Fort Lauderdale, Florida
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Fort Lauderdale | |||
 |
|||
|
|||
| Nickname: Venice of America | |||
 |
|||
| Coordinates: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Florida | ||
| County | Broward | ||
| Established | 27 March 1911 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Commission-Manager | ||
| - Mayor | Jim Naugle | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 36.0 sq mi (93.2 km²) | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| - City | 164,578 | ||
| - Density | 4,803.1/sq mi (1,854.5/km²) | ||
| - Metro | 5,007,569 | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Website: http://info.ci.ftlaud.fl.us | |||
Fort Lauderdale, known as the "Venice of America" due to its expansive and intricate canal system, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is known for its abundant beaches, bars, yachts, night clubs, performing arts, and downtown museums. The city's population is described as metropolitan, where diverse culture is commonplace. According to the 2004 U.S. Census Bureau's Estimates, the city had a population of 164,578. Annexation of unincorporated areas in 2005 has boosted the city population to 170,823. It is the county seat of Broward County, and forms a part of the South Florida metropolitan area.
Contents |
[edit] Government
Fort Lauderdale has a Commission-Manager form of government. City policy is set by a city commission of five elected members; the mayor and four district commission members. Administrative functions are performed by a City manager, who is appointed by the city commission. Fire & EMS Services are provided by Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Department
[edit] Mayors of Fort Lauderdale
The mayor of Fort Lauderdale serves a one yearterm, no greater than six consecutive terms, for a total of eighteen years. The Current mayo is Billy madison. ====Mayor-Council Government (1912 - 1925)==== Mayor was appointed from the Council.
- 1912–1913 W.H. Marshall
- 1913–1914 George B. Matthews
- 1914–1913 Dr. C.G. Holland
- 1916–1918 Will J. Reed
- 1918 James S. Richard
- 1918–1919 Will J. Reed
- 1919–1923 C.E. Farrington
- 1922–1924 R. G. Snow
- 1924–1925 Will J. Reed
[edit] Mayor-Commission Government (1925 - 1982)
Mayor was appointed from the Commission for a two year term
- 1925–1927 J.W. Tidball
- 1927–1929 C.D. Kittridge
- 1929–1931 T.E. Haskins
- 1931–1933 J.W. Needham
- 1933–1934 E.A. Pychon (resigned 1934)
- 1934–1935 M.A. Hortt
- 1935–1937 Lewis E. Moore
- 1937–1939 Thomas B. Manuel[1]
- 1939–1941 Lewis E. Moore
- 1941–1942 H. L. McCann (resigned 1942)
- 1942–1943 N.B. Cheaney
- 1943–1945 Joe N. Morris
- 1945–1947 H.C.Holden
- 1947–1949 Reed A. Bryan
- 1949–1951 F.R. Humphries
- 1951–1953 Lewis E. Moore (resigned 1953)
- 1953–1955 C. Malcolm Carlisle
- 1955–1957 Porter G. Reynolds
- 1957–1960 John V. Russell (resigned 1960)
- 1960–1961 Edward H. Johns
- 1961–1963 Edmund R. Burry
- 1963–1965 Melvin R. "Cy" Young
- 1965–1969 Edmund R. Burry
- 1969–1971 F. Peter Clements
- 1971–1973 James L. Leavitt
- 1973–1975 Virginia S. Young[2]
- 1975–1981 E. Clay Shaw, Jr.[3]
- 1981–1982 Virginia S. Young
[edit] Mayor-Commission Government (1982 - present)
Mayor is elected in city-wide race, serving a maximum of 6 terms , each consisting of 3 years .
- 1982–1986 Robert A. Dressler[4]
- 1986–1991 Robert O. "Bob" Cox
- 1991–2009 James T. "Jim" Naugle
[edit] Geography
Fort Lauderdale is located at (26.135763, -80.141810).GR1
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 93.3 km² (36.0 mi²). 82.2 km² (31.7 mi²) of it is land and 11.1 km² (4.3 mi²) of it (11.91%) is water. Fort Lauderdale is known for its extensive network of canals, and is an especially popular destination for fishing and yachting.
