Viking, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Viking, Florida
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Country | United States |
State | Florida |
County | St. Lucie |
Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Area code(s) | 772 |
GNIS feature ID | 308163 |
Viking is a small place in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. It's known as an unincorporated community. This means it's a neighborhood or area that isn't officially a city or town with its own local government.
Viking is located along a major road called U.S. Route 1. It's about 7 miles (11 kilometers) north of a bigger city called Fort Pierce.
The History of Viking, Florida
Viking was started by a family from Norway, Jens and Agathe Helseth. They came to Florida and built a pineapple farm.
How Viking Got Its Name
The Helseth family named the community "Viking" because many people from Scandinavia lived there. Vikings were famous explorers and settlers from Scandinavia long ago.
Life in Early Viking
In the past, Viking had its own school where children could learn. There was also a post office, which helped people send and receive mail. The Helseth family's large pineapple farm was a very important part of the community.
Later, the Helseth family gave their land to the State of Florida. This helped preserve the area for everyone to enjoy.