St. Cloud, Florida
Encyclopedia
St. Cloud is a city in Osceola County
, Florida
, United States
. The population was 35,183 at the 2010 census. St. Cloud is closely associated with the adjacent city of Kissimmee
and its proximity to Orlando
area theme parks, including Walt Disney World
, Universal Orlando Resort
, and Seaworld
.
St. Cloud is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area.
During the 1870s, Hamilton Disston
of Philadelphia took an interest in developing the region while on fishing trips with Henry Shelton Sanford
, founder of the city of Sanford
. Disston contracted with Florida's Internal Improvement Fund, then in receivership, to pay $1 million to offset its Civil War
and Reconstruction debt. In exchange, Disston would be awarded half the land he drained
from the state's swamp
s. He dug canal
s and, in 1886-1887, established St. Cloud sugarcane
plantation
, named after St. Cloud, Minnesota
, although many long-time locals state the town was named after Saint-Cloud
, France, located fairly close to Paris.
Diston opened the Sugar Belt Railway to the South Florida Railroad
in 1888 to carry his product to market. But the Panic of 1893
dropped land values, and the Great Freeze
of 1894-1895 ruined the plantation. Disston returned to Philadelphia, where he died in 1896. The Sugar Belt Railway merged into the South Florida Railroad. An attempt to cultivate rice
in the area failed, and for several years the land remained fallow. Then in 1909, 35000 acres (14,164 ha) were acquired by the Seminole Land & Investment Company as the site for a Grand Army of the Republic
veterans' colony. St. Cloud was selected because of its "health, climate and productiveness of soil." It was first permanently settled in 1909 by William G. King, a real estate manager from Alachua County who had been given the responsibility "to plan, locate and develop a town."
On April 16, 1909, the Kissimmee Valley Gazette announced the “New Town of St. Cloud,” a “Soldiers Colony” to be near Kissimmee. The newspaper called the purchase by the Seminole Land and Investment Company “one of the most important real estate deals ever made in the State of Florida.” It was reported that the officers of the company had searched all over Florida for the perfect site for a veterans’ colony, particularly one especially suited for “health, climate, and productiveness of the soil.” Many of the streets were named for states from which the Civil War veterans had served, and they retain those names today.
On June 1, 1915, the Florida Legislature
incorporated St. Cloud as a city. Its downtown features landmark buildings by the Orlando architectural firm of Ryan
& Roberts
, a partnership consisting of two women. The buildings by Ryan and Roberts and others in the downtown area are predominately Spanish Revival.
In recent years, St. Cloud has tried to separate itself from neighboring cities, and particularly the theme parks, by promoting an image of small-town life, as well as attempting to make itself economically less dependent on Kissimmee. On March 6, 2006, St. Cloud introduced CyberSpot, a program which gives residents free high-speed wireless Internet
access. The city then ended Cyberspot, quoting "it's too costly". The city is served by the Osceola Library System
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²), of which 0.11% is water. St. Cloud is located on the southern shore of East Lake Tohopekaliga
, a water body which is exceptionally clear, with good visibility to depths of 7 to 9 ft (2.1 to 2.7 ). East Lake is nearly circular in shape and covers approximately 12000 acres (48.6 km²). It is a perfect example of what is often called a "dish-pan" lake. It produces many trophy bass annually. A familiar sight along the shores of East Lake Toho is the rare, protected Florida Sandhill Crane
.
The major highway is U.S. Route 192
running in tandem with U.S. Route 441
east and west. This six-lane road is intersected by streets running north and south. Many of these near the center of town have the names of all the states in no particular order.
of 2000, there were 20,074 people, 6,716 households, and 5,424 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,190.8 inhabitants per square mile (846.1/km²). There were 8,602 housing units at an average density of 938.8 per square mile (362.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.27% White, 2.07% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 4.10% from other races
, and 2.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.36% of the population.
There were 7,716 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples
living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,467, and the median income for a family was $41,211. Males had a median income of $30,955 versus $22,414 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,031. About 6.2% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2010 the population of St. Cloud was 35,183. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 62.1% non-Hispanic white, 7.2% at least partly African American, 1.0% at least partly Native American, 2.5% at least partly Asian, 0.3% at least partly Pacific Islander, 0.4% non-Hispanic reporting some other race and 29.2% Hispanic or Latino. Puerto Ricans by themselves made up 18.7% of the population and were by far the largest Hispanic group.
The median age of St. Cloud's population was 36.8 years. 7.8% of the population was 65 or older. There were 12,565 households with 9,145 of them constituting families.
