Florida City, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Florida City
City
City of Florida City
Motto(s):  Gateway to the Florida Keys and the Everglades
Location in Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida
U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits
Country	United States of America
State	Florida
County	Miami-Dade
Incorporated	December 29, 1914
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
Area
• Total	6.06 sq mi (15.69 km2)
• Land	5.99 sq mi (15.51 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2)  0%
Elevation	5 ft (2 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	13,085
• Density	2,184.47/sq mi (843.49/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	33034, 33035
Area code(s)	305, 786, 645
FIPS code	12-22975
GNIS feature ID	0282605

Florida City is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is the southernmost city on the mainland in the South Florida metropolitan area. Florida City is known for its farms and as a suburb of Miami.

In 2020, about 13,085 people lived there. This was an increase from 11,245 people in 2010. The city is next to Homestead. Both cities were badly damaged by Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Florida City started as a land development called "Detroit" in 1910. The first families had to stay in Homestead because there were no houses yet. The name changed to "Florida City" when it became an official city in 1914. Today, it has a small historic area. Many hotels and tourist places are also found there.

The city is at the start of the only road that goes through Everglades National Park. This road ends at Flamingo. Florida City is the last city on the mainland before you reach the Florida Keys. It is also where the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike highway meets U.S. 1.

Geography and Nature

Florida City is mostly built on a limestone ridge. This ridge is called the Miami Rock Ridge. It runs south from North Miami Beach into Everglades National Park. This higher ground is about 5 to 8 feet (1.5–2.4 meters) above sea level.

Before people settled here, the ridge was covered with South Florida Slash Pine trees. These trees were also known as Dade County Pine. You can still see some of these pines in local parks and in Everglades National Park. Over time, these pine rocklands were cleared for farming.

Farmers grew crops like tomatoes and squash in the winter. These crops were packed at the Florida City State Farmers' Market. This farming was very important to the local economy for many years.

East of the ridge, there were large marshlands. These were part of the Everglades. People called them the "East Glade." Beyond these marshlands were mangrove swamps near Biscayne Bay. The soil in the East Glade was a limey soil called Biscayne Marl.

In the early 1900s, canals were built in the East Glade. This helped lower the water levels. Potatoes were a main crop grown there before many houses were built in the 1970s.

Florida City also had a slow-moving stream called a slough. It was known as "Long Slough." This stream flowed from the Everglades through the city. As more canals were built, the slough dried up. Roads were built over it, and eventually, it was filled in.

Today, Florida City is the southern end of the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike. Many motels and restaurants are located along U.S. 1. This highway leads south into the beautiful Florida Keys. Florida City is truly a gateway to both the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park.

City Location

Florida City is located at 25°27′05″N 80°29′04″W / 25.451331°N 80.484383°W / 25.451331; -80.484383.

The United States Census Bureau says the city covers about 6.1 square miles (15.8 km²). Only a small part, about 0.07 square miles (0.18 km²), is water.

Population Facts

In 2020, Florida City had 13,085 people living there. There were 3,050 households and 2,247 families.

In 2010, there were 11,245 people. Many people in Florida City are of Hispanic or Latino background. The largest groups include:

• Mexicans
• Cubans
• People from Central American countries
• Puerto Ricans
• People from South American countries

Education

Students in Florida City attend schools that are part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system.

The schools that serve Florida City are:

• Florida City Elementary School (in Florida City)
• Homestead Middle School (in Homestead)
• Homestead High School (in Homestead)

There are also some Charter Schools in the area:

• Rise Academy-South Dade Charter School
• Lawrence Academy Charter
• Lincoln Marti International Campus
• Miami Community Charter

Climate

Florida City has a "Tropical Savanna Climate" (called "Aw" in the Köppen Climate Classification system). This means it has long, hot summers and short, warm winters.

Famous People

Some well-known people from Florida City include:

• James Burgess, an American football player
• Rashad Smith, an American football player
• Sean Taylor, an American Football Player
• Glenn Simmons, an outdoorsman and guide

See also

In Spanish: Florida City para niños