Maitland, Florida

Maitland is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States, part of the Greater Orlando area. The population was 19,543 at the 2020 census. The area's history is exhibited at the Maitland Historical Museum; the city also hosts the Maitland Art Center, as well as notable examples of Mayan Revival architecture and Fantasy architecture, the Maitland Telephone Museum, and the William H. Waterhouse House Museum (all museums and the Maitland Art Center are now managed by Art & History Museums of Maitland). A SunRail station is located in Maitland on Highway 17–92. The city is named for Fort Maitland.

History

Maitland is one of the oldest incorporated suburban municipalities in central Florida. The area was previously inhabited by Timucuan Native Americans. The town was originally named for a nearby Lake, which honored Captain William Seton Maitland, who fought in the Second Seminole Indian War, and was slain in the Battle of Wahoo Swamp. A small military outpost was built in 1838 on the western shore of Lake Fumecheliga (later Lake Maitland) during the Second Seminole War. After the Civil War, new residents arrived in the area. Christopher Columbus Beasley, perhaps the first permanent settler, arrived at Lake Maitland in 1871. A post office opened on January 2 of the next year and operated in his home. Around this post office, a small town grew. In the closing decades of the nineteenth century the area was put into extensive citrus production.

Lake Maitland was incorporated as a town in 1885, the third such town in Orange County to do so. In its infancy, Lake Maitland was often characterized as a rural village, with streets lined with large oak trees planted by early town aldermen. However, the old town began to rapidly modernize as Orlando's suburban sprawl reached the town in the mid-1920s. During this period the town grew rapidly as new houses and roads were built.

One of the town's pioneers, citrus grower Isaac Vanderpool, became mayor and developed a plan to remove the community's growing black population by helping to organize the separate community that became Eatonville, Florida.

In 1959, Maitland was incorporated as a city. Maitland is a suburb of Orlando. The town's "historical corridor" encompasses old residences still standing and occupied in the Lake Lily-Lake Catherine area and extending through the central portion of the city. Examples of these century-old structures include the Church of the Good Shepherd (1883); the William H. Waterhouse House (1884); the Maitland Public Library (1907); and the Maitland Art Center (1937). The area has always been a vacation spot because of its climate, location to theme parks and people. Maitland has many picturesque parks along lakes, which attract many boaters.

Geography

Maitland is located at (28.626926, −81.366961).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (17.84%) is water. The city of Maitland has a total of 21 lakes, the largest being Lake Maitland (451 acres).

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,543 people, 7,510 households, and 4,422 families residing in the city.

In 2020, there were 7,510 households, out of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.93.

In 2020, in the city, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 40.8% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 88 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

In 2020, the median income for a household in the city was $79,821, and the median income for a family was $100,978. Males had a median income of $53,542 versus $30,256 for females. The per capita income for the city was $49,378. About 8.7% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 15,751 people, 6,274 households, and 3,818 families residing in the city.

Economy

The Maitland Center was established in 1982 adjacent to Interstate 4. Today its include over 400 businesses and over 45 office buildings.

Worldwide Brands has its headquarters in Maitland.

Other local employers include:
* Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q
* Fidelity Integrated Financial Solutions
* Charles Schwab Corporation
* The Timothy Plan, a Christian-oriented investing firm.

SunRail, the regional commuter rail service, operates a passenger rail station in Maitland. The first segment of the system (between DeBary and Sand Lake Road in Orange County) began operations on May 1, 2014.

Culture and recreation

Maitland is home to the nationally recognized and Central Florida's only full-time independent movie theater, Enzian Theater, in turn home to the Florida Film Festival. Maitland is also home to the Art & History Museums – Maitland, including the Maitland Art Center (formerly the Research Studio, 1937), which is a designated a National Historic Landmark (2014) for its unique Mayan Revival and Fantasy architecture; the Maitland Historical Museum; the Maitland Telephone Museum; the William H. Waterhouse House Museum, also listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and the Carpentry Shop Museum. Maitland is also home to The Roth Family Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando, which serves as the center of Jewish life in Orlando and welcomes people of all backgrounds.

In August 2005 the Maitland Little League team made it to the semifinals of the 2005 Little League World Series.

Notable people

* Dante Bichette, former MLB player
* Chip Caray, TBS's lead play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Braves and the number two play-by-play man for college football on WTBS
* Jazzy Danziger, winner of the Brittingham Prize in Poetry
* Jan Fortune, former state representative
* Buddy Morrow, leader of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
* John M. Pierce, writer on and promoter of amateur telescope making
* J. Andre Smith, artist and architect; founder of the Research Studio (now known as the Maitland Art Center)
* Mike Stanley, former MLB player

Education

Orange County Public Schools operates public schools in Maitland.
* Dommerich Elementary School
* Lake Sybelia Elementary School
* Maitland Middle School

Private schools include:
* Maitland Montessori School
* Jewish Academy of Orlando
* Orangewood Christian School
* Park Maitland School
* King of Kings Lutheran School (K3–8)

Institutions of higher education include:
* Everglades University
* University of Phoenix-Orlando

Museums and libraries

* Maitland Historical Museum
* Telephone Museum
* Waterhouse Carpentry Museum

Maitland Public Library

The city of Maitland has its own library, independent of the Orange County Library System. The Maitland Public Library is a non-profit organization that originated in 1896, with a donation of 360 books housed in the home of a local teacher. As the collection grew, it moved to a small local storefront open once a week. In 1907, residents worked to develop plans and gather funds to construct a designated library building. Less than a year later in 1908, the Maitland Public Library was officially opened.

Multiple additions have been made to the building, but the Maitland Public Library has continued to operate from the same location for over 100 years. However, the library is currently preparing to move to a new, larger building, garnering support through the Maitland Public Library Project. In 2024, Maitland voters approved a $14 million dollar plan to build the updated, 20,000 square foot library facility. The current building is 12,300 square feet. Architectural design is currently underway, and there is not yet a date for expected completion.

Today, the library has over 96,000 items in its collections. It offers Maitland residents a variety of items for check-out, including a large selection of e-books and audiobooks. Special collections include an Audubon Collection, and Library of Things. The library also offers free classes and events.

The Maitland Public Library is run by a director and a board of trustees. The current director is Stacie A. Larson.

Points of interest

* Maitland Art Center
* Enzian Theater
* Lake Maitland
* William H. Waterhouse House
* Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando
* Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida
* Audubon Center for Birds of Prey
* Howell Branch Nature Preserve and Park
* Lake Lily – Location for the Maitland Art Festival
* Lake Minnehaha
* Lake Sybelia
* Maitland Community Park
* Maitland Farmer's Market
* Quinn Strong Park

References

External links

City of Maitland official website

Maitland Public Library

Art & History Museums - Maitland

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Cities in Orange County, Florida
Cities in Florida