on maps of Florida as early as 1856. It has since become a sprawling semi-city in its own right, though it is an unincorporated area. The main entrance to the original development is marked by the Spring Hill waterfall on Spring Hill Drive and US Route 19 (Commercial Way). Its location has Hernando Beach to the west, Brooksville, Florida
Brooksville, Florida
Brooksville is an incorporated city in Hernando County, Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Hernando County. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
to the east, and Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
to the south via the Suncoast Parkway, US 41
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41 is a north–south United States Highway that runs from Miami, Florida to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, was U.S...
, and I-75
Interstate 75 in Florida
Interstate 75 is a part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from Hialeah, Florida, a few miles northwest of Miami to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...
. Spring Hill is the largest town in population north of Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
in the St. Petersburg-Clearwater
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...
metro area.
Spring Hill has in the past two decades attracted a large number of business chains, reflecting the recent boom in population and the tastes of the recent influx of residents seeking lower property values, quiet suburban life, and a low crime rate. With its proximity to Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, about 35 miles (56.3 km) south and the completion of the Suncoast Parkway in 2001, has made Spring Hill easily accessible to the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.
Education
Spring Hill has several schools, both public and private, which provide primary and secondary education to local children. There are also several options for higher education that are easily accessible from the Spring Hill area.Primary and secondary education
Public schools in Spring Hill are part of the Hernando County School BoardHernando County School Board
Hernando County School Board is a school district headquartered in Brooksville, Florida, United States. The district covers Hernando County.-External links:*...
school system, which oversees all public schools in Hernando County. The main public schools that serve the Spring Hill area are:
- Elementary Schools
- Chocachatti Elementary School
- Deltona Elementary School
- Pine Grove Elementary School
- Spring Hill Elementary school
- Suncoast Elementary School
- Westside Elementary School
- K-8 Schools
- Challenger K-8 School of Science and Mathematics
- Explorer K-8
- John D. Floyd K-8 School of Environmental Science
- Middle Schools
- Fox Chapel Middle SchoolFox Chapel Middle SchoolFox Chapel Middle School is an intermediate school located in Spring Hill, Florida which educates children in grades 6 through 8....
- Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology, a charter schoolCharter schoolCharter 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...
- Powell Middle School
- West Hernando Middle School
- Fox Chapel Middle School
- High Schools
- Central High SchoolCentral High School (Brooksville, Florida)Central High School, or CHS, is a public four-year high school located at 14075 Ken Austin Parkway in Brooksville, Florida a northern suburb of Tampa.-Spotlight:...
- Frank W. Springstead High SchoolFrank W. Springstead High SchoolFrank W. Springstead High School is a public high school located in Spring Hill, FL. The school was opened in 1976 and named after the developer Frank W. Springstead. In 2006 Springstead High School was ranked as #891 in Newsweek America's Best High Schools, which was based on their Advanced...
, an IB World School - Nature Coast Technical High School
- Weeki Wachee High School
- Hernando High School
- Central High School
In addition to the public schools in Spring Hill, there are also several private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s:
- Notre Dame Catholic School (Pre-K to grade 8)
- Spring Hill Christian Academy (Pre-K to grade 12)
- Wider Horizons School, a Montessori school (Pre-K to grade 6) and College Preparatory school (junior and senior high school)
Higher learning
Spring Hill is also home to the new 100000 ft2 campus of Pasco-Hernando Community CollegePasco-Hernando Community College
Pasco–Hernando Community College is the youngest two-year community college in Florida. With four campuses in Brooksville, Dade City, New Port Richey and Spring Hill, PHCC serves Pasco and Hernando counties in the central west coast of Florida....
called Spring Hill Campus. The University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
in Tampa is also accessible via the Suncoast Parkway.
Libraries
The Hernando County Public Library system operates several libraries in and around the Spring Hill area, such as the West Hernando Branch Library and the Spring Hill Branch Library, which serves as a replacement of the Little Red Schoolhouse Branch Library. The historic Little Red Schoolhouse Branch Library has since been converted into a bookstore whose proceeds benefit the library system.Healthcare
Healthcare in Spring Hill is quite abundant and continues to grow. There are three accredited hospitals in the area, Spring Hill Regional Hospital, Oak Hill Hospital and the newest, Brooksville Regional Hospital. With a large senior citizen population, Spring Hill contains many nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities.Recent developments
JCPenney opened a store on US Route 19 (Commercial Way), just south of Spring Hill Drive in Spring 2008, adjacent to the store is a 250000 square feet (23,225.8 m²) shopping center that include many stores and restaurants, including: Best BuyBest Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
, Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. is an American chain of combined restaurant and gift stores with a Southern country theme. The company was founded by Dan Evins in 1969 and its first store was located in Lebanon, Tennessee, where the company is now headquartered...
, Office Depot
Office Depot
Office Depot is a supplier of office products and provides many services. The company's selection of brand name office supplies includes business machines, computers, computer software and office furniture, while its business services encompass copying, printing, document reproduction, shipping,...
, Ross
Ross
Ross is a region of Scotland and a former mormaerdom, earldom, sheriffdom and county. The name Ross allegedly derives from a Gaelic word meaning a headland - perhaps a reference to the Black Isle. The Norse word for Orkney - Hrossay meaning horse island - is another possible origin. The area...
& Sports Authority
Sports Authority
The Sports Authority, Inc. is one of the largest sporting goods retailers in the United States. It is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, and operates more than 460 stores in 45 U.S...