The city of Fort Lauderdale is adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, includes several miles of beachfront, and borders the following municipalities:
On its east:
On its south:
| On its southwest: | On its west: | On its northwest: | On its north: |
The northwesternmost section of Fort Lauderdale is separate from the remainder of the city, except for the Cypress Creek Canal as it flows under I-95. This section of Fort Lauderdale borders the cities of Tamarac and Oakland Park on its south side.
Oakland Park also borders Fort Lauderdale on the west side of its northeastern portion. The greater portion of Fort Lauderdale in the south is bordered, along its north side by Wilton Manors.
Off the coast of Fort Lauderdale is the Osborne Reef, an artificial reef made of discarded tires that has proven an ecological disaster.[5]
[edit] Climate
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec high °F | 88 | 90 | 94 | 97 | 96 | 97 | 99 | 100 | 99 | 95 | 91 | 99 | 100 |
| Avg high °F | 78 | 78 | 80 | 83 | 86 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 89 | 86 | 81 | 78 | 84 |
| Avg low °F | 59 | 59 | 61 | 65 | 69 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 73 | 70 | 64 | 66 | 67 |
| Rec low °F | 30 | 28 | 32 | 40 | 49 | 57 | 65 | 66 | 63 | 44 | 35 | 29 | 28 |
| Rainfall in. | 2.5 | 2 | 2.8 | 4.2 | 5.9 | 7.3 | 6 | 6.8 | 8.8 | 9.2 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 61.6 |
| Source: http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=048537&refer= | |||||||||||||
[edit] History
At the time of initial European contact, the area was occupied by the Tequesta Indians. Disease, wars and displacement led to the demise of the Tequestas, who were later replaced by the Seminole Indians, who came to the area in the 18th and 19th centuries. The first American settlements started in the 1820s (Florida became a U.S. Territory in 1821). The main personality of the (approx.) 70 people living around the New River (present day Fort Lauderdale) was William Cooley, who acted as local Sheriff. He reportedly released three white settlers who had allegedly murdered an Indian chief for lack of evidence.[citation needed] Since this incident coincided with the start of the Second Seminole War in 1835, the Indians took revenge and murdered Cooley's family on January 6, 1836. This triggered the departure of all the white settlers from the area. During the Second Seminole War, Major William Lauderdale led his Tennessee Volunteers into the area and in 1838 erected a fort on the New River at the site of the modern city of Fort Lauderdale, where SW 9th Avenue meets SW 4th Court. Major Lauderdale left after one month but his name remained. The Seminoles destroyed the fort a few months later and two more forts were built later on, closer to the ocean. It would take until he 1890s to see a new meaningful arrival of settlers. In 1893, a young Ohioan named Frank Stranahan arrived and built a house that served as the first trading post, post office, bank and first hotel of the area. He built three different houses on the original site along present day U.S. 1 highway, the last one in 1901. That house still stands today as a museum and is Broward County's oldest standing structure. Fort Lauderdale was officially incorporated as a town in 1911 and began as a predominantly agricultural community, raising dairy cows and citrus groves. The city and its surrounding suburbs have experienced tremendous growth since the end of World War II. Today, it is a major tourist destination, the yachting capital of the world, and a financial center. Fort Lauderdale's nickname, "the Venice of America," derives from its extensive network of waterways and canals, which extends for over 200 miles. Bonnet House [6], in Fort Lauderdale, is a historic winter home and tourist attraction.
[edit] Economy
Fort Lauderdale's economy is heavily reliant on tourism. During the 1970s, the city was known as a spring break destination for college students. The tourist dollars are largely directed toward cruise ships and the array of nautical recreation. Fort Lauderdale now attracts a more sophisticated and affluent tourist, however it still remains a popular spring break destination for college students.[7]
The entertainment district runs east-west along Las Olas Boulevard, from the beach to the heart of downtown. The district is anchored in the West by the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and runs through the city to arrive at the intersection of Las Olas and A1A. This intersection is the "ground zero" of Fort Lauderdale Beach, and is the site of the "Elbo Room" bar featured in the 1960 film Where the Boys Are, which led in large measure to the city's former reputation as a spring break mecca. The city also hosts Langerado, an annual music festival.
