Alachua, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alachua, Florida
City
Alachua City Hall (2022)
Location within Alachua County and Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Alachua
Settled	1884
Incorporated	1905 (city)
Government
• Type	Commission-Manager
Area
• Total	36.56 sq mi (94.70 km2)
• Land	36.20 sq mi (93.75 km2)
• Water	0.37 sq mi (0.95 km2)  0.11%
Elevation	138 ft (42 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,574
• Density	289.22/sq mi (111.658/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	32615-32616
Area codes	386, 352
FIPS code	12-00375
GNIS ID	307629

Alachua (pronounced ə-LATCH-oo-ay) is a city in Alachua County, Florida. It is the second-largest city in the county and the third-largest in North Central Florida. In 2020, about 10,574 people lived there, which was more than the 9,059 people in 2010. Alachua is part of the larger Gainesville area. The city is also a major center for companies working in biotechnology and life sciences. It is home to the Santa Fe College Perry Center for Emerging Technologies.

History of Alachua

Main Street in Alachua, 1910

Aerial view of Progress Corporate Park

People have lived in the Alachua area for a very long time. Scientists have found signs of ancient people called Paleo-Indians in San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park. Later, the Potano tribe had their main town in this park. In 1606, the Spanish built a mission there called Mission San Francisco de Potano. This was one of the first Spanish missions in Florida's inland areas. It was also the last one the Spanish left in the early 1700s because of attacks. Another mission, Santa Fe de Toloca, was nearby along the Santa Fe River.

Early American Settlements

In the early 1800s, Americans started settling northeast of where Alachua is today. Many people who fought in the Patriot War lived here. This war was an attempt to make Florida part of the United States. The community was first called Dell's Courthouse. Later, it was renamed Newnansville. Newnansville is one of the oldest American settlements in Florida, along with Micanopy. The Methodist church started by the Dell family is still active today and is the oldest in Florida.

Newnansville became the second county seat for Alachua County. It was also a key place during the Second Seminole War. A fort called Fort Gilleland was built there. Many settlers came to Newnansville for safety during the war. This made its population grow to between 1,500 and 2,000 people, making it one of Florida's largest cities at the time.

Founding of Alachua City

In the 1850s, the first railroad across Florida, the Florida Railroad, did not go through Newnansville. Because of this, the county decided to move the county seat to a new city called Gainesville, which was on the railroad line. Newnansville started to lose its importance.

In the early 1880s, another railroad, the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railroad, also bypassed Newnansville. So, people began to move from Newnansville to the new rail line. This led to the founding of the City of Alachua in 1884. The Alachua post office opened in 1887. The city was officially incorporated on April 12, 1905, with 526 people. A third railroad line also passed through Alachua. A thriving cotton industry helped build many beautiful homes and brick businesses along Main Street around 1900.

Challenges and Growth

Alachua's growth slowed down when a pest called the boll weevil damaged the American cotton industry in 1919-1920. The city also faced hard times during the Great Depression in the 1930s. During the middle of the 20th century, the main industries were lumber and food processing. Companies like Duke Lumber Company and Copeland Sausage Company were important.

In the 1960s, Interstate 75 was built slightly west of Downtown Alachua. This new highway made it easier to get to the city and brought new economic chances. However, Alachua faced another setback when Copeland Sausage closed in 1976. By the 1980s, many buildings and businesses on Main Street were in poor condition.

The people and local government of Alachua worked together to fix up Downtown. They also helped create Progress Corporate Park with the University of Florida. This led to the creation of the UF Innovate Sid Martin Biotech Incubator. This incubator has helped create one of Florida's largest bio and life science business areas.

Alachua is also home to the largest Hare Krishna community in the Western Hemisphere.

Geography of Alachua

Alachua is located at 29.779286 degrees north latitude and -82.479849 degrees west longitude. The city covers a total area of about 35.1 square miles (91.0 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 34.7 square miles (90.0 square kilometers), is land. The remaining 0.4 square miles (1.0 square kilometers) is water.

Cityscape and Historic Places

Alachua's Main Street runs north to south. It is the center of the City of Alachua Downtown Historic District. This district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized for its historical importance. Most of the Historic District is west of Main Street. It has many homes built in the early 1900s. US Highway 441 crosses Main Street. The Historic District is south of US 441.

Main Street in 2016

Some important historic buildings in the district include:

Williams-LeRoy House

Pierce-Bishop House

• Main Street Businesses:
  • 14925 Main Street (built 1898)
  • 14933 Main Street (built 1898)
  • 14920 Main Street (built 1900)
  • Old Movie Theater (around 1910)
  • Old First National Bank (built 1909)
  • Stringfellow Building (around 1900)
  • Bank of Alachua (built 1904)
  • Old Cigar Factory (around 1900)
  • Sealey Dry Goods (around 1900)
  • Eddy Store (around 1900)
  • Williams Store (around 1900)
  • Enneis Motor Company (around 1915)

• Main Street Homes:
  • Pierce-Bishop House (built 1898)
  • Mizell-Stephens House (built 1910)
  • David Waters House (around 1900)
  • Williams-LeRoy House (built 1901)

Businesses also line US 441, heading west towards Interstate 75 and east towards Gainesville. East of US 441 is Progress Corporate Park. This park is where many of Alachua's bio and life science companies are located. The northern entrance of the San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park can be reached through the corporate park.

