North Port is a city located in
Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota County is a county located in Southwest Florida. At the 2020 US census, the population was 434,006. Its county seat is Sarasota and its largest city is North Port. Sarasota County is part of the North Port–Sarasota–Bradenton, FL ...
, United States. The population was 74,793 at the
2020 US Census.
It is part of the North Port–
Bradenton
Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698.
History
Late 18th and early 19th centuries
A settlement established by Maroons or escaped sl ...
–
Sarasota
Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sout ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
. It was originally developed by
General Development Corporation
General Development Corporation, also known as GDC, was a land development company in Florida. General Development Corporation would be created in 1958 after a merger between Florida Canada Corporation and the Mackle Bros.
Origins and history ...
as the northern / Sarasota County portion of its
Port Charlotte development, the other portion located in the adjacent
Charlotte County. GDC dubbed the city ''North Port Charlotte'', and it was incorporated under that name through a special act of the Florida Legislature in 1959. By referendum in 1974, the city's residents approved a change to its name as ''North Port'', dropping ''Charlotte'' from its name to proclaim the city as a separate identity. It is home to the
Little Salt Spring
Little Salt Spring is an archaeological and paleontological site in North Port, Florida. The site has been owned by the University of Miami since 1980 with research performed there by the university's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric ...
, an archaeological and paleontological site owned by the
University of Miami
The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, incl ...
.
History
Archaeological digs at the
Little Salt Spring
Little Salt Spring is an archaeological and paleontological site in North Port, Florida. The site has been owned by the University of Miami since 1980 with research performed there by the university's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric ...
show that what is now North Port was inhabited by pre-Columbian Native Americans. Evidence of their existence includes projectile points, a carved oak mortar, and a piece of a nonreturnable wooden
boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...
.
In 1954, the
Mackle Brothers The Mackle brothers - Elliott, Robert and Frank Jr. - were a group of three brothers who were real estate developers. They would popularize selling land in planned communities through installment plans in Florida creating several communities in the ...
started the
General Development Corporation
General Development Corporation, also known as GDC, was a land development company in Florida. General Development Corporation would be created in 1958 after a merger between Florida Canada Corporation and the Mackle Bros.
Origins and history ...
with the intention of selling property in Florida to northerners. Not only would they plat and sell a majority of what is now North Port, the company's employees served on the city's first council. The city itself was incorporated in 1959.
After
Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ian was a large and destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane that was the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. Ian caused widespread damage across western Cuba and the southeast Unit ...
hit Florida in 2022, North Port would experience flooding.
Geography
North Port is a municipality containing large-scale residential subdivisions along with an extensive network of streets. The municipality has annexed nearby locales, including the area known as
Warm Mineral Springs, the location of a notable
artesian spring
An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing groundwater under positive pressure. An artesian aquifer has trapped water, surrounded by layers of impermeable rock or clay, which apply positive pressure to the water contained within th ...
, as well as its own significant residential subdivision.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (4.40%) is water.
Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park
Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park is a heavily wooded park in North Port, Florida, north of Interstate 75.
History
In the 1970s and 1980s, new residential subdivisions were being built in North Port with development by General Development Co ...
is in North Port.
Demographics
As of the
2020 US Census, there were 74,793 people and 25,592 households residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . The racial makeup of the city was 87.5%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 6.3%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.1%
Native American, 2.1%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, and 3.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 8.5% of the population.
Of the 25,592 households, 4.8% of the population were under 5 years old, 18.6% were under 18 years old, and 26.7% were 65 years and older. 52.5% of the population was female.
The median income for a household in the city was $64,543. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $34,514. About 7.0% of people were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
.
Economy
North Port is the
Spring Training home for the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
, who hold
extended spring training in North Port.
Arts and culture
In 1960, the
American Police Hall of Fame & Museum was opened in North Port. The opening ceremony included remarks from the then Presidential candidate
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
. The museum has since relocated, first to Miami, and then to the present location in Titusville, Florida.
In 2007, the North Port Art Guild leased a building from the city and established the North Port Art Center. The center hosts exhibits as well as classes.
Government
North Port has a city commission/city manager form of government.
The current city manager is A. Jerome Fletcher, II. The city commission has five members. The mayor/vice mayor roles are voted upon annually from the commission ranks. The current commission includes Commissioner Pete Emrich (District 4), mayor Barbara Langdon (District 2), Commissioner Phil Stokes (District 5), Commissioner Debbie McDowell (District 3) and Vice-Mayor Alice White (District 1).
The city of North Port has its own police force, fire department, and waste management. City Hall of North Port is located at 4970 City Hall Boulevard.
Education
North Port has five elementary schools, one public charter school, two middle schools, one high school, and one college
North Port, FL : Education
/ref> operated by Sarasota County Public Schools
The District School Board of Sarasota, commonly known as Sarasota County Schools, is a public school district serving all of Sarasota County, Florida. As of 2017, the total number of students is approximately 43,150.
The school district's leader ...
.
* Toledo Blade Elementary School (K–5)
* Glenallen Elementary School (K–5)
* Cranberry Elementary School (K–5)
* Atwater Elementary School (K–5)
* Lamarque Elementary School (K–5)
* Imagine School at North Port (K–12)
* Heron Creek Middle School (6–8)
* Woodland Middle School (6–8)
* North Port High School (9–12)
* Suncoast Technical College
References
External links
City of North Port
{{Authority control
Cities in Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota metropolitan area
Cities in Florida
Ukrainian communities in the United States
Populated places established in 1959
1959 establishments in Florida