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Apopka, Florida

Apopka is a city in Orange County, Florida. The city's population was 54,873 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. Apopka comes from Seminole word Ahapopka for "potato-eating place".[7]

Apopka, Florida
Apopka City Hall in April 2007
Nickname: 
Indoor Foliage Capital of the World
Location of Apopka in Orange County, Florida.
Coordinates: 28°42′06″N 81°31′54″W / 28.70167°N 81.53167°W / 28.70167; -81.53167[1][2]
CountryUnited States
StateFlorida
CountyOrange
Incorporated
(Town of Apopka City)
1882[3]
Incorporated
(City of Apopka)
1919[4]
Government
 • TypeMayor–Commission
 • MayorBryan Nelson (R)
 • CommissionersAlexander Smith,
Diane Velazquez,
Kyle Becker, and
Nick Nesta
 • City ClerkSusan M. Bone
Area
 • Total35.97 sq mi (93.17 km2)
 • Land34.59 sq mi (89.60 km2)
 • Water1.38 sq mi (3.58 km2)  4.07%
Elevation82 ft (25 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total54,873
 • Density1,586.25/sq mi (612.44/km2)
DemonymApopkan
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
32703, 32704, 32712
Area codes321, 407, 689
FIPS code12-01700[6]
GNIS feature ID2403103[1]
Websitewww.apopka.gov

Apopka is referred to as the "Indoor Foliage Capital of the World"[8] due to the many greenhouse nurseries there.[9]

History edit

The earliest known inhabitants of the Apopka area were the Acuera people, members of the Timucua confederation. They had disappeared by 1730, probably decimated by diseases transmitted through Florida by Spanish colonists.

The Acuera were succeeded by refugees from Alabama and Georgia, who formed the new Seminole Indian tribe. They called the area Ahapopka. Aha, meaning "Potato," and papka, meaning "eating place". By the 1830s, this settlement numbered about 200, and was the birthplace of the chief Coacoochee (known in English as "Wild Cat").

At the conclusion of the Second Seminole War, the U.S. Congress passed the Armed Occupation Act of 1842, forcing surviving natives at Ahapopka to abandon their village and seek refuge deeper in the wilderness of the Florida peninsula.

The early American settlers built a major trading center on the foundations of the earlier Indian settlement. Their population was large enough by 1857 to support the establishment of a Masonic lodge. In 1859 the lodge erected a permanent meeting place at what is now the intersection of Main Street (U.S. Highway 441) and Alabama Avenue.

 
This is the 1859 historic building, The Lodge, that became the central point of the 1 mile square formation of the City of Apopka.

The Lodge edit

The settlers in the vicinity of "The Lodge" were largely isolated during the Civil War, but the area rebounded once peace was re-established, and a population boom followed the construction of railroad lines through the region.

In 1869, the Apopka Post Office opened.[10]

Town of Apopka City edit

In 1882, the one mile in each direction of "The Lodge" or "Fudge Hall" was officially incorporated under the name "Town of Apopka City".[3] In the 1890s, the town was contracted in size more than once due to difficult times.[11]

In 1905, the Apopka City Council authorized incorporation of the Apopka Water, Light, and Ice Company. Councilman A.M. Starbird was appointed its manager, but it was not until voters approved a $9,000 bond in 1914 that he was able to contract with International Harvester Corporation to construct a power plant, so electricity was not available in the city until February 10, 1915. This independent utility company was one of many that were acquired by the Florida Public Service Corporation in the 1920s. They continued to manage the city's utility needs until the 1940s, when they sold off its ice plants to the Atlantic Company, its electric service to Florida Power Corporation, and its water services to Florida Utilities.

Between 1937 and 1968 a town ordinance forbade Black residents from living north of the railroad tracks.[12]

Historic buildings edit

Five buildings in Apopka have been placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places through the Apopka Historical Society housed in the Museum of the Apopkans.

Year Built Building Name Address Image
1918 Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railway Depot 36 E Station St
 
Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railway Depot
1886 Waite-Davis House 5 S Central Ave
 
Waite-Davis House
1887 Mitchell-Tibbetts House 21 E Orange St
 
Mitchell-Tibbetts House
1920 Ryan & Company Lumber Yard 215 E Fifth St
 
Ryan & Company Lumber Yard
1932 Carroll Building (Apopka, Florida) 407-409 S Park Ave
 
Carroll Building

Present-day Apopka edit

 
This bridge was built by Orange County, FL and the City of Apopka, FL over US Route 441 connecting two sections of the Rails-to-Trails system forming the West Orange Trail for bicyclists and pedestrians. It opened in June 2007.

Apopka is known for having one of the longest-serving mayors in the United States. John H. Land, first elected in 1949, served for 61.25 years (with a short three-year gap), making him the longest-serving mayor in Florida and longest-serving full-time mayor in the United States through 2014.[13] Apopka is served by the Apopka Police Department within city limits and the Orange County Sheriff's Department for unincorporated Apopka.