There is a convention center located west of the beach and southeast of downtown.
Fort Lauderdale is a major manufacturing and maintenance center for yachts. The boating industry is responsible for over 100,000 jobs in the area. With its many canals, and proximity to the Bahamas and Caribbean, it is also a popular yachting vacation stop. The boating industry is in transition as high land cost are forcing marinas to sell and relocate out of the area. Additionally, the number of boat slips are declining as marinas are more actively seeking the large mega-yachts.
The downtown area, especially around Las Olas Boulevard, has seen dramatic growth in the past decade, and now hosts many new hotels and high-rise condominium developments. The downtown area appears to be the largest downtown area in Broward County, though there are other smaller cities in the county with commercial centers. Other improvements include a wide array of new boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants as well as upgrades to Lockhart Stadium (to attract marquee sporting events).
Several large companies are based in the Fort Lauderdale area including: AutoNation USA, Citrix Systems, DHL Express, Spirit Airlines, and National Beverage Corp. Due to its proximity to Miami, Fort Lauderdale is emerging as a location for Latin American headquarters for companies such as Microsoft.
[edit] Transportation
Local transportation includes Broward County Transit (BCT), the county bus system. BCT provides for connections with the bus systems in other parts of the metropolitan area: Metrobus in Miami-Dade County and Palm Tran in Palm Beach County. Tri-Rail, a commuter rail system, connects the major cities and airports of South Florida. In November 2006, Broward County voters rejected a one-cent-per-hundred sales tax increase intended to fund transportation projects such as light rail and expanding the bus system.
Several railroads pass through Fort Lauderdale. Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC) and CSX Systems are freight lines. Amtrak provides passenger service to other cities on the Atlantic coast, and Tri-Rail provides commuter service from Palm Beach County, through Broward County/Fort Lauderdale, and into Miami-Dade County.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is the city's main airport and is one of the fastest growing airports in the country. Thia is, in part, due to service by airlines with a reputation for lower airfares, such as JetBlue and Southwest Airlines, which has resulted in perceived lower airfares than nearby Miami International Airport. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood is an emerging international gateway for the Caribbean and Latin America. Fort Lauderdale is also served by Miami International Airport and Palm Beach International Airport.
Fort Lauderdale is also home to one of the ten largest general aviation airports in the country, Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.
Fort Lauderdale is served by Port Everglades, the nation's 2nd busiest cruise port. It is Florida's deepest port, and is an integral petroleum receiving point.
Broward County is served by three major Interstates (I-75, I-95, I-595) and some U.S. Highways including U.S. Route 1, US 27 and US 441. It is also served by Florida's Turnpike and State Highway 869, also known as the Sawgrass Expressway.
[edit] Sports
- The Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League play at BankAtlantic Center in suburban Sunrise, Florida.
- The Florida Marlins of Major League Baseball and the Miami Dolphins play at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is 17 miles southwest of Fort Lauderdale.
- The Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association play at AmericanAirlines Arena in downtown Miami, located 23 miles south of Fort Lauderdale.
- The Baltimore Orioles conduct spring training in the city at Fort Lauderdale Stadium.
- International Swimming Hall of Fame is located at Fort Lauderdale Beach.
- South Florida also hosts the college sports teams of Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Nova Southeastern University, Lynn University, and University of Miami.
- The Fort Lauderdale Jaguars of the AYFL American Youth Football League play at Floyd Hull Stadium in Fort Lauderdale off of State Rd. 84
[edit] Sites of interest
- African American Research Library and Cultural Center
- Bonnet House Museum and Tropical Gardens. Also the Finish Line for The Amazing Race 7
- Broward Center for the Performing Arts
- Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale
- Fort Lauderdale Stadium
- Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop, a large indoor/outdoor flea market with the Thunderbird Drive-In Movie Theatre.
- Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
- International Swimming Hall of Fame
- Las Olas Boulevard
- Lockhart Stadium
- Mark K. Wheeler Gallery at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale
- Metropolitan Community Church of Fort Lauderdale, locally known as the Sunshine Cathedral
- Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale has hosted popular exhibits such as King Tut and Princess Diana.
