Gifford, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gifford, Florida
Census-designated place
Community Center
Location in Indian River County and the state of Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Indian River
Area
• Total	2.72 sq mi (7.04 km2)
• Land	2.72 sq mi (7.04 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	13 ft (4 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,511
• Density	2,026/sq mi (782.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	32967
Area code(s)	772
FIPS code	12-25925
GNIS feature ID	0283063

Gifford is a community in Indian River County, Florida, United States. It's a special kind of place called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that the government counts as a town for statistics, even though it doesn't have its own city government.

In 2020, about 5,511 people lived in Gifford. This community has a very important African American history. It's also known as the home of several famous African-American landscape artists called The Highwaymen.

History of Gifford

Gifford started as a settlement in the mid-1880s. At first, it was known as the Woodley precinct in the 1900 census. This community grew as a village for black families.

Early Settlers and the Railroad

By 1893, more black workers came to Gifford. They helped build Henry Flagler's new railroad, the Florida East Coast Railway. The people living there first named their small farming community Brownsville. They named it after William Brown, a farmer who settled there in the 1880s. However, there was already another town in North Florida with the same name. So, the community was renamed Gifford, after Charlie Gifford. He was the railroad's stationmaster and Henry T. Gifford's son.

Schools and Community Life

The first school in Gifford was built in 1898. But this school was only for white children. In 1901, William Edward Geoffrey, a black man who had worked on the railroad, started a school for black children. This school became a very important part of the community. It was known as Gifford High School until schools became integrated (meaning students of all races could attend together). The last class graduated in 1969, and then the building became a middle school.

Historic Places

In 2018, the old Historic Macedonia Church was turned into the Gifford Historical Museum. This was done by the Gifford Community Cultural & Resource Center (GCCRC). Another important place is the Victor Hart Sr. Community Enhancement Complex. It was renamed in 2017 to honor Mr. Hart for all his hard work and help in the community.

Geography of Gifford

Gifford is located in eastern Indian River County. It sits on the west side of the Indian River, which is a channel affected by tides.

Surrounding Areas

To the south of Gifford is Vero Beach, which is the main city of the county. To the north, you'll find Winter Beach. Across the Indian River to the east is Indian River Shores.

Roads and Travel

U.S. Route 1 goes right through the middle of Gifford. If you go north on U.S. Route 1, it's about 10 miles (16 km) to Sebastian. If you go south, it passes through Vero Beach and then about 17 miles (27 km) to Fort Pierce. Interstate 95 is about 9 miles (14 km) west of Gifford, at Exit 147.

Land and Water

The Gifford area covers about 7.3 square miles (18.94 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 6.8 square miles (17.65 square kilometers). The rest, about 0.5 square miles (1.29 square kilometers), is water.

Population of Gifford

According to the 2020 census, the total population of Gifford was 5,511 people. The community is known for its large African American population, which makes up a significant part of its residents.

Notable People from Gifford

Gifford is the hometown of several talented individuals:

• Jade Cargill, a professional wrestler
• Muni Long, a singer and songwriter
• Harold Newton, a landscape artist
• YNW BSlime, a rapper
• YNW Melly, a rapper

See also

In Spanish: Gifford (Florida) para niños