On April 8, 2014, Apopka City Commissioner Joe Kilsheimer won the election[14] to succeed John H. Land as mayor. Kilsheimer was sworn in on April 22, 2014.[15] The 2018 primary for mayor resulted in a landslide win for Bryan Nelson with 63.40% (4,103) of the vote to Kilsheimer's 36.6% (2,369).[16] No runoff was required.

Mayors of the City of Apopka, Florida, USA edit

Mayor
First
Year

Term
of
Years

Total
Years
Mayor First Year End Year Term
of
Years
Total
Years
James Daniel Fudge 1882 3 John Jewell 1926 Jan 1930 Dec 5
Jessse J. Combs 1885 1 Edward J. Ryan 1931 Jan 1934 Dec 3
Page McKinney 1886 2 Gillen McClure 1935 Jan 1937 Dec 3
Dr. Horatio S. Brewer 1888 5 Mark V. Ryan 1938 Jan 1940 Dec 3
R. C. Waters 1893 2 Leslie P. Waite 1941 Jan 1946 Dec 6
E. A. Jackson 1895 1 Dr. Charles Henry Damsel 1947 Jan 1949 Dec 3
Andrew Jackson Lovell 1896 9 * John Horting Land 1950 Jan 1967 Dec 18 *
Joseph D Mitchill 1905 7 * Leonard Hurst 1968 Jan 1970 Dec 3
Adelbert M. Starbird 1912 1 John Horting Land 1971 Jan 2014 Mar 43.25 61.25
Andrew Jackson Lovell 1913 1 10 Joe Kilsheimer 2014 Apr 2018 4
Walter R. McLeod 1914 1 Bryan Nelson 2018 Apr 24 2026 8
Frank Davis 1915 1
Walter Newell 1916 2 *
Thomas B. Tower 1918 1
Walter P. Newell 1919 1 3
Joseph D Mitchill 1920 3 10
Edward Barker Morrey 1923 3
  • Indicates discontiguous terms of service.

1882-1923 elections were held annually. Then every three years. Then four years as the city election codes were changed. [17] [18] [19] [20]

Development edit

Apopka is a fast-growing city and is expanding in all directions. Most notable are the new stores to the north of the city on US 441 in the location of the previous Dunn Citrus grove (the stretch of 441 which runs through the city is named after Fred N. Dunn). Due to the fast-paced growth of the city, a new hospital, AdventHealth Apopka, was opened in 2017.[21]

The John Land Apopka Expressway (Toll 414) opened on May 15, 2009, relieving some of US 441's traffic, taking the route from what is now the US 441 junction with SR 429, and then passing south of the city to rejoin US 441 at its junction with Maitland Boulevard South of the city.[22]

Expansion of the expressway, including an extension of Toll 414, known as Wekiva Parkway, created a junction at US 441 and Plymouth Sorrento Road. Master plans take the Wekiva Parkway extension further north and then east connecting to Interstate 4 at Sanford. The expansion is scheduled to be completed by 2023.[23] It will then be the shortest route from I-4 to the Disney attractions.[24]

Geography edit

The approximate coordinates for the City of Apopka is located at 28°42′06″N 81°31′54″W / 28.70167°N 81.53167°W / 28.70167; -81.53167.

Apopka is about 16 miles northwest of Downtown Orlando.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.6 square miles (84.4 km2). 31.2 square miles (80.9 km2) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.5 km2) of it (4.15%) is water.[25]

Climate edit

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, the City of Apopka has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).

Climate data for Plymouth 3N, 2002–2015 normals, extremes 2002–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 86
(30)
88
(31)
92
(33)
96
(36)
98
(37)
100
(38)
98
(37)
99
(37)
97
(36)
96
(36)
91
(33)
87
(31)
100
(38)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 70.2
(21.2)
72.1
(22.3)
78.5
(25.8)
83.4
(28.6)
88.6
(31.4)
90.9
(32.7)
92.0
(33.3)
92.2
(33.4)
89.8
(32.1)
84.8
(29.3)
76.9
(24.9)
72.0
(22.2)
82.6
(28.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 41.8
(5.4)
44.3
(6.8)
50.0
(10.0)
54.8
(12.7)
62.5
(16.9)
69.6
(20.9)
71.7
(22.1)
72.3
(22.4)
69.5
(20.8)
60.9
(16.1)
51.1
(10.6)
45.4
(7.4)
57.8
(14.3)
Record low °F (°C) 16
(−9)
19
(−7)
26
(−3)
30
(−1)
45
(7)
57
(14)
65
(18)
63
(17)
54
(12)
32
(0)
28
(−2)
15
(−9)
15
(−9)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.51
(64)
2.56
(65)
3.01
(76)
3.02
(77)
4.03
(102)
7.95
(202)
7.15
(182)
8.36
(212)
4.75
(121)
2.80
(71)
1.47
(37)
2.71
(69)
50.32
(1,278)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.01 in) 7.2 6.9 6.9 5.1 7.8 16.0 16.5 17.8 11.9 7.3 4.5 7.0 114.9
Source: NOAA[26]

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1890490
1900218−55.5%
191041088.1%
192079894.6%
19301,13442.1%
19401,31215.7%
19502,25471.8%
19603,57858.7%
19704,04513.1%
19806,01948.8%
199013,512124.5%
200026,64297.2%
201041,54255.9%
202054,87332.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[27]

