Vero Beach, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vero Beach, Florida
|
||
|---|---|---|
| City of Vero Beach | ||
|
Aerial view of the Vero Beach coastline at night
Downtown Vero in 2010
Vero Beach boardwalk
|
||
|
||
| Nickname(s):
The Hibiscus City
|
||
| Motto(s):
The Gateway to the Tropics
Where the Tropics Begin |
||
Location in Indian River County and the state of Florida
|
||
 Vero Beach, Florida
Location in Florida
Vero Beach, Florida
Location in the United States
|
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| State |  Florida |
|
| County | Indian River | |
| Settled | 1870 | |
| via Plat | 1913-1914 | |
| Incorporated (Vero) | June 10, 1919 | |
| Incorporated (Vero Beach) | May 19, 1925 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council-Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • City | 13.40 sq mi (34.72 km2) | |
| • Land | 11.50 sq mi (29.78 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.91 sq mi (4.93 km2) 14.31% | |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • City | 16,354 | |
| • Density | 1,422.21/sq mi (549.10/km2) | |
| • Metro | 159,788 | |
| Census Bureau | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
32960-32969
|
|
| Area code(s) | 772 | |
| FIPS code | 12-74150 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0292760 | |
| Website | http://www.covb.org | |
.jpg)
Vero Beach is a city in Indian River County, Florida, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the local government offices are. In 2020, about 16,354 people lived there.
Vero Beach is known as "The Hibiscus City" because of the beautiful flowers. It's located about 85 miles (137 km) southeast of Orlando. The city sits along the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. It's part of Florida's Treasure Coast.
Since Vero Beach is about 65 miles (105 km) north of West Palm Beach, it's seen as the start of the tropical region. That's why its mottos are "The Gateway to the Tropics" and "Where the Tropics Begin."
In 2023, Southern Living Magazine named Vero Beach the 7th Best Small Beach Town in Florida. Important roads in the city include U.S. Route 1, Florida State Road A1A, and Florida State Road 60.
Contents
History of Vero Beach
.jpg)
Early Discoveries in Vero Beach
In 1915, parts of a human skeleton were found north of Vero Beach. These bones were found with remains of animals from the Pleistocene Ice Age. For many years, people debated if the human bones were really that old.
In 2006, a carving of a mastodon or mammoth was found on a bone near where the human remains were discovered. Scientists studied the bone and believed the carving was made during the Ice Age. Since 2014, archaeologists have been digging at the "Old Vero Man" site to learn more.
Vero Beach After Columbus
In 1715, a Spanish treasure fleet sank off the coast of Vero Beach. Eleven out of twelve Spanish ships carrying lots of silver were lost in a hurricane. This silver attracted pirates to the area.
A group of 300 English privateers, led by Henry Jennings, stole a large amount of gold and silver. Even today, coins from these shipwrecks sometimes wash up on the shore.
In 1870, Captain Allen W. Estes settled in the area. In 1872, he officially claimed the first piece of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon.
The Florida East Coast Railway, built by Henry Flagler, started running through the area in 1893. This helped the town grow.
The town of Vero was officially created on June 10, 1919. It had 71 residents at that time.
On May 19, 1925, Vero was renamed "Vero Beach." It also became the county seat of the new Indian River County. People have different ideas about where the name "Vero" came from, but no one is completely sure. Early homes in the area often used a style called Florida cracker architecture.
During World War II in 1942, the U.S. Navy built a Naval Air Station near the Vero Beach Municipal Airport. Because of bombing practice during the war, there are still buried explosives. Army officials have been working since 2014 to find and remove these items to keep the area safe.
In 1951, the Barber Bridge was built, connecting the mainland to the barrier islands. This bridge was replaced in 1995 by the Merrill P. Barber Bridge. It's named after Merrill P. Barber, who was the mayor of Vero Beach in 1947.
In 1957, Piper Aircraft started its research and development in Vero Beach. By 1961, Piper Aircraft moved its main offices and manufacturing to Vero Beach.
Later, more bridges were built to connect Vero Beach. In 1965, the A1A bridge connected two barrier islands. In 1979, the 17th Street Bridge was finished, giving another way to get from mainland Vero Beach to the islands.
Geography of Vero Beach
Like many parts of Florida, Vero Beach is mostly flat. It stretches from the beach inland. The city's average height above sea level is about 23 feet (7 meters).
The city of Vero Beach is located at these coordinates: 27°39′N 80°23′W / 27.650°N 80.383°W.
Climate in Vero Beach
Vero Beach has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot and humid summers. The winters are warm and usually drier. The city gets a good amount of rain throughout the year, even in months that are typically less rainy.
People and Economy in Vero Beach
In 2020, Vero Beach had 16,354 people living in the city. There were 7,775 households and 3,587 families.
About 14.4% of the people were under 18 years old. About 28.9% were 65 years or older. Women made up 53.0% of the population. The average household had 2.12 people.
In 2020, the average income for a household in the city was $54,311. The income per person was $52,524. About 12.8% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Industries in Vero Beach
Vero Beach is home to Piper Aircraft, a company that makes airplanes. Piper Aircraft is the largest private employer in Indian River County. In 2015, they employed about 750 people.
Besides Piper, most of the business in Vero Beach comes from:
- Tourism: People visiting the area.
- Citrus Industry: Growing and processing oranges and other citrus fruits.
- Service Activities: Businesses that provide services to people, like shops and restaurants.
Shopping in Vero Beach
Vero Beach has a few places to shop:
- The Indian River Mall
- The Vero Beach Outlets, located west of I-95 on State Road 60.