. A Kohl's
Kohl's
Kohl's Corporation is an American department store chain headquartered in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, operating , 1,089 stores in 49 states. In 1998, it entered the S&P 500 list, and is also listed in the Fortune 500...
on Spring Hill Drive, just east of the Suncoast Parkway opened in Fall 2008; a Supersize Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
was constructed at the same location and recently opened in July 2009. The new Target store is the 2nd of its kind in the state of Florida and one of only 14 in the country. Just a few miles south of Kohl's and Target off of the Suncoast Parkway at County Line Road and Anderson Snow road is a new plaza called The Shoppes of Avalon. Their anchor store is Publix
Publix
Publix Super Markets, Inc. is an American supermarket chain based in Lakeland, Florida.Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, it is an employee-owned, privately held corporation. Publix is currently ranked No. 86 on Fortune magazine's list of 100 Best Companies to Work For 2010 and was ranked No...
which opened fall of 2009. There is also a Nail Star, China Star & Leo Liquors. The newest businesses that have opened on SR 50 is Five Guys and Texas Roadhouse, Panera Bread and HHGregg.
Tourism
Spring Hill is home to many beautiful parks including Nature Coast Botanical Gardens, 3.5 acres (14,164 m²) of gardens. Stage West Community Playhouse which is Hernando County's oldest non-profit theatre has ongoing shows of classic and original productions. Hernando Symphony Orchestra, made up of more than 65 volunteers performing concerts.The Gulf Of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
is two miles (3 km) away to the west and has five parks that offer many different activities. One of the parks, Pine Island Park
Pine Island, Florida
Pine Island is a census-designated place in Hernando County, Florida, United States. The population was 64 at the 2000 census. Pine Island Park , is a area on the Gulf of Mexico at 10800 Pine Island Drive that includes a swimming beach and swimming area, picnic tables, shelters, barbecue...
, a beach that is very popular and was recently refurbished. Weeki Wachee Springs
Weeki Wachee Springs
Weeki Wachee Springs is a natural tourist attraction located in Weeki Wachee, Florida, where underwater performances by "mermaids", women dressed with fins about their legs as well as other fancy outfits, can be viewed in an aquarium-like setting in the spring of the Weeki Wachee River...
is home to the famous live mermaid show and Florida's only spring-fed water park, Buccaneer Bay
Weeki Wachee Springs
Weeki Wachee Springs is a natural tourist attraction located in Weeki Wachee, Florida, where underwater performances by "mermaids", women dressed with fins about their legs as well as other fancy outfits, can be viewed in an aquarium-like setting in the spring of the Weeki Wachee River...
. Canoeing and Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee river just one of many water based activities to do in the area.
Restaurants and retail stores have been in great demand in Spring Hill, making the area a major destination for shoppers in and outside the area. Golf courses are quite abundant in the area and has made Spring Hill a top pick for golf enthusiasts. Spring Hill also has a public skate park with street and vert courses.
Media
Two local newspapers, Hernando Today (a publication of Tampa Tribune) and Hernando Times (a publication of St. Petersburg TimesSt. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
) serve the county. Spring Hill Newsletter is a free magazine published monthly and mailed to residents.
Spring Hill belongs in the Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
media market, the 13th largest designated market area in the United States.
Notable residents
- Huey WhittakerHuey WhittakerHubert Alton George "Huey" Whittaker is an American football wide receiver for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
, wide receiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League (UFL)
Geography
Spring Hill is located at 28°28′44"N 82°32′52"W (28.478929, & 82.547732). 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 CDP has a total area of 54.8 square miles (141.9 km²), of which, 53.1 square miles (137.5 km²) of it is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²) of it (3.12%) 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 69,078 people, 28,274 households, and 21,035 families residing in the CDP. 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 1,300.1 people per square mile (502.0/km²). There were 30,658 housing units at an average density of 577.0/sq mi (222.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.4% White, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 3.00% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.8% 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...
.
There were 28,274 households out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% 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, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.74.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 19.5% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 29.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,861, and the median income for a family was $37,608. Males had a median income of $30,076 versus $21,364 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 CDP was $17,184. About 6.4% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Mass transit
Bus service in Spring Hill is provided by THE Bus (The Hernando Express), which serves as Hernando County's main bus system, servicing both Spring Hill and Brooksville. Started in 2002, THE Bus has three main routes, two of which serve the main thoroughfares of Spring Hill, such as Spring Hill Drive and Mariner Boulevard.Roads
There are several county roads in Spring Hill that serve as major thoroughfares for traffic traveling around and passing through Spring Hill. Below is a list of the county roads that pertain to Spring Hill:| CR # | Name | Direction |
|---|---|---|
 CR 572 |
Elgin Boulevard/Powell Road | East/West |
 CR 574 |
Spring Hill Drive | East/West |
 CR 578 |
County Line Road | East/West |
 CR 585 |
Barclay Avenue/Anderson Snow Road | North/South |
 CR 587 |
Mariner Boulevard | North/South |
 CR 589 |
Deltona Boulevard | North/South |
Highways
Spring Hill is bordered to the west by US 19 (named Commercial Way), to the north by SR 50 (named Cortez Boulevard), and to the east by US 41. The Suncoast Parkway (SR 589) is a toll roadToll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
that passes through Spring Hill and serves as a connection to Pasco
Pasco County, Florida
Pasco County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 344,765. The July 1, 2007 census estimate according to the U.S. Census Bureau for the county is 462,715. Its county seat is Dade City, Florida which is in the northeast part of the county - somewhat...
and Hillsborough
Hillsborough County, Florida
As of the census of 2000, there were 998,948 people, 391,357 households, and 255,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 951 people per square mile . There were 425,962 housing units at an average density of 405 per square mile...
counties (and, by extension, Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
) to the south.