Titusville, Florida

Titusville, Florida
City
City of Titusville

Historic Brevard County Courthouse in 2006

Seal
Nickname(s): "Miracle City"[1]
Motto: "Gateway To Nature And Space"

Location in Brevard County and the U.S. state of Florida
Coordinates: 28°35′28″N 80°49′12″W / 28.59111°N 80.82000°W / 28.59111; -80.82000Coordinates: 28°35′28″N 80°49′12″W / 28.59111°N 80.82000°W / 28.59111; -80.82000
Country  United States of America
State  Florida
County Brevard
Founded 1867 (1867)
Incorporated (city) 1887 (1887)
Founded by Henry T. Titus
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
 • Mayor Walt Johnson
 • City Manager Scott Larese
 • Vice Mayor Matt Barringer
Area[2]
 • Total 34.19 sq mi (88.56 km2)
 • Land 29.10 sq mi (75.37 km2)
 • Water 5.09 sq mi (13.19 km2)
Elevation 10 ft (3 m)
Population (2010)[3]
 • Total 43,761
 • Estimate (2016)[4] 46,019
 • Density 1,581.30/sq mi (610.54/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 32780, 32781, 32782, 32783, 32796
Area code(s) 321
FIPS code 12-71900[5]
GNIS feature ID 0292319[6]
Website titusville.com

Titusville is a city in and the county seat of Brevard County, Florida, United States.[7] The city's population was 43,761 as of the 2010 United States Census.[3] Titusville is on the Indian River, west of Merritt Island and the Kennedy Space Center and south-southwest of the Canaveral National Seashore. It is a principal city of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Washington Avenue c. 1910

The area was once inhabited by the Ais Indians, who gathered palmetto, cocoplum and seagrape berries. They also fished the Indian River, called the Rio de Ais by Spanish explorers. By 1760, however, the tribe had disappeared due to slave raids, disease and rum. The United States acquired Florida from Spain in 1821. The Seminole Wars delayed settlement.

The community was originally called Sand Point, and a post office was established in 1859, although it closed a few months later. Henry T. Titus arrived in 1867 with the intention to build a town on land owned by his wife, Mary Hopkins Titus, daughter of a prominent planter from Darien, Georgia. He laid out roads and in 1870 erected the Titus House, a large one-story hotel next to a saloon. He also donated land for four churches and a courthouse, the latter an effort to get the town designated as county seat.

Titusville could have been called Riceville, but Titus challenged Capt. Clark Rice to a game of dominoes to decide the name. Titus won the game, and Sand Point became Titusville in 1873.[8] The city was incorporated in 1887, the year construction began on St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church, as listed in the 1972 National Register of Historic Places. At one point, Titusville was nicknamed "The City of Churches".

Railroad depot c. 1905

The Atlantic Coast, St. Johns & Indian River Railroad arrived in 1885 from Enterprise, which was connected by a spur line to the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West Railroad at Enterprise Junction in present-day DeBary. Henry Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railroad south from Daytona, with the station built in Titusville in 1892. Tourists arrived, and the Indian River area increasingly became an agricultural and shipping center for pineapple and citrus produce. A wooden bridge was built east to Playalinda Beach in 1922.

Beginning in the late 1950s, the growth of Cape Canaveral, and later the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, made the community's economy, population and tourism grow considerably. The association with the space program led to the city's two nicknames in the 1960s: Space City USA and Miracle City.

Searstown Mall opened in 1966. Miracle City Mall opened in 1968. It was built on 32 acres (13 ha). There was 275,000 square feet (25,500 m2) of covered floor space.[9]

The jail at the county courthouse became overcrowded by the 1980s. Jailbreaks were common. These ceased when a new jailhouse was built in Sharpes, and the prisoners moved there in 1986.

Computer Shopper was founded in Titusville in 1979 by Glenn Patch, first as a tabloid, but later growing to a magazine of over 800 pages. It was published in Titusville until September 1989,[10] when operations were moved to New York City in a joint venture between Patch Communications of Titusville and Ziff Davis.