You can also find small, special shops along Ocean Drive on the barrier island. There are more shops inland in an area called "Miracle Mile." The Historic Downtown area has been updated and now has shops, restaurants, antique stores, and art galleries.
Tourism and Fun Things to Do
Beaches in Vero Beach
The beaches in Vero Beach are part of Florida's Treasure Coast. The three main public beaches are:
- South Beach, at the end of 17th Street.
- Humiston Park, in the main beach area on Ocean Drive.
- Jaycee Park, next to Conn Beach.
Indian River County has 26 miles (42 km) of oceanfront shore. Vero Beach also has other free public paths and walkways to the beach. These include Riomar Beach, Sea Cove, Sea Grape Trail, Sexton Plaza, and Turtle Trail.
Water Activities in the Indian River Lagoon
The Indian River Lagoon flows through Vero Beach. It is a big part of the Intracoastal Waterway. This area is great for many water activities like:
- Boating
- Fishing
- Water skiing
- Diving
- Kayaking
- Other small-boat activities.
Resorts in Vero Beach
Disney's Vero Beach Resort is located just north of Vero Beach in Wabasso Beach. As of 2021, the city also has 14 private golf clubs.
Historic Dodgertown
Vero Beach is home to Historic Dodgertown. This place started as a U.S. Naval Air Station during World War II. Later, it became the spring training facility for the Brooklyn Dodgers and then the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball teams until 2008.
After the Dodgers moved, it became a place for athletes of all ages to train year-round. In 2019, MLB took over the facilities. They plan to expand it and rename it The Jackie Robinson Training Complex. This name honors Jackie Robinson and the site's history as the first racially integrated spring training center in the American South.
Historic Places in Vero Beach
Many places in Vero Beach are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. Some of these include:
- Driftwood Inn
- Hallstrom House
- Old Indian River County Courthouse
- Judge Henry F. Gregory House
- Maher Building
- McKee Jungle Gardens
- Old Palmetto Hotel
- Pueblo Arcade
- Royal Park Arcade
- Theodore Hausmann Estate
- Old Vero Beach Community Building
- Vero Beach Diesel Power Plant
- Vero Beach Woman's Club
- Vero Railroad Station
- Vero Theatre
Transportation in Vero Beach
Air Travel
Vero Beach Regional Airport is a public airport located one mile northwest of Vero Beach. Since February 2023, it offers commercial jet service by Breeze Airways.
Bus Service
Vero Beach has bus routes provided by GoLine Bus.
Train Service
The Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) train line runs through Vero Beach. The Vero Railroad Station served the community's transportation needs from 1903 to 1968. Today, it is a county historical exhibit center.
Education in Vero Beach
Public Schools
The Indian River County School District runs the public schools that serve Vero Beach:
- Vero Beach High School
- Gifford Middle School
- Oslo Middle School
- Storm Grove Middle School
- Beachland Elementary School
- Citrus Elementary School
- Dodgertown Elementary School
- Glendale Elementary School
- Indian River Academy (elementary)
- Liberty Magnet School (elementary)
- Osceola Magnet School (elementary)
- Rosewood Magnet School (elementary)
- Vero Beach Elementary School
- Alternative Center for Education
Charter Schools
- Indian River Charter High School
- Imagine South Vero
- North County Charter Elementary
- St. Peter's Academy
Private Schools
- Saint Edward's School: An independent college preparatory school for grades pre-K to 12.
- St. Helen Catholic School
- Anderson Academy: For grades 8 to 12.
- Masters Academy: For grades pre-K to 12.
- Tabernacle Christian School: For grades K to 8.
- SunCoast School: For grades pre-K to 8.
Colleges
- Indian River State College – Mueller Campus
- Treasure Coast Technical College
Famous People from Vero Beach
_cropped.jpg)
Many notable people have connections to Vero Beach:
- Fred Barnes: A journalist and Fox News contributor.
- Lake Bell: An actress who attended school in Vero Beach. Her film I Do... Until I Don't is set there.
- Jade Cargill: A professional wrestler for WWE.
- Alex Cobb: A pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, who went to Vero Beach High School.
- Gloria Estefan: A famous singer who owns a house and a hotel in Vero Beach.
- Tom Fadden: An actor.
- Prince Fielder: A professional MLB baseball player.
- Mardy Fish: A former professional tennis player and Olympic Silver medalist.
- Calvin Souther Fuller: The inventor of the solar cell.
- Horace Gifford: An architect.
- Carl Hiaasen: A journalist, novelist, and author.
- Sandy Koufax: A former MLB professional baseball player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Ivan Lendl: A former professional tennis player and member of the Tennis Hall of Fame.
- Richard Littlejohn: A columnist for the Daily Mail.
- JT: A hip hop artist and member of City Girls.
- Debbie Mayfield: A Florida state senator.
- F. James McDonald: A former president of General Motors.
- Alison Mosshart: Lead singer of The Kills and The Dead Weather.
- Jake Owen: A country music singer-songwriter and graduate of Vero Beach High School.
- Peter George Peterson: Co-founder of Blackstone Group.
- Albert Reed: A model, actor, and graduate of Vero Beach High School.
- Priscilla Renea: A singer-songwriter signed to Capitol Records.
- Norman Sas: The inventor of Electric Football.
- Waldo E. Sexton: An early settler and pioneer of the area.
- Parvati Shallow: Winner of Survivor: Micronesia.
- Eric Smith: A former professional football player for the Chicago Bears.
- Bryan Stork: A former professional football player for the Washington Redskins.
- Roscoe Tanner: A former professional tennis player.
See also
In Spanish: Vero Beach (Florida) para niños
