New Smyrna Beach, Florida
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New Smyrna Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 20,048 according to the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 21,464.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Geography
New Smyrna Beach is located at (29.030563, -80.925307).GR1 The city's motto is "cygnus inter anates", which is latin for "among ducks, a swan".
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 79.7 km² (30.8 mi²). 71.7 km² (27.7 mi²) of it is land and 8.0 km² (3.1 mi²) of it (10.04%) is water. The city is located at sea level, with higher spots to 20 ft. above sea level away from the beaches.
[edit] Climate
Like the rest of Florida at and below the I-4 corridor, New Smyrna Beach enjoys a subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and mild, mostly dry winters. Although four seasons are thought to be present by some, this area is normally dominated by two distinct seasons: the rainy season, from April until November, and the shorter dry season, from November to March. Spring and autumn are normally too subtle to be noticed as the majority of trees here are not deciduous, and therefore do not lose their leaves. Although it can be chilly and damp during the winter, the temperatures very rarely drop below freezing, and temperatures usually remain comfortable during the winter. The city has only recorded snowfall three times in its 250 year history. The summers, on the other hand, are very long and hot, with ferocious thunderstorms in the afternoon, as central Florida is the lightning capital of the Americas. The growing season is twelve months, climate zone is 9. Dangers include hurricanes from June until November, and Nor'easters in the winter. New Smyrna Beach also has the reputation of having more shark attacks per year than the rest of the world combined, however no deaths have been recorded. The city is also included in the habitat range of the vulnerable and endemic, Florida Scrub Jay.[citation needed]
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 20,048 people, 9,839 households, and 5,844 families residing in the city. The population density was 279.5/km² (724.1/mi²). There were 13,618 housing units at an average density of 189.9/km² (491.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.57% White, 6.27% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.
There were 9,839 households, out of which 14.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.52.
In the city the population was spread out with 13.9% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 34.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,372, and the median income for a family was $43,409. Males had a median income of $29,544 versus $25,706 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,547. About 7.3% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.
New Smyrna Beach is unique from other beach front towns in east-central Florida because it is completely isolated on its beach side, and borders no other towns or cities on the island. This has allowed the city of New Smyrna Beach to develop in a unique manner especially over the past few years, with its "main drag" areas of Flagler Avenue and E. Canal Street becoming quickly transformed into upscale shopping districts. Its distinguished location only 45 miles from Orlando, 110 miles from Jacksonville, 245 miles from Miami, and close proximity to Disney World and The Daytona International Speedway has caused New Smyrna Beach to become a popular second home destination, especially from Orlando metro area bedroom communities such as Heathrow, Windermere, Altamonte Springs, Orlando, and Winter Park. Hundreds of wealthy Winter Park families now claim second residency in New Smyrna Beach, causing New Smyrna Beach to experience a real-estate boom that has resulted in property values skyrocketing within the last five years. The average home on Beachside New Smyrna Beach has risen from just above $100,000 six years ago to well over $325,000 today, with many homes selling for as much as five million dollars. The mainland, however, remains much more affordable. Due to these explosive growth situations, the city has found it difficult to manage growth, and has thus put strict requirements in place, although the city is famous for buying out to developers for the right price. Even so, no buildings are allowed to be built on the beachside over eight stories, and this may soon be changed to six. This rule, enacted over twenty years ago, keeps the ocean in view, and drives condominium prices higher so that the developer may recoup the same costs that they would from building a highrise. Disney also designated New Smyrna Beach as its chosen family destination beach in 2006.[citation needed]
The city also has pending sister city requests with Yerevan, Armenia; and Izmir, Turkey.
[edit] NSB in Popular Culture
- New Smyrna Beach is home to the world renowned Atlantic Center for the Arts (ACA), a tranquil seminary for artists worldwide that plays host to wide variety of events.
- The city was also home to famous artist Doris "Doc" Leeper, who lived and painted in seclusion in El Dora. An abandoned town within the Canaveral National Seashore.
- The city was featured in the non-fiction novel The Open Boat by Stephen Crane, author of The Red Badge of Courage, in 1898, when his boat en route to Havana for a filibustering mission was wrecked off shore of New Smyrna. It is the story of Crane and the crew of the ship struggling to survive afloat in a winter Nor-easter, and it was a major literary success during the turn of the century.
- The city also plays host to a number of important art-related events, including the Images Art Festival, Seaside Fiesta,
Riverfest, Halifax Bill-Fish Fishing Tournament, and the Jazz Festival.
[edit] HISTORY
- New Smyrna Beach was founded in 1768, by English physician Dr. Andrew Turnbull; although it was called only "New Smyrna" at the time. The city occupies a notable place in history by being the single largest attempt by a member of the British Crown at colonization in the New World. Turnbull transplanted around 1500 settlers from Smyrna, Turkey (now Izmir), The Greek Isles, Sicily, Mallorca, Ibiza, and Minorca to grow Hemp, Sugarcane and Indigo, and to produce Rum. The colony suffered major losses due to insect-bourne diseases, and tensions grew due to mis-treatment by Turnbull, and constant raids by the Seminole. Due to these complications, the remaining colonists marched north to St. Augustine along the Old King's Highway, to claim mistreatment by Turnbull to the Governer of Florida in St. Augustine; then a British protectorate. Soon after, St.Augustine was returned to the Spanish, and Turnbull abandoned his colony for life in Charleston, South Carolina. The city then only maintained sparse populations due to Seminole raids until after the Civil War, during which its still-standing "Stone Wharf" was shelled by Union gunboats. During prohibition, the city and it's river islands where popular still sites and hideouts for rumrunners coming in from the Bahamas. "New Smyrna", became "New Smyrna Beach" in 1947, when the city annexed the seaside community of Coronado Beach. Today, it is a bustling resort town of over 20,000 permanent residents, with over 400,000 visitors annually.
[edit] Elected Officials
- James Vandergrifft – Mayor
- Randy Richenberg – Zone 1 Commissioner
- J.S. Grasty – Zone 2 Commissioner
- James W. Hathaway – Zone 3 Commissioner
- Lynne Plaskett – Zone 4 Commissioner
[edit] Notables from New Smyrna
- Wes Chandler - Former NFL player and University of Florida alumni
- Darrell Fullington - Former NFL player and University of Miami alumni
- Dallas Baker - Former standout wide receiver with the Florida Gators
- Joyce Cusack - Representative of the Florida House, District 27
- The Beu Sisters
- Joseph Barbara - actor best known on the soap opera Another World
John Travolta lived outside of New Smyrna Beach for a while. Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's Restaurants, also called "NSB" home for a spell. S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A restaurants, maintains a home in New Smyrna. Hulk Hogan, professional wrestler, maintaned a home outside of New Smyrna Beach. Mark Martin, professional NASCAR driver,lives outside city limits.
[edit] External links
- City of New Smyrna Beach
- 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
- New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau Official tourism information.
| Cities and communities of Volusia County, Florida | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||||