The A. Max Brewer Bridge, a 65 feet (20 m) fixed high-level span on SR-406 connecting Titusville to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore, opened on February 5, 2011 to replace the former swing bridge built in 1949.

In May 2012, the Brevard County School Board closed Riverview Elementary School for budgetary reasons. It closed South Lake Elementary School May 25, 2013.[11]

In January 2013, Miracle City Mall closed, a victim of a declining local economy after the termination of the Space Shuttle in 2012, the shift of the population center of the county to the south, and changing shopping habits.[9] Demolition of Miracle City Mall occurred February 2015 for the construction of a mixed-use outdoor shopping complex called Titus Landing.

The USPS had closed two post offices by 2013, for lack of sufficient business, and was looking to close a third one.[12]

Geography

Titusville is located at 28°35′28″N 80°49′12″W / 28.59111°N 80.82000°W / 28.59111; -80.82000 (28.591210, -80.819911)[13] in the northern half of Brevard County. According to the US Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.2 square miles (88.7 km2). 29.4 square miles (76.1 km2) of it is land, and 4.9 square miles (12.7 km2) of it (14.26 percent) is water.[14] Titusville is located on the Indian River Lagoon, part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

Climate

Titusville has as the rest of central Florida a very warm humid subtropical climate with significant influence from the tropics, although the cooler winter lows than farther south separates it from the classification.

Climate data for Titusville, Florida
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 88
(31)		 92
(33)		 94
(34)		 97
(36)		 102
(39)		 103
(39)		 103
(39)		 102
(39)		 99
(37)		 98
(37)		 93
(34)		 88
(31)		 103
(39)
Average high °F (°C) 70
(21)		 72
(22)		 77
(25)		 81
(27)		 86
(30)		 90
(32)		 92
(33)		 91
(33)		 89
(32)		 84
(29)		 78
(26)		 72
(22)		 81.8
(27.7)
Average low °F (°C) 50
(10)		 53
(12)		 57
(14)		 62
(17)		 68
(20)		 73
(23)		 74
(23)		 75
(24)		 74
(23)		 68
(20)		 61
(16)		 54
(12)		 64.1
(17.8)
Record low °F (°C) 19
(−7)		 23
(−5)		 26
(−3)		 35
(2)		 45
(7)		 56
(13)		 61
(16)		 60
(16)		 51
(11)		 40
(4)		 27
(−3)		 19
(−7)		 19
(−7)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.48
(63)		 2.79
(70.9)		 3.60
(91.4)		 2.79
(70.9)		 3.66
(93)		 6.09
(154.7)		 7.03
(178.6)		 7.27
(184.7)		 6.82
(173.2)		 4.29
(109)		 3.45
(87.6)		 2.52
(64)		 52.79
(1,341)
Source: "Titusville, FL Monthly Weather". July 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2015. 

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1890746—
19007561.3%
191086814.8%
19201,36156.8%
19302,08953.5%
19402,2206.3%
19502,60417.3%
19606,410146.2%
197030,515376.1%
198031,9104.6%
199039,39423.5%
200040,6703.2%
201043,7617.6%
Est. 201646,019[4]5.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 40,670 people, 17,200 households, and 11,094 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,913.4 inhabitants per square mile (738.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.80 percent White, 12.64 percent African American, 0.39 percent Native American, 0.94 percent Asian, 0.04 percent Pacific Islander, 0.73 percent from other races, and 1.46 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.52 percent of the population.

There were 17,200 households out of which 26.7 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9 percent were married couples living together, 12.6 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5 percent were non-families. 29.9 percent of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city, the population was spread out with 22.9 percent under the age of 18, 6.9 percent from 18 to 24, 26.2 percent from 25 to 44, 23.2 percent from 45 to 64, and 20.8 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. In 2010, this had risen to 43.4.[16] For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.

