Groveland, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Groveland, Florida
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Historic Edge House
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Location in Lake County and the state of Florida
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| Country |  United States of America |
| State |  Florida |
| County |  Lake |
| Area | |
| • Total | 27.46 sq mi (71.12 km2) |
| • Land | 20.84 sq mi (53.98 km2) |
| • Water | 6.62 sq mi (17.13 km2) |
| Elevation | 121 ft (37 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 18,505 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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20,398 |
| • Density | 887.83/sq mi (342.79/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
34736
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| Area code(s) | 352 |
| FIPS code | 12-27800 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2403764 |
| Website | http://groveland-fl.gov/ |
Groveland is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 18,505 at the 2020 census. It is located at the intersection of State Road 19 and State Road 33/50.
Groveland is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. Groveland is recognized as the first international Dark Sky Community in Florida, and in the Southeastern United States, by DarkSky International.
Contents
Geography
Groveland is located at 28°33′28″N 81°51′7″W / 28.55778°N 81.85194°W (28.557853, -81.851918).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2), of which 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) (12.91%) is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 470 | — | |
| 1940 | 411 | −12.6% | |
| 1950 | 1,028 | 150.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,747 | 69.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,928 | 10.4% | |
| 1980 | 1,992 | 3.3% | |
| 1990 | 2,300 | 15.5% | |
| 2000 | 2,360 | 2.6% | |
| 2010 | 8,729 | 269.9% | |
| 2020 | 18,505 | 112.0% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 22,374 | 156.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 and 2020 census
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 4,445 | 8,615 | 50.92% | 46.55% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 1,385 | 2,901 | 15.87% | 15.68% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 69 | 57 | 0.79% | 0.31% |
| Asian (NH) | 211 | 486 | 2.42% | 2.63% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 8 | 6 | 0.09% | 0.03% |
| Some other race (NH) | 103 | 262 | 1.18% | 1.42% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 245 | 842 | 2.81% | 4.55% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,263 | 5,336 | 25.93% | 28.84% |
| Total | 8,729 | 18,505 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 18,505 people, 5,541 households, and 3,757 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 8,729 people, 2,465 households, and 2,014 families residing in the city.
History
Groveland case
..... They were convicted by an all-white jury. In addition to the eyewitness testimony, there was physical evidence linking the car in which the young men were riding to the crime. The victim testified that she had known Shepherd for years and that Irvin was someone she had seen in and around the Groveland community before the night of the assault. ..... One of the three men she accused (Thomas) was shot and killed by the police during his arrest.
After the Florida Supreme Court decided to uphold the guilty verdicts, the United States Supreme Court agreed to hear the case.
Attorney Thurgood Marshall, then the special counsel with the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund, represented the four men, on the briefs, taking their case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Oral argument was conducted by attorney Franklin H. Williams. The Supreme Court overturned the guilty verdicts. The Court found that sensational headlines in the local papers ("Night Riders Burn Lake Negro Homes" and "Flames From Negro Homes Light Night Sky in Lake County"), and newspaper reports of the sheriff's statement that the young men had confessed while in custody, resulted in an unfair trial. "These defendants were prejudged as guilty and the trial was but a legal gesture to register a verdict already dictated by the press and the public opinion which it generated." A new trial was ordered.
In 1949, Harry T. Moore, the executive director of the Florida NAACP, organized a campaign against the conviction of the Groveland Four. Soon afterward, Sheriff Willis V. McCall of Lake County, Florida, shot Shepherd and Irvin. He asserted that they were trying to escape. Shepherd was killed, and Irvin was seriously wounded. When Irvin recovered, he told investigators that the sheriff had shot the two prisoners, without provocation, while they were in handcuffs.
Moore demanded that the sheriff be indicted for murder and requested that the Governor suspend McCall from office. On December 25, 1951, a bomb exploded in Moore's house, killing him and his wife, Harriette.
Some alleged that Sheriff McCall was associated with ordering this bombing; however, an extensive FBI investigation at the time and additional separate investigations have failed to produce any evidence supporting allegations of McCall's involvement.
Although members of the Ku Klux Klan were suspected of the crime, the people responsible were never brought to trial.
In 2016, the City of Groveland and Lake County each apologized to survivors of the four men for the injustice against them. On April 18, 2017, a resolution of the Florida House of Representatives requested that all four men be exonerated. The Florida Senate quickly passed a similar resolution; lawmakers called on Governor Rick Scott to officially pardon the men. On January 11, 2019, the Florida Board of Executive Clemency voted to pardon the Groveland Four. Newly elected Governor Ron DeSantis subsequently did so. On November 22, 2021, Judge Heidi Davis granted the state's motion to posthumously exonerate the men.
Grant money for cemeteries
In 2022, the city received a large grant to restore The Oak Tree Union Colored Cemetery of Taylorville, an abandoned cemetery in Groveland.
Arts and Culture
International Dark Sky Community
In 2022, the City of Groveland passed a robust outdoor lighting ordinance to help curb light pollution against the ongoing rapid development. The ordinance requires residential and commercial development to have responsible outdoor lighting that minimizes glare, reduces light trespass, and does not pollute the night sky. Groveland is currently retrofitting old streetlamps with dark-sky-friendly lights, which are shielded downward with a low color temperature with the goal to replace every light fixture by 2027.
In 2023, the City of Groveland became the first certified International Dark Sky Community in Florida and the Southeast US. This achievement is the result of a three-year Dark Sky Initiative that included extensive education, community outreach, events, the adoption of a comprehensive lighting ordinance, a citywide lighting inventory, and numerous commitments intended to reduce light pollution and protect the night sky. Groveland held its first Star Party in 2023 at Cherrylake Farms, attracting over 700 attendees.
The City of Groveland continues to work with new residents, potential developers and neighboring communities to raise awareness about the importance of natural night skies, to improve safety and quality of life, and to protect the natural environment for all living things.
Transportation
Osborn Airfield is located three miles southwest of the city. The airport is private, but is open for general aviation.
Notable people
- Jeff Demps, former Running back and Olympic Silver Medalist in London 2012
- Jonotthan Harrison, NFL player
- Art Heyman, collegiate basketball player
- Jett Noland, Professional Racing Driver
See also
In Spanish: Groveland (Florida) para niños