Population and People

Alachua is part of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Recent Population Changes

In 2020, Alachua had 10,574 people living in 3,873 households. About 2,557 of these were families.

In 2010, there were 9,059 people in the city, living in 3,466 households. About 2,152 of these were families.

Economy of Alachua

The average household income in Alachua is $72,491. This is higher than the average for Alachua County ($57,566) and the state of Florida ($67,917).

Alachua also has the lowest residential electricity rates in Florida.

Major Employers

Alachua's economy is strong because of its many bio and life science businesses. There are also many distribution centers, especially near the I-75 highway. These centers help move goods around.

Here are the top employers in Alachua, based on the city's 2023 financial report:

Education in Alachua

The School Board of Alachua County manages the schools in Alachua. The city has two elementary schools: W.W. Irby Elementary (for grades K-2) and Alachua Elementary (for grades 3-5). There is also A.L. Mebane Middle School and Santa Fe High School. Santa Fe High School is a top-ranked public high school in the county.

The Alachua County Library District also has a branch library in the city. Alachua is home to the Alachua Learning Academy. This is a public charter school for grades K-8. It is ranked as the #1 middle school and #2 elementary school in the county.

The Santa Fe College Perry Center for Emerging Technologies is in Alachua. It is across from Progress Corporate Park, which has many bio and life science businesses. Middle and high school programs in Biotechnology, AgriScience, and veterinary assisting help students get ready for college degrees at Santa Fe College.

Culture and Events

Legacy Park during a July 4th celebration

Main Street Alachua

Alachua has many fun recreation programs. These programs are held at the Hal Brady Recreation Complex and Legacy Park. Kids can join activities like baseball, softball, football, cheerleading, volleyball, soccer, and basketball. Adults can take Zumba or karate classes. There is also an open gym at the Legacy Park Multipurpose Center. Older adults can enjoy bingo, arts and crafts, and food distribution at the Cleather Hathcock Community Center.

Alachua hosts several regular events and festivals:

• Fourth of July Celebration (known for its large fireworks display)
• Movies in the Park
• Legacy Park Concert Series
• Legacy Park Summer Camp
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration
• Nutcracker Under the Stars by Dance Alive National Ballet
• Holiday Nights on Main, which includes a Christmas tree lighting and a parade
• Trick or Treat on Main Street
• Tour de Felasco
• Alachua Main Street Fall Festival

Media in Alachua

Local Newspaper

The newspaper Alachua County Today has its main office in Alachua. This newspaper covers news for all the communities in Alachua County, but it focuses more on the smaller towns outside of Gainesville.

Fun Places to Visit

Aerial view of Legacy Park and Hal Brady Complex

• Alachua Hare Krishna Temple
• Alachua Skate Park
• Alachua Splash Park
• Hal Brady Recreation Complex
• Legacy Park Recreation Complex
• Main Street Alachua
• Mill Creek Farm Retirement Home for Horses
• Mill Creek Preserve
• Newnansville Town Site (a historic ghost town)
• San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
• San Felasco Tech City
• Santa Fe River Preserve
• Turkey Creek Preserve

Notable People from Alachua

• Josiah T. Walls – A politician from the Reconstruction era.
• Matthew M. Lewey – An early African American newspaper publisher.
• Albert Leonidas (A.L.) Mebane – An important African American educator during the time of segregation.
• Philip Dell – A former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and President of the Florida Senate.
• Rod Smith – A former Florida state senator.
• Chuck Clemons – A Florida congressman.
• Clovis Watson Jr. – A former Florida congressman and Alachua County Sheriff.
• Craig Fugate – A former Administrator of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
• Michael Alan Singer – An author.
• Miranda Uhl – A gold medal-winning American Paralympic swimmer.
• Hewritt Dixon – A former NFL running back.
• Mike Peterson – A former NFL linebacker, in the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame.
• Adrian Peterson – A former NFL running back, in the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Tracy Ham – A former NFL and CFL quarterback, in both the College Football and Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
• Dwayne Dixon – A former college wide receiver coach, in the Arena Football Hall of Fame and University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame.
• Linval Joseph – An NFL defensive tackle.
• Lenny DiNardo – A former MLB pitcher.
• Kirby Snead – An MLB pitcher.

See also

In Spanish: Alachua (Florida) para niños