In 2010, for residents 25 and older, 89.3% had completed high school, 22.6% had at least a bachelor's degree.[16]

Government

Titusville is run by a council-manager government. The elected city council serves as the city's legislative branch, while the appointed city manager carries out policies defined by the council. The city is governed according to its Charter, adopted on June 3, 1963.[17]

Titusville has the highest city tax rate in the county.[18] In 2007, the city had a taxable real estate base of $2.34 billion.[19]

The city has 1.8 police officers per thousand residents. This is 52% below average statewide for cities of its size.[20]

A 2011 study rated the pension fund for city employees as mediocre or poor.[21]

City council

Titusville's five city council members (one of whom is the mayor) are elected at-large to four-year, staggered terms. As the city's legislative body, the council determines all municipal policies not explicitly covered by the city charter or state legislation. It also adopts ordinances and resolutions, cote appropriations, approve budgets, determine the tax rate, and appoint citizens to serve on advisory boards and commissions.[22]

The mayor presides over all city council meetings and votes as a council member. The mayor is the recognized head of city government for ceremonial and military law purposes, but has no regular administrative duties. The vice mayor is chosen from among the council members at their annual organizational meeting and takes the mayor's place during absence or disability.[22]

City manager

The city manager is chosen by the city council on the basis of training, experience and ability, and serves at the pleasure of the council for an indefinite period of time. The city manager is tasked with enforcing all laws and ordinances, appointing and removing department heads and employees, supervising all departments, keeping the council advised on the city's financial situation, keeping the council and public informed of the city government's operations.[17]

Economy

In 2010, private business was 24.7 percent "other"; 21.5 percent trade, transportation and utilities, 18.1 percent professional and business services; 13.7 percent educational and health services; 12 percent construction; and 10 percent leisure and hospitality.[16] The economy shrunk after lay-offs involving the end of the space shuttle program in 2011, since many employees live in Titusville. Titusville has a high unemployment rate.

Personal income

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $35,607, and the median income for a family was $42,453. This had risen to $44,925 median per household in 2010; $24,374 per capita income.[16] Males had a median income of $36,076 versus $23,998 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,901. About 9.3 percent of families and 12.4 percent of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.6 percent of those under age 18 and 6.8 percent of those age 65 or over.

Industry

Many of Titusville's major employers are aerospace companies.[24] Knight's Armament Company in Titusville is believed to be the state's largest manufacturer of small arms.[25] Parrish Medical Center, located in Titusville, is the city's largest employer. In October 2013, Barn Light Electric Company opened a new manufacturing plant, providing work for at least 60 former NASA workers and men who had completed drug rehabilitation.[26]

Tourism

The city's main interest is transient travelers. Their secondary market is the beach, Space Center, and nature.[27]

The city has benefited from tourism associated with the space program, and the TICO Warbird Air Show each March draws about 40,000–50,000 visitors.[28]

While 47 miles (76 km) from the event, the city gets a noticeable economic effect from bikers on their way to the annual Daytona Beach Bike Week.[29]

Workforce

The unemployment rate was 3.6% in 2000 and 2005.[16] In 2007, the average size of Titusville's labor force was 20,716. Of that group, 19,879 were employed and 837 were unemployed, for an unemployment rate of 4 percent.[24] In December 2010, the city had the highest unemployment in the county, 13.8 percent.[30]

Housing

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 19,178 housing units at an average density of 902.3 per square mile (348.3/km²). In 2008, 55 building permits for 64 units were issued. This was down from 195 permits for 657 units in 2007. The city issued 292 permits for 360 units in 2006.[31]

In 2001 149 permits were issued for $18.6 million worth of property; 453 in 2005 for $65.7 million; 45 in 2010 for $9.5 million.[16]

The median home price in 2007 was $158,900.[24]

Retail

Shopping centers include Walmart Supercenter and Target. They are located in the city's shopping district at the southern end of the city, near the intersection of State Road 405 (Florida) and State Road 50 (Florida).