Middle schools
High schools
Multi-level schools
Charter schools
Osceola County, Florida
Osceola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 172,493. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 244,045, making it the 17th fastest-growing county in the United States. Its county seat is Kissimmee.- History :Osceola County was...
, 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 35,183 at the 2010 census. St. Cloud is closely associated with the adjacent city of 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...
and its proximity to 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...
area theme parks, including Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
, Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort is a theme park resort in Orlando, Florida. It is wholly owned by NBCUniversal and its affiliates. The resort consists of two theme parks , Universal CityWalk , and three Loews Hotels...
, and Seaworld
SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando is a theme park, and marine-life based zoological park, near Orlando, Florida. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a subsidiary of The Blackstone Group...
.
St. Cloud is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Hamilton Disston
Hamilton Disston , was an industrialist and real-estate developer who purchased four million acres of Florida land in 1881, an area larger than the state of Connecticut, and reportedly the most land ever purchased by a single person in world history...
of Philadelphia took an interest in developing the region while on fishing trips with Henry Shelton Sanford
Henry Shelton Sanford
Henry Shelton Sanford was an American diplomat and businessman who founded the city of Sanford, Florida.-Early life:Sanford was born in Woodbury, Connecticut into a family with deep New England roots...
, founder of the city of Sanford
Sanford, Florida
Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998...
. Disston contracted with Florida's Internal Improvement Fund, then in receivership, to pay $1 million to offset its Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and Reconstruction debt. In exchange, Disston would be awarded half the land he drained
Drainage
Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area. Many agricultural soils need drainage to improve production or to manage water supplies.-Early history:...
from the state's swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s. He dug canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s and, in 1886-1887, established St. Cloud sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
, named after St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...
, although many long-time locals state the town was named after Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.Like other communes of the Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine or Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of the wealthiest cities in France, ranked 22nd out of the 36500 in...
, France, located fairly close to Paris.
Diston opened the Sugar Belt Railway to the South Florida Railroad
South Florida Railroad
The South Florida Railroad was a railroad from Orlando to Tampa, Florida, becoming part of the Plant System in 1893 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.-History:...
in 1888 to carry his product to market. But the Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
dropped land values, and the Great Freeze
Great Freeze
The Great Freeze refers to the winter of 1894-1895, especially in Florida where the brutally cold weather destroyed much of the nation's citrus crop. It was also known for wiping out the Royal Palm tree from central Florida.-Weather Records:...
of 1894-1895 ruined the plantation. Disston returned to Philadelphia, where he died in 1896. The Sugar Belt Railway merged into the South Florida Railroad. An attempt to cultivate rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
in the area failed, and for several years the land remained fallow. Then in 1909, 35000 acres (14,164 ha) were acquired by the Seminole Land & Investment Company as the site for a Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
veterans' colony. St. Cloud was selected because of its "health, climate and productiveness of soil." It was first permanently settled in 1909 by William G. King, a real estate manager from Alachua County who had been given the responsibility "to plan, locate and develop a town."
On April 16, 1909, the Kissimmee Valley Gazette announced the “New Town of St. Cloud,” a “Soldiers Colony” to be near Kissimmee. The newspaper called the purchase by the Seminole Land and Investment Company “one of the most important real estate deals ever made in the State of Florida.” It was reported that the officers of the company had searched all over Florida for the perfect site for a veterans’ colony, particularly one especially suited for “health, climate, and productiveness of the soil.” Many of the streets were named for states from which the Civil War veterans had served, and they retain those names today.
On June 1, 1915, the Florida Legislature
Florida Legislature
The Florida State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Florida Constitution states that "The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a legislature of the State of Florida," composed of a Senate...
incorporated St. Cloud as a city. Its downtown features landmark buildings by the Orlando architectural firm of Ryan
Ida Annah Ryan
Ida Annah Ryan was a pioneering United States woman architect. She was born on November 4, 1873 at Waltham, MA, one of five children of Albert Morse Ryan and Carrie S. Jameson. Albert Morse Ryan was a Waltham city employee and historian who also ran a milk business. She graduated from the Waltham...
& Roberts
Isabel Roberts
Isabel Roberts was a Prairie School figure, member of the architectural design team in the Oak Park Studio of Frank Lloyd Wright and partner with Ida Annah Ryan in the Orlando, Florida architecture firm, “Ryan and Roberts”. It is fair to say that Roberts is an under-appreciated member of Wright’s...
, a partnership consisting of two women. The buildings by Ryan and Roberts and others in the downtown area are predominately Spanish Revival.