2010 and 2020 census edit

Apopka racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race Pop 2010[28] Pop 2020[29] % 2010 % 2020
White (NH) 20,553 20,860 49.48% 38.02%
Black or African American (NH) 8,147 13,615 19.61% 24.81%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 69 86 0.17% 0.16%
Asian (NH) 1,309 1,666 3.15% 3.04%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) 19 28 0.05% 0.05%
Some other race (NH) 147 456 0.35% 0.83%
Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) 750 2,191 1.81% 3.99%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10,548 15,971 25.39% 29.11%
Total 41,542 54,873

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 54,873 people, 17,312 households, and 12,822 families residing in the city.[30]

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 41,542 people, 14,739 households, and 10,648 families residing in the city.[31]

2000 census edit

As of the census of 2000, there were 26,642 people, 9,562 households, and 7,171 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,108.1 inhabitants per square mile (427.8/km2). There were 10,091 housing units at an average density of 419.7 per square mile (162.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 73.85% White, 15.56% African American, 0.42% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 5.36% from other races, and 2.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.08% of the population.

In 2000, there were 9,562 households, out of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.13.

In 2000, in the city the population was spread out, with 28.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $43,651, and the median income for a family was $49,380. Males had a median income of $32,177 versus $26,553 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,189. About 7.1% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education edit

Healthcare edit

There is only one hospital in Apopka, Florida and that is AdventHealth Apopka.[32]

Notable people edit

Automobile racing edit

Baseball edit

  • Ray Goolsby (war veteran) Washington Senators in Chattanooga, TN
  • Zack Greinke, Baseball All-Star (2009, 2014), MLB ERA leader (2009), Gold Glove Award (2014), Silver Slugger Award (2013) and 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner

Basketball edit

Economics edit

Government edit

Arts edit

  • Brad Linaweaver, science fiction writer, film producer and screenwriter, magazine publisher

Football edit

Gaming edit

Infamous edit

Inventor edit

Music edit

Boxing, weightlifting, and wrestling edit

Apopka in art edit

Literature edit

Apopka is referenced in Zora Neale Hurston's famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God.

Apopka is referenced in Eddie C. Brown's autobiographical book, Beating the Odds: Eddie Brown's Investing and Life Strategies.

History of the greater Apopka and Central Florida area is detailed in William Gladden, Jr's book, The Pennings of Perrine Slim: Stories of Northwest Orange County Florida.[54] Included are 100 pictures of the area, most by Dr Phyllis Olmstead. Olmstead Publishing.

History of Apopka and Northwest Orange County, Florida by Jerrell H Shofner, (1982). Rose Printing. Apopka Historical Society.

Tales of the Big Potato by Jack Christmas (2011). New Book Publishing. Reprint Olmstead Publishing.[35]

Apopka: Images of America photos of the Apopka area, (2004). Apopka Historical Society.