Library

The Titusville Public Library was one of the first of five public libraries in Brevard County, Florida, and was initially called the North Brevard Library.

The North Brevard Public Library can trace its beginnings to June 5, 1900 when the first library was formed in Titusville by the Progressive Culture Club. This was the former name of the Woman's Club of Titusville. The Titusville Library Association was formed later and the library really started in 1902 with 200 volumes.[32]

Originally, the North Brevard Library was located in the new Club building on the second floor, and was only open twice a week in the afternoons. As of 2017, The Titusville Public Library is one of the few libraries in the county that is open seven days a week, with operating hours as follows:

The Titusville Public Library provides a plethora of adult programs such as gentle yoga, coloring club, two book clubs, an iOS and Android class, a Pinterest class, a conversation Spanish club, a soap making class, a polymer clay class, etc. Most of these programs are free for patrons. There are 26 computers for patrons’ use, which include two ADA computers, two genealogy computers, and two computers in the children’s department. Patrons can use said computers for up to six hours a day. The library houses 3 small meeting rooms, a medium-sized meeting room, two large meeting rooms, as well as a grand piano for recitals. The large meeting rooms are called the Hannemann rooms and are named after Jacob Hannemann, whose donations helped build the expansion. They are used for large gatherings, including the bi-annual book sale hosted by the Friends of the Library.

The children’s department also has a variety of programs throughout the year. Some such programs are weekly crafts, the brick by brick club, read to a dog, teen game night, teen writing club, story times for various age groups, holiday crafts, and a summer reading program for both children and teens. [33]

Infrastructure

Utilities

The city owned water utility primarily gets its water supply from the Florida’s surficial aquifer, a shallow, unconfined aquifer that overlays the larger Floridan aquifer. In 2005, about 3.8 million gallons per day of raw water were drawn from the city’s two wellfields.[34] The water department had 22,000 customers in 2010.[35]

Airports

Transportation

Titusville is served by SCAT's #1, #2, and #5 routes.[37]

Historic sites and museums

Titusville was a popular vantage point for Space Shuttle launches (STS-126, 2008).

Health care

Parrish Medical Center, originally established as North Brevard Hospital in 1958, is the hospital that serves Titusville.[38] A new 371,000-sq.ft., $80 million hospital was completed in 2002.[38] It was the first medical center in the Southeast region designed and constructed using the 7 Principles of Evidence-Based Design to create a healing environment. It was also among the first participants of The Pebble Project, a national research initiative to demonstrate that healing environments improve overall quality of care and create life-enhancing environments for patients, families and employees.

Education

It was estimated in 2007 that 88.1 percent of all Titusville residents 25 years or older are high school graduates, and 23.6 percent have a bachelor's degree or higher.[24]

Primary and secondary public schools are run by the Brevard County School Board:

Elementary schools

Middle schools

High schools

Private schools

Colleges

Media

Newspapers

Radio

Criticism

In 2010, a New York Times reporter, in Titusville to cover a space shuttle launch, commented that Titusville was

...a small, sleepy and, some might say, seedy town with a handful of not too luxurious motels and hotels that jack up their prices whenever there is a scheduled shuttle lift-off.

A Titusville spokesman replied that it was common everywhere to increase room rates for major events.[39]

