Fellsmere, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fellsmere, Florida
|
|
|---|---|
| City of Fellsmere | |
Location in Indian River County and the state of Florida
|
|
 Fellsmere, Florida
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Florida |
| County | Indian River |
| Incorporated | 1911 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 57.79 sq mi (149.67 km2) |
| • Land | 57.58 sq mi (149.13 km2) |
| • Water | 0.21 sq mi (0.54 km2) |
| Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 4,834 |
| • Density | 83.95/sq mi (32.41/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
32948
|
| Area code(s) | 772 |
| FIPS code | 12-22100 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0282414 |
Fellsmere is a city located in Indian River County, Florida, United States. It's part of a larger area that includes Sebastian and Vero Beach. In 2020, about 4,834 people lived there.
Fellsmere is famous for its annual Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival. It was also once home to the National Elephant Center, which is now closed. A very important part of Fellsmere's history is that it was the first place in Florida where women were allowed to vote. On June 19, 1915, a resident named Zena M. Dreier became the first woman to legally vote in the southern United States. This happened five years before the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote across the entire country.
Contents
History of Fellsmere
In 1915, Fellsmere made history by becoming the first city in Florida, and anywhere south of the Mason–Dixon line, to give women the right to vote. At the same time, it also held the first election where companies could vote. Mrs. Zena M. Dreier was the first woman to cast a vote in the city. E. Nelson Fell voted on behalf of his company, Fellsmere Farms.
The city had agreed to a new set of rules, called a charter, in February 1915. This charter included the right for women to vote. The state government approved this charter without noticing this special rule. This was surprising because several attempts to give women voting rights across the state had failed that same year. Women in the United States did not get the right to vote nationwide until August 1920. This was when the 19th Amendment was passed.
Geography of Fellsmere
Fellsmere is located in the central part of Indian River County. Its exact coordinates are 27°46′00″N 80°35′55″W / 27.766771°N 80.598642°W.
- To the north, you'll find Palm Bay.
- To the west is Blue Cypress Lake.
- To the east is Sebastian.
The city covers a total area of about 149.4 square kilometers (57.79 square miles). Most of this area, about 148.9 square kilometers (57.58 square miles), is land. The remaining 0.5 square kilometers (0.21 square miles), or 0.45%, is water.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 333 | — | |
| 1930 | 356 | 6.9% | |
| 1940 | 643 | 80.6% | |
| 1950 | 649 | 0.9% | |
| 1960 | 732 | 12.8% | |
| 1970 | 813 | 11.1% | |
| 1980 | 1,161 | 42.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,179 | 87.7% | |
| 2000 | 3,813 | 75.0% | |
| 2010 | 5,197 | 36.3% | |
| 2020 | 4,834 | −7.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Fellsmere has changed over the years. You can see how many people lived in the city during different census years in the chart above.
Population Details from 2010 and 2020
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 691 | 545 | 13.30% | 11.27% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 246 | 299 | 4.73% | 6.19% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 15 | 3 | 0.29% | 0.06% |
| Asian (NH) | 5 | 3 | 0.10% | 0.06% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 1 | 4 | 0.02% | 0.08% |
| Some other race (NH) | 3 | 15 | 0.06% | 0.31% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 21 | 55 | 0.40% | 1.14% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4,215 | 3,910 | 81.10% | 80.89% |
| Total | 5,197 | 4,834 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
According to the 2020 United States census, Fellsmere had 4,834 people living in 1,244 households. About 970 of these households were families.
In the 2010 United States census, there were 5,197 people in Fellsmere. They lived in 1,323 households, and 1,137 of these were families. The table above shows the different groups of people living in Fellsmere in 2010 and 2020. A large part of the population is of Hispanic or Latino background.
Local Economy
Fellsmere has a large Hispanic population because of the many farms nearby. These farms grow things like citrus fruits and other crops. In the city itself, you can find many unique local businesses. These include restaurants, stores selling ethnic foods, and shops for gifts. There are also places that fix guitars and motorized vehicles.
Public Transportation
Fellsmere has public transportation through the #10 bus route of GoLine. This bus connects the city to the North County Transit Hub.
The first train line to reach Fellsmere was the Sebastian-Cincinnatus Railroad. It was built by the sons of a famous printing businessman. This narrow-gauge railroad was later replaced by the standard-gauge Fellsmere Railroad in 1910. The train line was eventually extended west to a town called Broadmoor, which no longer exists. The line was bought by the Trans-Florida Central Railroad in 1924. However, it was no longer used after 1952.
See also
In Spanish: Fellsmere para niños