- Museum of Discovery and Science
- Old Fort Lauderdale Village & Museum
- Port Everglades
- Stranahan House, the oldest house in Broward County.
[edit] Education
Several institutions of higher learning that have main or satellite campuses located within the city of Fort Lauderdale are:
- The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale
- Broward Community College
- Florida Atlantic University
- Florida International University
- Lynn University
- Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale's public education is served by Broward County Public Schools. Public high schools that are within the city of Fort Lauderdale are:
- Boyd H. Anderson High School
- Dillard High School
- Fort Lauderdale High School
- Northeast High School
- Stranahan High School
A few private schools located within the city of Fort Lauderdale are:
- Pine Crest School
- Cardinal Gibbons
- Westminster Academy
- St. Thomas Aquinas High School
- St. Mark's Episcopal School
[edit] Healthcare
Fort Lauderdale is served by Broward General Medical Center, which is operated by the North Broward Hospital District, the third largest hospital consortium in the United States. Broward General is a 716-bed acute care facility which is designated as a Level 1 trauma center. It is also home to Chris Evert Children's Hospital and a Heart Center of Excellence, which were recently expanded as part of a $160 million dollar renovation. The hospital serves as a major training site for medical students from Nova Southeastern University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as nursing and paramedic programs from throughout the area.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 152,397 people, 68,468 households, and 33,001 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,854.4/km² (4,803.1/mi²). There were 80,862 housing units at an average density of 984.0/km² (2,548.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.27% White, 28.88% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.76% from other races, and 3.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.45% of the population.
There were 68,468 households out of which 19.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.2% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.8% were non-families. 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 110.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,887, and the median income for a family was $46,175. Males had a median income of $34,478 versus $27,230 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,798. About 13.8% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Neighborhoods/Communities
- Bal Harbour
- Bay Colony
- Bay Colony Club
- Bermuda Riviera
- Beverly Heights
- Birch Park (Finger Streets)
- Boulevard Park
- Breakwater Surf (Club)
- Central Beach
- Chula Vista Isles
- Citrus Isles
- City View
- Colee Hammock
- Coral Ridge
- Coral Ridge Country Club
- Coral Ridge Isles
- Coral Shores
- Croissant Park
- Dillard Park
- Dolphin Isles
- Dorsey Riverbend
- Downtown Fort Lauderdale
- Durrs
- Edgewood
- Flagler Village
- Flamingo Park
- Galt Ocean Mile
- Golden Heights
- Harbor Beach
- Harbor Drive
- Harbordale
- Harbour Inlet
- Harbour Isles
- Hendricks and Venice Isles
- Home Beautiful Park
- Idlewyld
- Imperial Point
- Knoll Ridge
- Lake Aire-Palm View
- Lake Estates
- Lake Ridge
- Landings
- Las Olas Isles
- Lauderdale Beach
- Lauderdale Harbours
- Lauderdale Isles
- Lauderdale Manors
- Lauderdale West
- Laudergate Isles
- Lofts of Palm Aire Village
- Melrose Manors
- Melrose Park
- Middle River Terrace
- Navarro Isle
- North Gulf Estates
- Nurmi Isles
- Oak River
- Palm Aire Village (which includes Palm Aire Village East/Palm Aire Village West)
- Poinciana Park
- Poinsettia Heights
- Progresso Village
- Rio Vista
- River Garden-Sweeting
- River Run
- Riverland
- Riverland Village
- Riverland Woods
- Riverlanding
- Riverside Park
- Riviera Isles
- Rock Island
- Sailboat Bend
- Seven Isles
- Shady Banks
- South Middle River
- Sunrise Intracoastal
- Sunrise Key
- Sunset
- Tarpon River
- Twin Lakes North
- Victoria Park
[edit] Lifestyle
According to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Fort Lauderdale is "America's top gay resort area."
[edit] Sister Cities
Fort Lauderdale has 15 sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
[edit] Media
Fort Lauderdale is served by two English-language newspapers, the South Florida-Sun Sentinel and The Miami Herald, as well as two Spanish-language newspapers El Sentinel and El Nuevo Herald.
