Mulberry, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mulberry, Florida
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| City of Mulberry | ||
Mulberry City Hall
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| Motto(s):
"Official Phosphate Capitol of the World"
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Location in Polk County and the state of Florida
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| Country | United States of America | |
| State | Florida | |
| County | Polk | |
| Settled | Circa 1840s | |
| Incorporated | 1901 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Commission-Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 6.88 sq mi (17.83 km2) | |
| • Land | 6.18 sq mi (16.01 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.70 sq mi (1.81 km2) | |
| Elevation | 112 ft (34 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,952 | |
| • Density | 639.17/sq mi (246.79/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
33860
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| Area code(s) | 863 | |
| FIPS code | 12-47200 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404336 | |
Mulberry is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area, with parts of unincorporated Lakeland on its northern boundary. The population was 3,952 at the 2020 census. Mulberry is home to the 334-acre Alafia River Reserve, and it is the headquarters to Badcock Home Furniture.
Contents
History
The first white settlers appeared in the Mulberry area in the 1840s. The first industry in the area was logging the longleaf yellow pine which dominated the area. Eventually the settlement grew to include log homes, stores, and saloons. The nearest sheriff and jail was hours away in Bartow and the town resembled a scene from the Old West as mob rule prevailed. Everyone carried a gun and Monday morning was a busy time for the coroner as he dealt with the victims of Saturday night's "troublemakers."
The town had no official name, but the railroad which came through town stopped at a mulberry tree to let off passengers and drop off the mail. The old mulberry tree became the de facto meeting place in town, and eventually gave the town its name. Several hangings took place from the mulberry tree. In 1886, phosphate rock was discovered in the Peace River, and the dominant industry went from forestry to mining. The phosphate industry gave the town stability and Mulberry was incorporated in 1901. In 1910 Mulberry's Masonic lodge was established and still is around today.
Geography and climate
Mulberry is located at 27°53′56″N 81°58′27″W / 27.898855°N 81.974173°W. Mulberry is located within the Central Florida Highlands area of the Atlantic coastal plain with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²), of which 3.1 square miles (8.0 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.4 km²) (4.36%) is water.
Mulberry is located at the junction of state roads 60 and 37.
Mulberry is located in the humid subtropical zone of the (Köppen climate classification: Cfa).
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 1,418 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,499 | 5.7% | |
| 1930 | 2,029 | 35.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,502 | −26.0% | |
| 1950 | 2,024 | 34.8% | |
| 1960 | 2,922 | 44.4% | |
| 1970 | 2,701 | −7.6% | |
| 1980 | 2,932 | 8.6% | |
| 1990 | 2,988 | 1.9% | |
| 2000 | 3,230 | 8.1% | |
| 2010 | 3,817 | 18.2% | |
| 2020 | 3,952 | 3.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 and 2020 census
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White (NH) | 2,703 | 2,474 | 70.81% | 62.60% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 546 | 544 | 14.30% | 13.77% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 9 | 10 | 0.24% | 0.25% |
| Asian (NH) | 19 | 21 | 0.50% | 0.53% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 1 | 7 | 0.03% | 0.18% |
| Some other race (NH) | 4 | 8 | 0.10% | 0.20% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 47 | 132 | 1.23% | 3.34% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 488 | 756 | 12.78% | 19.13% |
| Total | 3,817 | 3,952 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,952 people, 1,417 households, and 1,020 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 3,817 people, 1,547 households, and 1,009 families residing in the city.
Economy
The economy of Mulberry is dominated by phosphate mining. The Bone Valley is the world's most productive phosphate rock mining area. According to the Chamber of Commerce, Mulberry is the "Official Phosphate Capitol of the World." The Mosaic Company operates the Nichols mine approximately two miles east of town. Mulberry is the home of Badcock Home Furniture, whose first store was opened in Mulberry in 1904 and which now extends to 382 stores throughout the southeast United States.
Arts and humanities
The Mulberry Cultural Center opened in the fall of 2015, and featured over 25 different art and humanities exhibits. It also hosts a variety of culturally enriching programs for all ages.
In 2018, the Mulberry Murals Initiative was founded to bring art to people of all backgrounds. These public art displays throughout the city have been commissioned by the City of Mulberry.
Transportation
- State Road 37, which leads north toward Lakeland and south toward Bradley Junction Two rail lines intersect in the middle of the highway about a half mile south of the intersection of SR 37 and SR 60
- State Road 60, leading west toward Brandon and east toward Bartow and Lake Wales.
- Mulberry was served by two railroads. The line running east and west belonged to the Seaboard Airline Railroad while the north-south railroad belonged to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. There is a combined yard that belonged to both railroads to the west and north of Mulberry proper and this is where the railroad interchanged traffic rather than at interchanges at the crossing of the two lines south of the downtown area. The crossing of the two railroads is very unusual as it takes place in the middle of a 4-lane divided highway crossing of traffic on State Road 37 at SW 2nd Street. Both of these railroad lines merged into the Seaboard Coastline in 1967 and in turn were folded into the CSX Railroad in 1986. Considerable traffic was and still is generated by the Bone Valley phosphate industry
Education
Public schools in Mulberry are operated by the Polk County School Board. The three elementary schools in the area are Kingsford, Purcell, and Sikes. Mulberry Middle and Mulberry High round out the educational system in Mulberry. Mulberry Christian Academy is a private elementary school where financial aid is available to families who qualify.
Library
The Mulberry Public Library is a member of the Polk County Library Cooperative. The library is located at 905 NE 5th Street, Mulberry, FL 33860. Offers a variety of resource including video games, books, DVDs, audio-books, CDs, and digital materials. The library also hosts a number of programs for the community.
Media
Mulberry is part of the Tampa–St. Pete television market, the 13th largest in the country and part of the local Lakeland-Winter Haven radio market, which is the 94th largest in the country.
Sinkholes
On June 15, 1994, a sinkhole appeared in a toxic waste disposal pond near the city of Mulberry. Phosphogypsum, the byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer industry, is highly toxic and mildly radioactive. The 110 feet diameter and 200 feet deep sinkhole dumped this toxin into subterranean caves that lead to the Floridan Aquifer. Drinking water for over ten million Florida residents comes from this aquifer. The company mining the phosphate, IMC-Agrico, now a part of The Mosaic Company, started the sinkhole remediation process immediately. It has spent over $6 million trying to repair the damage to the Florida water supply.
On August 27, 2016, the Mosaic Company discovered a giant sinkhole under a gypsum stack. Over 200 million gallons of water contaminated with phosphogypsum disappeared into its 45-foot wide maw.
See also
In Spanish: Mulberry (Florida) para niños