Film edit

Apopka takes place in and is prominently featured in Johannes Grenzfurthner's horror drama Masking Threshold that premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2021.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Apopka, Florida
  2. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  3. ^ a b Orange County, Misc. Book No3; Apopka, City Election Proceedings, p. 255.; History of Apopka and Northwest Orange County Florida. J. Shofner, Ed.. 1982.
  4. ^ "The History of Apopka: Our History". theapopkamuseum.com.
  5. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  6. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  7. ^ . Semtribe.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  8. ^ . Apopka.net. July 1, 2006. Archived from the original on December 19, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  9. ^ Stephen Hudak (April 11, 2015). "World's 'foliage capital' planting different seeds of growth these days". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  10. ^ "United States Postal Service Postmaster Finder". United States Postal Service. 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  11. ^ History of Apopka and Northwest Orange County Florida. J. Shofner, Ed.. 1982.
  12. ^ "Dowdell v. City of Apopka, Fla., 511 F. Supp. 1375 (M.D. Fla. 1981)". Justia Law. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  13. ^ McKay, Rich (January 1, 2010). "Land returned as mayor as election qualifying ends". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  14. ^ Hudak, Stephen (April 8, 2014). "First elected in 1949, 93-year-old Apopka mayor loses historic vote". Orlando Sentinel.
  15. ^ Hudak, Stephen (April 23, 2014). "Apopka's new mayor seeks to build around city's 'inner Mayberry'". Orlando Sentinel.
  16. ^ (PDF). Orange County. April 24, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 31, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  17. ^ Slim, Perrine (2015). The Pennings of Perrine Slim: Stories of Northwest Orange County Florida. USA. ISBN 978-1-934194-27-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  18. ^ "The Apopka Chief Newspaper - Latest Apopka news, sports, events". The Apopka Chief Newspaper.
  19. ^ The Museum of the Apopkans, vertical files
  20. ^ Shofner, Jerrell (1982). History of Apopka and Northwest Orange County Florida. Apopka, USA. ASIN B0020EV4XQ.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  21. ^ "Florida Hospital Apopka sets opening date". The Apopka Voice. December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  22. ^ Tracy, Dan (May 15, 2009). "John Land Apopka Expressway segment opens today". Orlando Sentinel.
  23. ^ "Wekiva Parkway - Construction Updates".
  24. ^ Spear, Kevin (March 16, 2018). "Wekiva Parkway segment set to open into Lake County". Orlando Sentinel.
  25. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Apopka city, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  26. ^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. November 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  27. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  28. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Apopka city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
  29. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Apopka city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
  30. ^ "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Apopka city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
  31. ^ "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Apopka city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
  32. ^ Clampitt, Cynthia (March 11, 2019). "How AdventHealth Apopka Offers Multiple Foodservice Options in Minimum Space". Foodservice Equipment Reports. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  33. ^ Hybl, Dean (July 3, 2009). "Remembering Fireball Roberts: Winner Of Daytona's First Firecracker Race". Bleacher Report.
  34. ^ a b Slim, P. (2015) The Pennings of Perrine Slim: Stories of Northwest Orange County Florida
  35. ^ a b Christmas, Jack R. (2011). Tales of the Big Potato. Apopka, FL: New Book Publishing. ISBN 9781936989294.
  36. ^ Diaz, George (January 24, 2014). "Taylor-made moment: Father and sons competing in Rolex 24". Orlando Sentinel.
  37. ^ "Joel Berry". Sports Reference. Hometown: Apopka, FL
  38. ^ "Joseph Chealey". ESPN.
  39. ^ Segal, David (October 13, 2012). "Romney's Go-To Economist". The New York Times. Glenn Hubbard was raised in Apopka, Fla...
  40. ^ Friedell, Nick (December 15, 2006). "Former Apopka star Steve Baylark leads UMass in tonight's I-AA title game". Orlando Sentinel.
  41. ^ "Rogers Beckett Profile". NFL. Born: 1/31/1977 Apopka, FL
  42. ^ Branch, John (April 23, 2013). "A Potential Pioneer, Just Looking for a Job". The New York Times. Gendreau has been openly gay since high school in Apopka, Fla.
  43. ^ Hohler, Bob; Silva, Steve (March 10, 2011). "Relative says Brandon Meriweather was trying to break up fight". Boston.com. ...the incident began at the Blue Jeans Lounge in Meriweather's hometown of Apopka, Fla.
  44. ^ "Jalen Carter - 2021 - Football". University of Georgia Athletics.
  45. ^ Erlendsson (July 31, 2013). . Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  46. ^ Thompson, Jake (April 5, 2017). "Oxford on the Move: Sammie Smith is finding a purpose after prison". The Oxford Eagle.
  47. ^ CB Renardo Green Gets the Draft Call at No. 64 Overall | 49ers. Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
  48. ^ Fruzzetti, Ben (June 11, 2018). "Smash Invitational 2018 player rundown". Nintendo Wire. Plup, From: Apopka, Florida
  49. ^ Crockett, Zachary (August 17, 2016). "The Man Who Got No Whammies". Priceonomics. When investigators finally tracked Larson to Apopka, Florida in 1999, he'd succumbed to throat cancer.
  50. ^ "John Anderson Biography". John Anderson.
  51. ^ Stokes, Liz (March 8, 2018). "Sawyer Brown". Full Access Magazine.
  52. ^ Stallard, Dave (June 25, 2015). "Trail Mix – Jerry Lawson". Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine.
  53. ^ "Billy Gunn". Facebook.
  54. ^ Inman, Jessica (April 9, 2015). "Bill Gladden Jr.: For local history buff, education was key". Orlando Sentinel.

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Apopka Chief, Local newspaper

