Stuart, Florida

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stuart, Florida
Downtown Stuart
Downtown Stuart
Nickname: Sailfish Capital of the World
Location in Martin County and the state of Florida
Location in Martin County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 27°11′32″N 80°14′35″W / 27.19222, -80.24306
Country Flag of the United States United States
State Flag of Florida Florida
County  Martin
Town 1914
City 1925
Government
 - Type Commission-Manager
 - Mayor & Commissioner ?
 - Vice Mayor & Commissioner ?
 - Other Commissioners ?, ? & ?
 - City Manager Dan Hudson
 - City Attorney Paul Nicoletti
Area
 - Total 8.5 sq mi (22 km²)
 - Land 6.3 sq mi (16.3 km²)
 - Water 2.2 sq mi (5.7 km²)
Elevation 10 ft (3 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 14,633
 - Density 1,721.5/sq mi (665.1/km²)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 34994-34997
Area code(s) 772
FIPS code 12-68875[1]
GNIS feature ID 0291756[2]

This article is only about the City of Stuart in Martin County, Florida. For other nearby places , see: Martin County.

Stuart is a city in Martin County, Florida, on Florida's Treasure Coast. The population was 14,633 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 15,728 [1]. Stuart is the county seat of Martin County[3].

Contents

[edit] Geography

Stuart is located at 27°11′32″N, 80°14′35″W (27.192163, -80.243001)[4].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.5 square miles (22.1 km²), of which, 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²) of it is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) of it is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 14,633 people, 7,220 households, and 3,422 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,320.5 people per square mile (895.4/km²). There were 8,777 housing units at an average density of 1,391.9/sq mi (537.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.30% White, 12.33% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.97% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.29% of the population.

There were 7,220 households out of which 15.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.6% were non-families. 46.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 26.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.88 and the average family size was 2.60.

In the city the population was spread out with 14.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 32.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,574, and the median income for a family was $40,701. Males had a median income of $29,151 versus $23,125 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,139. About 7.8% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

Stuart riverwalk before damage by hurricane Jeanne
Stuart riverwalk before damage by hurricane Jeanne

In the 1700s, several Spanish galleons shipwrecked in the Martin County area of Florida's Treasure Coast. The multiple wrecks were reportedly the result of a hurricane, and the ships were carrying unknown quantities of gold and silver. Some of this treasure has since been recovered, and its presence resulted in the region's name.

The Treasure Coast area that became Stuart was first settled by non-Native Americans in 1870. In 1875, a United States Lifesaving Station was established on Hutchinson Island, near Stuart. Today, the station is known as Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

From 1893-1895, the area was called Potsdam. This name was chosen by Otto Stypmann, a local landowner originally from Potsdam, Germany. Stypmann, with his brother Ernest, owned the land that would become downtown Stuart. Potsdam was renamed Stuart in 1895, after the establishment of the Florida East Coast Railway, in honor of another local landowner named Homer Hine Stuart, Jr.

When Stuart was incorporated as a town in 1914, it was located in Palm Beach County. In 1925, Stuart was chartered as a city and named the county seat of the newly created Martin County.[5][6]

The city of Stuart is known as the Sailfish Capital of the World, because of the many sailfish found in the ocean off Martin County.

[edit] Transportation

Witham Field is a public-use airport located 1 mile southeast of the central business district.

[edit] Education

Martin County High School

This section is only for institutions located within the city limits. For those outside see Martin County, Indian River Community College, etc.

[edit] Neighborhoods: inside city limits

[edit] Notable residents and/or natives of the Stuart area

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ Goodnature.org, Official Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce Website, History Page
  6. ^ CityofStuart.com History Page
v • d • e
Municipalities and communities of
Martin County, Florida
County seat: Stuart
Cities

Stuart
Towns
CDPs
Communities
Flag of Florida
v • d • e

 
State of Florida
Tallahassee (capital)
Topics
Regions
Largest cities
Counties