Fort Lauderdale is a part of the Miami media market, which is the 12th largest radio market and the 17th largest television market in the United States. Television stations serving the Miami area include WAMI (Telefutura), WBFS (My Network TV), WBZL (The CW), WFOR (CBS), WHFT (TBN), WLTV (Univision), WPLG (ABC), WPXM (i), WSCV (Telemundo), WSVN (FOX), WTVJ (NBC), WPBT (PBS), and WLRN (also PBS).
- See also: List of radio stations in Florida
[edit] Notable Fort Lauderdale residents, past and present
- Jason Kennedy, TV personality
- Kaitlyn Ashley, pornographic actress
- Daisy Berkowitz, former lead guitarist for Marilyn Manson
- Angel Boris, actress and Playboy model
- Issac Bruce, NFL wide receiver
- Bonnie Canino, women's boxing champion
- Mary Carey, pornographic actress and politician
- David Cassidy, pop singer Partridge Family
- Bob Coy, pastor of the largest church in the state of Florida (Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale)
- Amy Dumas, professional wrestler
- Chris Evert, professional tennis player
- Tiffany Fallon, Playboy model
- Jessicka Fodera, American singer/vocalist for the rock bands Jack Off Jill and Scarling.
- Cory Gibbs, professional soccer player
- Robby Ginepri, professional tennis player
- Leo Goodwin, Sr., founder of GEICO and philanthropist
- Catherine Hickland, soap opera actress
- Steve Hutchinson, professional football player
- Wayne Huizenga, Business and civic leader
- Travis Jeppesen, author
- Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), professional wrestler, actor
- D. James Kennedy, Christian televangelist and author
- Lee Majors, actor
- Marilyn Manson, musician
- Stockar McDougle, NFL offensive lineman
- Robin Moulder, musician in Jack Off Jill and TCR)
- Mike Mularkey, former Buffalo Bills head coach
- Sean Murphy, NASCAR driver
- Matt Murton, professional baseball outfielder
- Paige O'Hara, stage actress and singer
- Brian Piccolo, professional football player
- Kelly Parsons, actress and model
- Jaco Pastorius, pivotal/influential jazz bassist
- Scottie Pippen, former NBA player
- Mitch Richmond, former NBA player
- John Riedling, profession baseball player
- Jeff Roth, professional wrestler
- Matthew Rush, pornographic actor
- Asante Samuel, NFL cornerback
- Ryan Shealy, Major League Baseball player with the Colorado Rockies
- Archie Shepp, free jazz saxophonist
- Niki Taylor, model
- Karen Velez, Playboy centerfold, ex-wife of Lee Majors
[edit] Trivia
- The city is also sometimes referred to as "Fort Liquordale" because of its beaches, many bars, nightclubs, strip clubs, and overall party atmosphere.[8]
- The city is sometimes considered the western corner of the Bermuda Triangle.
- The city is the setting for the 1986 movie Flight of the Navigator.
- Informal nicknames for Fort Lauderdale (especially amongst Generation Y residents of South Florida) include the aforementioned "Fort Liquordale", as well as "Fort Laudy-Daudy," "Fort La-Dee-Dah (LaDehDah)," "Lauderdale," "The Dale," "The 'L'," "Deuce/Double FL," "L-City," and "FTL."
[edit] References
- ^ Presided over the first female city commissioner, Genevieve Pynchon, who served from 1937 through 1941
- ^ First Female mayor, presiding over the first black commissioner, Andrew DeGraffenreidt, who served from 1973-1979.
- ^ Resigned 1981 to run for congress
- ^ resigned 1986 to run for state senate, term ended in 1988
- ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17189132/
- ^ http://www.bonnethouse.org/main.html
- ^ http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=ft_lauderdale@64
- ^ Broward-Palm Beach New Times Club Directory: Elbo Room - URL retrieved October 28, 2006
[edit] External links
- City of Fort Lauderdale - official website
- Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Fort Lauderdale Jaguars Greater Fort Lauderdale Youth football
- AYFL American Youth Football League - Broward County Youth Football
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