apopka, florida, apopka, city, orange, county, florida, city, population, 2020, census, part, orlando, kissimmee, sanford, metropolitan, statistical, area, apopka, comes, from, seminole, word, ahapopka, potato, eating, place, cityapopka, city, hall, april, 200. Apopka is a city in Orange County Florida The city s population was 54 873 at the 2020 census It is part of the Orlando Kissimmee Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area Apopka comes from Seminole word Ahapopka for potato eating place 7 Apopka FloridaCityApopka City Hall in April 2007SealNickname Indoor Foliage Capital of the WorldLocation of Apopka in Orange County Florida Coordinates 28 42 06 N 81 31 54 W 28 70167 N 81 53167 W 28 70167 81 53167 1 2 CountryUnited StatesStateFloridaCountyOrangeIncorporated Town of Apopka City 1882 3 Incorporated City of Apopka 1919 4 Government TypeMayor Commission MayorBryan Nelson R CommissionersAlexander Smith Diane Velazquez Kyle Becker andNick Nesta City ClerkSusan M BoneArea 5 Total35 97 sq mi 93 17 km2 Land34 59 sq mi 89 60 km2 Water1 38 sq mi 3 58 km2 4 07 Elevation 1 82 ft 25 m Population 2020 Total54 873 Density1 586 25 sq mi 612 44 km2 DemonymApopkanTime zoneUTC 5 EST Summer DST UTC 4 EDT ZIP codes32703 32704 32712Area codes321 407 689FIPS code12 01700 6 GNIS feature ID2403103 1 Websitewww wbr apopka wbr gov Apopka is referred to as the Indoor Foliage Capital of the World 8 due to the many greenhouse nurseries there 9 Contents 1 History 1 1 The Lodge 1 2 Town of Apopka City 1 3 Historic buildings 2 Present day Apopka 2 1 Mayors of the City of Apopka Florida USA 2 2 Development 3 Geography 3 1 Climate 4 Demographics 4 1 2010 and 2020 census 4 2 2000 census 5 Education 6 Healthcare 7 Notable people 7 1 Automobile racing 7 2 Baseball 7 3 Basketball 7 4 Economics 7 5 Government 7 6 Arts 7 7 Football 7 8 Gaming 7 9 Infamous 7 10 Inventor 7 11 Music 7 12 Boxing weightlifting and wrestling 8 Apopka in art 8 1 Literature 8 2 Film 9 References 10 External linksHistory editThe earliest known inhabitants of the Apopka area were the Acuera people members of the Timucua confederation They had disappeared by 1730 probably decimated by diseases transmitted through Florida by Spanish colonists The Acuera were succeeded by refugees from Alabama and Georgia who formed the new Seminole Indian tribe They called the area Ahapopka Aha meaning Potato and papka meaning eating place By the 1830s this settlement numbered about 200 and was the birthplace of the chief Coacoochee known in English as Wild Cat At the conclusion of the Second Seminole War the U S Congress passed the Armed Occupation Act of 1842 forcing surviving natives at Ahapopka to abandon their village and seek refuge deeper in the wilderness of the Florida peninsula The early American settlers built a major trading center on the foundations of the earlier Indian settlement Their population was large enough by 1857 to support the establishment of a Masonic lodge In 1859 the lodge erected a permanent meeting place at what is now the intersection of Main Street U S Highway 441 and Alabama Avenue nbsp This is the 1859 historic building The Lodge that became the central point of the 1 mile square formation of the City of Apopka The Lodge edit The settlers in the vicinity of The Lodge were largely isolated during the Civil War but the area rebounded once peace was re established and a population boom followed the construction of railroad lines through the region In 1869 the Apopka Post Office opened 10 Town of Apopka City edit In 1882 the one mile in each direction of The Lodge or Fudge Hall was officially incorporated under the name Town of Apopka City 3 In the 1890s the town was contracted in size more than once due to difficult times 11 In 1905 the Apopka City Council authorized incorporation of the Apopka Water Light and Ice Company Councilman A M Starbird was appointed its manager but it was not until voters approved a 9 000 bond in 1914 that he was able to contract with International Harvester Corporation to construct a power plant so electricity was not available in the city until February 10 1915 This independent utility company was one of many that were acquired by the Florida Public Service Corporation in the 1920s They continued to manage the city s utility needs until the 1940s when they sold off its ice plants to the Atlantic Company its electric service to Florida Power Corporation and its water services to Florida Utilities Between 1937 and 1968 a town ordinance forbade Black residents from living north of the railroad tracks 12 Historic buildings edit Five buildings in Apopka have been placed on the U S National Register of Historic Places through the Apopka Historical Society housed in the Museum of the Apopkans Year Built Building Name Address Image 1918 Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railway Depot 36 E Station St nbsp Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railway Depot 1886 Waite Davis House 5 S Central Ave nbsp Waite Davis House 1887 Mitchell Tibbetts House 21 E Orange St nbsp Mitchell Tibbetts House 1920 Ryan amp Company Lumber Yard 215 E Fifth St nbsp Ryan amp Company Lumber Yard 1932 Carroll Building Apopka Florida 407 409 S Park Ave nbsp Carroll BuildingPresent day Apopka edit nbsp This bridge was built by Orange County FL and the City of Apopka FL over US Route 441 connecting two sections of the Rails to Trails system forming the West Orange Trail for bicyclists and pedestrians It opened in June 2007 Apopka is known for having one of the longest serving mayors in