Valrico, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Valrico, Florida
Census-designated place
Cyclist in Valrico residential street
Location in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Hillsborough
Area
• Total	14.22 sq mi (36.84 km2)
• Land	13.81 sq mi (35.77 km2)
• Water	0.41 sq mi (1.08 km2)
Elevation	56 ft (17 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	37,895
• Density	2,744.22/sq mi (1,059.55/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	33594-33596
Area code(s)	813, 656
FIPS code	12-73700
GNIS feature ID	0292725

Valrico is a community in Hillsborough County, Florida, in the United States. It's called a census-designated place (CDP) because it's a special area defined by the government for counting people. However, it is not an official city or town. In 2020, about 37,895 people lived there.

History of Valrico

Before the American Civil War, the area was known as Long Pond. It was home to several cotton farms called plantations.

How Valrico Got Its Name

In the 1880s, a philosophy professor named William G. Tousey bought land here. He renamed the area Valrico. This name means "rich valley" in Spanish.

Early Growth and Challenges

In 1890, many new people moved to Valrico. This happened after the Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad was built through the area. With the railroad finished, Tousey started building up the community. He added stores, streets, and even a bank. In 1893, Mr. Bryan built a steam mill near the Valrico station.

However, a big freeze in 1895 stopped these plans. The number of people living in Valrico started to drop. Even so, the community kept going. A schoolhouse was finished in 1896. The population continued to fall, from 100 people in 1893 to only 50 in 1911.

Moving Forward

Local landowners did not give up on Valrico. From 1910 to 1914, people like Judge Hamner and Governor Van Sant worked on improving Hopewell Road. This road is now known as SR 60. W.F. Miller, who was the president of the Valrico Improvement Association, helped raise money to build the Valrico Civic Center. Today, this building is known as the James McCabe Theater. The first general store in the area was opened by Lovett Brandon in 1912.

Valrico in Modern Times

Valrico faced another big challenge during the stock market crash of 1929. Almost every business in the town closed down. The town did not start to grow again until the mid-1950s. This growth was mainly because SR 60 connected to Tampa's Adamo Drive. This made Valrico a key location along a major Florida road.

Geography of Valrico

Valrico is located in the eastern-central part of Hillsborough County. Its exact location is 27°56′27″N 82°14′33″W / 27.94083°N 82.24250°W / 27.94083; -82.24250.

Nearby Communities

Valrico is next to several other communities:

• To the west is Brandon.
• To the southwest is Bloomingdale.
• To the south is FishHawk.

Distance to Cities

Using State Road 60:

• It is about 14 miles (23 km) east of Tampa.
• It is about 26 miles (42 km) west of Bartow.
• It is about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Plant City.

Size of Valrico

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Valrico CDP covers a total area of about 14.2 square miles (36.8 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 13.8 square miles (35.8 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.4 square miles (1.1 square kilometers), is water.

Population and People

In 2020, the 2020 United States census counted 37,895 people living in Valrico. There were 14,079 households and 10,337 families in the area.

Education in Valrico

Valrico has many schools for students of all ages.

Public High Schools

• Bloomingdale High School
• Durant High School
• Newsome High School

Public Middle Schools

• Barrington Middle School
• Burns Middle School
• Mulrennan Middle School
• Randall Middle School

Public Elementary Schools

• Alafia Elementary School
• Brooker Elementary School
• Buckhorn Elementary School
• Cimino Elementary School
• Lithia Springs Elementary
• Nelson Elementary School
• Valrico Elementary School

Private Schools

• Bell Shoals Baptist Academy PK-8
• F.I.S.H. (Home Schoolers)
• Foundation Christian Academy PK-12
• Grace Christian School K-12
• Interactive Education Academy K-12
• Trinity Christian Academy 2-12

Notable People from Valrico

Many interesting people have connections to Valrico, including:

• Jahleel Addae, a professional football player
• Erin Andrews, a TV personality
• Howie Auer, a professional football player
• Glenn Beck, a radio personality
• Melissa Beck, a comedian
• Zach Bonner, a young person known for charity work
• Michael Bradley, a professional golfer
• Chad Bratzke, a professional football player
• Jeff Curchin, a football player
• Jimmy Del Ray, a professional wrestler
• Tyler Danish, a professional baseball player
• Jose Gomez, a professional soccer player
• Matt Good, a musician
• Agiye Hall, a college football player
• Garry Hancock, a professional baseball player
• Sterling Hofrichter, a professional football player
• Albert Journeay, a professional football player
• Carl Marchese, a racecar driver
• Arjun Nimmala, a baseball player
• Alissa Nutting, an author
• Jeremy Rosado, a singer
• Steve Runge, a professional golfer
• Derek Smethurst, a professional soccer and football player
• Ronda Storms, a politician
• Colleen Walker, a professional golfer
• Peter Tom Willis, a professional football player
• William Martin Willis, a musician
• Will Worth, a football player

See also

In Spanish: Valrico (Florida) para niños