Gretna, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gretna, Florida
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| City of Gretna | |
Gretna City Hall
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| Motto(s):
"A Vision for Tomorrow"
"Come Grow With Us" |
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Location in Gadsden County and the state of Florida
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Florida |
| County | Gadsden |
| Settled | 1897 |
| Platted | 1905 |
| Incorporated | 1909 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Commission–Manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.61 sq mi (22.30 km2) |
| • Land | 8.56 sq mi (22.17 km2) |
| • Water | 0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2) |
| Elevation | 299 ft (91 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,357 |
| • Density | 158.51/sq mi (61.20/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
32332
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| Area code(s) | 850 |
| FIPS code | 12-27650 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0294791 |
Gretna is a small city located in Gadsden County, Florida, in the United States. It's part of the larger Tallahassee area. In 2020, about 1,357 people lived there. Gretna is found along U.S. Highway 90, which is about 8 miles (13 km) south of the Florida-Georgia border.
Contents
History of Gretna
Gretna started as a settlement in 1897, founded by the Humphrey Company. It was officially mapped out as a town in 1905. The community had a church and school called Sunny Dell Baptist. Later, the Gretna School was built in 1908. A special marker in the city tells about its past. Gretna officially became a city in 1909.
Old photographs from Gretna are kept in the Florida Archives. These pictures show the Sunny Dell school, the Presbyterian church, and buildings from the W.P. Humphrey Company. This includes a machine used to make turpentine.
A newspaper called the Colored American Appeal served the community. It was connected to the Republican Party. In 1974, Florida A&M University started a program to help the mostly African American community in Gretna. This program was led by their business school.
Geography and Location
Gretna is located in the western part of Gadsden County. This area is part of the Florida Panhandle in North Florida. The city's exact location is around 30.615598 degrees north and -84.662457 degrees west.
The city has grown to include part of Interstate 10. This major highway is now in the southwest part of Gretna. The city is now next to Greensboro on its southern side.
Major Roads in Gretna
U.S. Route 90 goes through Gretna and is known as Main Street. If you go southeast on U.S. 90, you will reach Quincy in about 5 miles (8 km). Quincy is the main town of Gadsden County. Going northwest on U.S. 90 will take you to Chattahoochee, about 14 miles (23 km) away.
Interstate 10 runs through the southwest part of Gretna. You can get onto I-10 from Exit 174, which is Florida State Road 12. Traveling east on I-10 leads to Tallahassee in about 28 miles (45 km). Going west on I-10 will take you to Pensacola, about 160 miles (257 km) away.
Other important roads include SR 12, which goes southwest to Bristol (about 24 miles or 39 km). SR 65 goes south to Hosford (about 17 miles or 27 km).
Area of Gretna
The United States Census Bureau says that Gretna covers a total area of about 8.61 square miles (22.30 km²). Only a very small part of this area, about 0.05 square miles (0.12 km²), is water.
Climate in Gretna
Gretna has a type of weather called a humid subtropical climate. This means the summers are hot and humid. The winters are usually mild, not too cold.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1950 | 385 | — | |
| 1960 | 647 | 68.1% | |
| 1970 | 883 | 36.5% | |
| 1980 | 1,557 | 76.3% | |
| 1990 | 1,981 | 27.2% | |
| 2000 | 1,709 | −13.7% | |
| 2010 | 1,460 | −14.6% | |
| 2020 | 1,357 | −7.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The number of people living in Gretna changes over time. In 2010, there were 1,460 residents. By 2020, the population had slightly decreased to 1,357 people.
Most of the people living in Gretna are African American. In 2020, about 81% of the population was Black or African American. About 6% of the people were White. Around 11% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Education in Gretna
Public schools in Gretna are managed by the Gadsden County School District. Younger students in Pre-Kindergarten through 3rd grade go to Greensboro Primary School. Students in 4th and 5th grades attend West Gadsden Middle School. Gretna Elementary School used to serve elementary students but closed in 2017.
As of 2017, Gadsden County High School is the only high school for students in the county. This happened after West Gadsden High School's older grades joined with East Gadsden High School.
Images for kids
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Gretna Volunteer Fire Department
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Brenda A. Holt Gadsden County Gretna Public Safety Complex
See also
In Spanish: Gretna (Florida) para niños