the United States John H Land first elected in 1949 served for 61 25 years with a short three year gap making him the longest serving mayor in Florida and longest serving full time mayor in the United States through 2014 13 Apopka is served by the Apopka Police Department within city limits and the Orange County Sheriff s Department for unincorporated Apopka On April 8 2014 Apopka City Commissioner Joe Kilsheimer won the election 14 to succeed John H Land as mayor Kilsheimer was sworn in on April 22 2014 15 The 2018 primary for mayor resulted in a landslide win for Bryan Nelson with 63 40 4 103 of the vote to Kilsheimer s 36 6 2 369 16 No runoff was required Mayors of the City of Apopka Florida USA edit Mayor FirstYear Term ofYears TotalYears Mayor First Year End Year TermofYears TotalYears James Daniel Fudge 1882 3 John Jewell 1926 Jan 1930 Dec 5 Jessse J Combs 1885 1 Edward J Ryan 1931 Jan 1934 Dec 3 Page McKinney 1886 2 Gillen McClure 1935 Jan 1937 Dec 3 Dr Horatio S Brewer 1888 5 Mark V Ryan 1938 Jan 1940 Dec 3 R C Waters 1893 2 Leslie P Waite 1941 Jan 1946 Dec 6 E A Jackson 1895 1 Dr Charles Henry Damsel 1947 Jan 1949 Dec 3 Andrew Jackson Lovell 1896 9 John Horting Land 1950 Jan 1967 Dec 18 Joseph D Mitchill 1905 7 Leonard Hurst 1968 Jan 1970 Dec 3 Adelbert M Starbird 1912 1 John Horting Land 1971 Jan 2014 Mar 43 25 61 25 Andrew Jackson Lovell 1913 1 10 Joe Kilsheimer 2014 Apr 2018 4 Walter R McLeod 1914 1 Bryan Nelson 2018 Apr 24 2026 8 Frank Davis 1915 1 Walter Newell 1916 2 Thomas B Tower 1918 1 Walter P Newell 1919 1 3 Joseph D Mitchill 1920 3 10 Edward Barker Morrey 1923 3 Indicates discontiguous terms of service 1882 1923 elections were held annually Then every three years Then four years as the city election codes were changed 17 18 19 20 Development edit Apopka is a fast growing city and is expanding in all directions Most notable are the new stores to the north of the city on US 441 in the location of the previous Dunn Citrus grove the stretch of 441 which runs through the city is named after Fred N Dunn Due to the fast paced growth of the city a new hospital AdventHealth Apopka was opened in 2017 21 The John Land Apopka Expressway Toll 414 opened on May 15 2009 relieving some of US 441 s traffic taking the route from what is now the US 441 junction with SR 429 and then passing south of the city to rejoin US 441 at its junction with Maitland Boulevard South of the city 22 Expansion of the expressway including an extension of Toll 414 known as Wekiva Parkway created a junction at US 441 and Plymouth Sorrento Road Master plans take the Wekiva Parkway extension further north and then east connecting to Interstate 4 at Sanford The expansion is scheduled to be completed by 2023 23 It will then be the shortest route from I 4 to the Disney attractions 24 Geography editThe approximate coordinates for the City of Apopka is located at 28 42 06 N 81 31 54 W 28 70167 N 81 53167 W 28 70167 81 53167 Apopka is about 16 miles northwest of Downtown Orlando According to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 32 6 square miles 84 4 km2 31 2 square miles 80 9 km2 of it is land and 1 4 square miles 3 5 km2 of it 4 15 is water 25 Climate edit The climate in this area is characterized by hot humid summers and generally mild winters According to the Koppen climate classification the City of Apopka has a humid subtropical climate zone Cfa Climate data for Plymouth 3N 2002 2015 normals extremes 2002 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high F C 86 30 88 31 92 33 96 36 98 37 100 38 98 37 99 37 97 36 96 36 91 33 87 31 100 38 Mean daily maximum F C 70 2 21 2 72 1 22 3 78 5 25 8 83 4 28 6 88 6 31 4 90 9 32 7 92 0 33 3 92 2 33 4 89 8 32 1 84 8 29 3 76 9 24 9 72 0 22 2 82 6 28 1 Mean daily minimum F C 41 8 5 4 44 3 6 8 50 0 10 0 54 8 12 7 62 5 16 9 69 6 20 9 71 7 22 1 72 3 22 4 69 5 20 8 60 9 16 1 51 1 10 6 45 4 7 4 57 8 14 3 Record low F C 16 9 19 7 26 3 30 1 45 7 57 14 65 18 63 17 54 12 32 0 28 2 15 9 15 9 Average precipitation inches mm 2 51 64 2 56 65 3 01 76 3 02 77 4 03 102 7 95 202 7 15 182 8 36 212 4 75 121 2 80 71 1 47 37 2 71 69 50 32 1 278 Average rainy days 0 01 in 7 2 6 9 6 9 5 1 7 8 16 0 16 5 17 8 11 9 7 3 4 5 7 0 114 9 Source NOAA 26 Demographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 1890490 1900218 55 5 191041088 1 192079894 6 19301 13442 1 19401 31215 7 19502 25471 8 19603 57858 7 19704 04513 1 19806 01948 8 199013 512124 5 200026 64297 2 201041 54255 9 202054 87332 1 U S Decennial Census 27 2010 and 2020 census edit Apopka racial composition Hispanics excluded from racial categories NH Non Hispanic Race Pop 2010 28 Pop 2020 29 2010 2020 White NH 20 553 20 860 49 48 38 02 Black or African American NH 8 147 13 615 19 61 24 81 Native American or Alaska Native NH 69 86 0 17 0 16 Asian NH 1 309 1 666 3 15 3 04 Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian NH 19 28 0 05 0 05 Some other race NH 147 456 0 35 0 83 Two or more races Multiracial NH 750 2 191 1 81 3 99 Hispanic or Latino any race 10 548 15 971 25 39 29 11 Total 41 542 54 873 As of the 2020 United States census there were 54 873 people 17 312 households and 12 822 families residing in the city 30 As of the 2010 United States census there were 41 542 people 14 739 households and 10 648 families residing in the city 31 2000 census edit As of the census of 2000 there were 26 642 people 9 562 households and 7 171 families residing in the city The population density was 1 108 1 inhabitants per square mile 427 8 km2 There were 10 091 housing units at an average density of 419 