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ Walters, Mark Jerome (1992). A Shadow and a Song. White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea Green Classics. p. xiv. ISBN 978-1-933392-56-1.
  2. ↑ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Jul 7, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Titusville city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  7. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  8. ↑ "The City of Titusville, Florida - About Titusville". Titusville.com. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  9. 1 2 Peterson, Patrick (February 3, 2013). "Shuttered store ends an era". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. pp. 1A.
  10. ↑ Oates, Sarah. "Titusville Magazine Plans Move, Layoffs In September". The Orlando Sentinel (26 July 1989). Tribune Publishing.
  11. ↑ http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20121128/NEWS01/311280014/South-Lake-parents-asking-Why-us-
  12. ↑ Gunnerson, Scott (February 4, 2013). "Titusville faces third post office closing". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. pp. 1B.
  13. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  14. ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Titusville city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Berman, Dave (20 December 2010). "Working through tough times". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. pp. 7A.
  17. 1 2 Government City of Titusville - Official Site. Retrieved on 29-09-2009.
  18. ↑ http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007704150354
  19. ↑ Dean, James (April 26, 2008). More taxes or fewer services. Florida Today.
  20. ↑ Knapp, Andrew (16 October 2010). "Crime rate decreases 5.5%". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. pp. 1B.
  21. ↑ Walker, Don (November 11, 2011). "Cities pensions among the best, bottom". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. pp. 4B.
  22. 1 2 City Council City of Titusville - Official Site. Retrieved on 29-09-2009.
  23. ↑ "The City of Titusville, Florida - City Manager's Office Homepage".
  24. 1 2 3 4 Titusville Community Data Sheet Economic Development Council of Florida's Space Coast. Retrieved on 2009-06-29.
  25. ↑ retrieved August 24, 2008 Archived May 12, 2015, at the Wayback Machine.
  26. ↑ Hume, Jerry. "Lamp manufacturer hires former NASA workers". Bay News 9. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  27. ↑ Berman, Dave (January 22, 2016). "Wish You Were Here". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. pp. 1A–10A. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  28. ↑ Best, Keilani (6 March 2010). "Festivals boost economy". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. pp. 7C.
  29. ↑ Kennerly, Britt (5 March 2011). "Revenue hopes ride on bikers' business". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. pp. 1A.
  30. ↑ Kennerly, Britt (19 December 2010). "Proud Space City asks, "What's next?"". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. pp. 1A.
  31. ↑ Building Permits United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2009-06-29.
  32. ↑ http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED422005.pdf
  33. ↑ http://www.brevardfl.gov/PublicLibraries/Branches/Titusville/Home
  34. ↑ retrieved June 24, 2008
  35. ↑ Berman, Dave (13 January 2011). "Utility deposits based on credit". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. pp. 4B.
  36. ↑ Statement of Dunn's inclusion within actual city limits
  37. ↑ "Index - Space Coast Area Transit Brevard’s Transportation Experts -".
  38. 1 2 "History/Facts". Parrish Medical Center. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  39. ↑ Berman, Dave (18 May 2010). "'N.Y. Times': Liked launch, not venues". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. pp. 1A.
  40. ↑ John Kiesewetter (November 24, 2002). "Collinsworth gets great reception". The Cincinnati Enquirer.
  41. ↑ "Daniel Tosh".
  42. ↑ "Bill DeMott". Online World of Wrestling. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-05.
  43. ↑ Online World of Wrestling. "Jim Duggan - Wrestler Profile".
  44. ↑ http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120509/ENTERTAINMENT/305090051/Wrestler-reveals-all-Jim-Duggan-Story-?nclick_check=1
  45. ↑ "Pro Wrestler Invites Public To Visit His Gym".
  46. ↑ Baseball Almanac. "Jeff Fulchino Baseball Stats".
  47. ↑ "Laoretti's no pipe dream". Golf Digest.
  48. ↑ Hudak, Stephen (2014-05-18). "Lt. Col. Hiram Mann, one of the Tuskegee Airmen, dies in Florida hospice". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2014-06-16.
  49. ↑ "College Football Hall of Fame - Wilber Marshall". National Football Foundation.
  50. ↑ National Football Leage. "Aaron Walker, TE at NFL.com".
  51. ↑ Ron Masters (Aug 14, 2010). "The Abandoned Tropical Wonderland Theme Park of Johnny Weissmuller". Yahoo! Voices.
  52. ↑ "Latavius Murray". ESPN.
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