In recent years, St. Cloud has tried to separate itself from neighboring cities, and particularly the theme parks, by promoting an image of small-town life, as well as attempting to make itself economically less dependent on Kissimmee. On March 6, 2006, St. Cloud introduced CyberSpot, a program which gives residents free high-speed wireless Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
access. The city then ended Cyberspot, quoting "it's too costly". The city is served by the Osceola Library System
Osceola Library System
The Osceola Library System is a public library system located in the Kissimmee, Florida area of Central Florida. The main branch is the Hart Memorial Central Library in historic downtown Kissimmee. The system itself has four large branch locations in Kissimmee, St...
.
Geography
St. Cloud is located at 28°14′48"N 81°17′15"W (28.246590, -81.287540).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 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²), of which 0.11% is water. St. Cloud is located on the southern shore of East Lake Tohopekaliga
East Lake Tohopekaliga
East Lake Tohopekaliga is a lake in Osceola County, Florida, United States. It is the primary inflow of Boggy Creek, which rises in the Orlando International Airport at above sea level. Three places surround the lake, they are St...
, a water body which is exceptionally clear, with good visibility to depths of 7 to 9 ft (2.1 to 2.7 ). East Lake is nearly circular in shape and covers approximately 12000 acres (48.6 km²). It is a perfect example of what is often called a "dish-pan" lake. It produces many trophy bass annually. A familiar sight along the shores of East Lake Toho is the rare, protected Florida Sandhill Crane
Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest...
.
The major highway is U.S. Route 192
U.S. Route 192
U.S. Route 192 is an east–west route of the United States Numbered Highway system in central Florida. It runs 75.04 miles from U.S. Route 27 in Citrus Ridge, Lake County, east past Walt Disney World and through Kissimmee, St. Cloud and Melbourne, to end at State Road A1A in Indialantic, one...
running in tandem with U.S. Route 441
U.S. Route 441 in Florida
U.S. Route 441 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from Miami in South Florida northwest to the Georgia border north of the Lake City area....
east and west. This six-lane road is intersected by streets running north and south. Many of these near the center of town have the names of all the states in no particular order.
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 20,074 people, 6,716 households, and 5,424 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 2,190.8 inhabitants per square mile (846.1/km²). There were 8,602 housing units at an average density of 938.8 per square mile (362.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.27% White, 2.07% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 4.10% 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 2.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.36% of the population.
There were 7,716 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% 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, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,467, and the median income for a family was $41,211. Males had a median income of $30,955 versus $22,414 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 $17,031. About 6.2% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2010 the population of St. Cloud was 35,183. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 62.1% non-Hispanic white, 7.2% at least partly African American, 1.0% at least partly Native American, 2.5% at least partly Asian, 0.3% at least partly Pacific Islander, 0.4% non-Hispanic reporting some other race and 29.2% Hispanic or Latino. Puerto Ricans by themselves made up 18.7% of the population and were by far the largest Hispanic group.
The median age of St. Cloud's population was 36.8 years. 7.8% of the population was 65 or older. There were 12,565 households with 9,145 of them constituting families.
Education
Elementary schools- Harmony Community School
- Hickory Tree Elementary School
- Lakeview Elementary School
- Michigan Avenue Elementary School
- St. Cloud Elementary School
- Narcoosee Elementary School
Middle schools
- St. Cloud Middle School (SCMS)
- Narcoosee Middle School
- Neptune Middle School
High schools
- Harmony High SchoolHarmony High School- Academic Departments :Advanced Placement Courses,Army JROTC,Art Education,Business Education,Career Paths,Drama,Dual Enrollment,English,ESE ESOL,Family and Consumer Sciences,Foreign Language,Health /Physical Education,Marketing,Mathematics,...
(HHS) (Although not within the City Limits, children within the eastern part of city limits attend this school) - St. Cloud High School (SCHS)
Multi-level schools
- St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School (Pre-K through 8th)
Charter schools
- Canoe Creek Charter School
Sites of interest
Films shot in St. Cloud
- Two Thousand Maniacs!Two Thousand Maniacs!Two Thousand Maniacs! is a low budget 1964 splatter film directed and written by Herschell Gordon Lewis. It is the second part of what the director's fans have dubbed "The Blood Trilogy", including Blood Feast and Color Me Blood Red...
(1964), directed by Herschell Gordon LewisHerschell Gordon LewisHerschell Gordon Lewis is an American filmmaker, best known for creating the "splatter film" subgenre of horror...
, starring Connie MasonConnie MasonConnie Mason is an American model and actress who was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its June 1963 issue. After winning Playmate of the Month, Mason started a career in film by starring in the gore movies pioneered by Herschell Gordon Lewis, Blood Feast and Two Thousand Maniacs!...
, William Kerwin and Jeffrey Allen