7 per square mile 162 0 km2 The racial makeup of the city was 73 85 White 15 56 African American 0 42 Native American 1 89 Asian 0 09 Pacific Islander 5 36 from other races and 2 83 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18 08 of the population In 2000 there were 9 562 households out of which 38 2 had children under the age of 18 living with them 55 8 were married couples living together 14 4 had a female householder with no husband present and 25 0 were non families 18 6 of all households were made up of individuals and 5 8 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 76 and the average family size was 3 13 In 2000 in the city the population was spread out with 28 2 under the age of 18 8 6 from 18 to 24 33 6 from 25 to 44 19 5 from 45 to 64 and 10 1 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 33 years For every 100 females there were 94 0 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90 1 males In 2000 the median income for a household in the city was 43 651 and the median income for a family was 49 380 Males had a median income of 32 177 versus 26 553 for females The per capita income for the city was 19 189 About 7 1 of families and 9 5 of the population were below the poverty line including 12 6 of those under age 18 and 9 7 of those age 65 or over Education editForest Lake Academy a Seventh day Adventist high school Apopka is served by Orange County Public Schools with two high schools Apopka High School and Wekiva High School University of Florida s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Mid Florida Research and Education Center is located in Apopka The Golf Academy of America Altamonte Campus a 2 year golf college is located in Apopka Christian Learning Academy is a private K 12 school offering varsity athletics music programs and Model United Nations Healthcare editThere is only one hospital in Apopka Florida and that is AdventHealth Apopka 32 Notable people editAutomobile racing edit Fireball Roberts race car driver 33 34 35 Wayne Taylor owner Wayne Taylor Racing winner of 1996 and 2005 24 Hours of Daytona 2005 Rolex Series 36 Baseball edit Ray Goolsby war veteran Washington Senators in Chattanooga TN Zack Greinke Baseball All Star 2009 2014 MLB ERA leader 2009 Gold Glove Award 2014 Silver Slugger Award 2013 and 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner Basketball edit Joel Berry II basketball player for the University of North Carolina 37 Joe Chealey Basketball Player 38 Economics edit Glenn Hubbard dean Columbia University Graduate School of Business 39 Government edit John H Land longest serving full time city mayor 34 Bryan Richey member of the Tennessee House of Representatives Arts edit Brad Linaweaver science fiction writer film producer and screenwriter magazine publisher Football edit Steve Baylark NFL running back 40 Rogers Beckett Jr former NFL safety for the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals 41 Alan Gendreau football placekicker at Middle Tennessee State 42 Brandon Meriweather former NFL defensive back 43 Jalen Carter Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Tackle 44 Warren Sapp All Pro NFL defensive lineman 45 Sammie Smith former NFL running back for the Miami Dolphins and the Denver Broncos 46 Renardo Green Cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers 47 Gaming edit Justin McGrath professional Super Smash Bros Melee player 48 Infamous edit Michael Larson Press Your Luck Scandal winner of 110 237 in 1984 49 Inventor edit Richard Borg board game designer Music edit Scott Stapp member of multi mega hit rock group Creed singer and songwriter grew up in Apopka John Anderson country singer 50 Sawyer Brown country music band founded in Apopka 51 Jonathan Cain member of multi mega hit rock group Journey multi instrumentist and songwriter resides in Apopka Jerry Lawson lead singer of The Persuasions 52 Pat Travers tours from records and resides in Apopka Boxing weightlifting and wrestling edit Christy Martin American world champion boxer resided in Apopka for many years and operated a boxing school Mattie Rogers Olympic Weightlifter Monty Sopp professional wrestler former WWF E 53 Apopka in art editLiterature edit Apopka is referenced in Zora Neale Hurston s famous novel Their Eyes Were Watching God Apopka is referenced in Eddie C Brown s autobiographical book Beating the Odds Eddie Brown s Investing and Life Strategies History of the greater Apopka and Central Florida area is detailed in William Gladden Jr s book The Pennings of Perrine Slim Stories of Northwest Orange County Florida 54 Included are 100 pictures of the area most by Dr Phyllis Olmstead Olmstead Publishing History of Apopka and Northwest Orange County Florida by Jerrell H Shofner 1982 Rose Printing Apopka Historical Society Tales of the Big Potato by Jack Christmas 2011 New Book Publishing Reprint Olmstead Publishing 35 Apopka Images of America photos of the Apopka area 2004 Apopka Historical Society Film edit Apopka takes place in and is prominently featured in Johannes Grenzfurthner s horror drama Masking Threshold that premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2021 References edit a b c U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Apopka Florida US Gazetteer files 2010 2000 and 1990 United States Census Bureau February 12 2011 Retrieved April 23 2011 a b Orange County Misc Book No3 Apopka City Election Proceedings p 255 History of Apopka and Northwest Orange County Florida J Shofner Ed 1982 The History of Apopka Our History theapopkamuseum com 2020 U S Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau Retrieved October 31 2021 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved April 26 2015 Seminole Tribe of Florida Culture Language Semtribe com Archived from the original on December 5 2012 Retrieved December 18 2012 City of Apopka Home Apopka net July 1 2006 Archived from the original on December 19 2012 Retrieved December 18 2012 Stephen Hudak April 11 2015 World s foliage capital planting different seeds of growth these days Orlando Sentinel Retrieved June 21 2020 United States Postal Service Postmaster Finder United States Postal Service 2017 Retrieved November 30 2017 History of Apopka and Northwest Orange County Florida J Shofner Ed 1982 Dowdell v City of Apopka Fla 511 F Supp 1375 M D Fla 1981 Justia Law Retrieved November 4 2022 McKay Rich January 1 2010 Land returned as mayor as election qualifying ends Orlando Sentinel Retrieved December 18 2012 Hudak Stephen April 8 2014 First elected in 1949 93 year old Apopka mayor loses historic vote Orlando Sentinel Hudak Stephen April 23 2014 Apopka s new mayor seeks to build around city s inner Mayberry Orlando Sentinel Election Results Municipal Orange County PDF Orange County April 24 2018 Archived from the original PDF on August 31 2018 Retrieved August 31 2018 Slim Perrine 2015 The Pennings of Perrine Slim Stories of Northwest Orange County Florida USA ISBN 978 1 934194 27 0 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link The Apopka Chief Newspaper Latest Apopka news sports events The Apopka Chief Newspaper The Museum of the Apopkans vertical files Shofner Jerrell 1982 History of Apopka and Northwest Orange County Florida Apopka USA ASIN B0020EV4XQ a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Florida Hospital Apopka sets opening date The Apopka Voice December 7 2017 Retrieved December 26 2019 Tracy Dan May 15 2009 John Land Apopka Expressway segment opens today Orlando Sentinel Wekiva Parkway Construction Updates Spear Kevin March 16 2018 Wekiva Parkway segment set to open into Lake County Orlando Sentinel Geographic Identifiers 2010 Demographic Profile Data G001 Apopka city Florida United States Census Bureau Retrieved September 20 2012 NOWData NOAA Online Weather Data National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 2015 Retrieved November 12 2015 U S Decennial Census Census gov Retrieved October 25 2023 P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE 2010 DEC Redistricting Data PL 94 171 Apopka city Florida United States Census Bureau P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE 2020 DEC Redistricting Data PL 94 171 Apopka city Florida United States Census Bureau S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES 2020 Apopka city Florida United States Census Bureau S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES 2010 Apopka city Florida United States Census Bureau Clampitt Cynthia March 11 2019 How AdventHealth Apopka Offers Multiple Foodservice Options in Minimum Space Foodservice Equipment Reports Retrieved August 4 2023 Hybl Dean July 3 2009 Remembering Fireball Roberts Winner Of Daytona s First Firecracker Race Bleacher Report a b Slim P 2015 The Pennings of Perrine Slim Stories of Northwest Orange County Florida a b Christmas Jack R 2011 Tales of the Big Potato Apopka FL New Book Publishing ISBN 9781936989294 Diaz George January 24 2014 Taylor made moment Father and sons competing in Rolex 24 Orlando Sentinel Joel Berry Sports Reference Hometown Apopka FL Joseph Chealey ESPN Segal David October 13 2012 Romney s Go To Economist The New York Times Glenn Hubbard was raised in Apopka Fla Friedell Nick December 15 2006 Former Apopka star Steve Baylark leads UMass in tonight s I AA title game Orlando Sentinel Rogers Beckett Profile NFL Born 1 31 1977 Apopka FL Branch John April 23 2013 A Potential Pioneer Just Looking for a Job The New York Times Gendreau has been openly gay since high school in Apopka Fla Hohler Bob Silva Steve March 10 2011 Relative says Brandon Meriweather was trying to break up fight Boston com the incident began at the Blue Jeans Lounge in Meriweather s hometown of Apopka Fla Jalen Carter 2021 Football University of Georgia Athletics Erlendsson July 31 2013 Miami recruited Sapp won over his mother Tampa Bay Times Archived from the original on October 1 2018 Retrieved October 1 2018 Thompson Jake April 5 2017 Oxford on the Move Sammie Smith is finding a purpose after prison The Oxford Eagle CB Renardo Green Gets the Draft Call at No 64 Overall 49ers Retrieved April 28 2024 via www youtube com Fruzzetti Ben June 11 2018 Smash Invitational 2018 player rundown Nintendo Wire Plup From Apopka Florida Crockett Zachary August 17 2016 The Man Who Got No Whammies Priceonomics When investigators finally tracked Larson to Apopka Florida in 1999 he d succumbed to throat cancer John Anderson Biography John Anderson Stokes Liz March 8 2018 Sawyer Brown Full Access Magazine Stallard Dave June 25 2015 Trail Mix Jerry Lawson Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine Billy Gunn Facebook Inman Jessica April 9 2015 Bill Gladden Jr For local history buff education was key Orlando Sentinel External links editOfficial website Apopka Chief Local newspaper nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Apopka Florida Portals nbsp North America nbsp United States nbsp Florida nbsp Cities Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Apopka Florida amp oldid 1221144667, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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