Green Cove Springs, Florida
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Green Cove Springs is a city located in Clay County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 5,378. It is the county seat of Clay CountyTemplate:GR.
The city is named after the portion of the St. Johns River upon which the city is built. The river bends here and the area is sheltered by trees that are perennially green.
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History
Green Cove Springs was founded in 1816 when a sawmill was built on a land grant from Spain. First inhabited over 7,000 years ago by natives drawn by the mineral springs, Green Cove Springs was established in 1854 as White Sulfur Springs. Renamed in 1866, it became the county seat in 1871.
Tourism was the primary economic base until the end of the century, when Henry Flagler's railroad began taking tourist further south into Florida. In 1895, a Great Freeze destroyed the areas citus crops, and tourism all but ended. The 1920s saw renewed development with automobile traffic bringing in tourists again. The Great Depression of the 1930s saw the end of growth again for the city.
During World War II, Green Cove Spring again saw growth when the US Navy opened the Benjamin Lee Auxiliary Air Field. After the war, the Navy constructed 13 piers along the St. Johns River to house a "Mothball Fleet" of some 600 vessels. In 1960, the Navy decommisoned the base and relocated the vessels. In 1984, the city annexed the former base into the city to utilize it for further growth and development as the Clay County Port and Reynolds Industrial Park.
Geography
FLMap-doton-GreenCoveSprings.PNG
Location of Green Cove Springs, Florida
Green Cove Springs is located at 29°59'34" North, 81°41'2" West (29.992716, -81.683786)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.5 km² (9.4 mi²). 17.7 km² (6.8 mi²) of it is land and 6.8 km² (2.6 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 27.83% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 5,378 people, 1,987 households, and 1,402 families residing in the city. The population density is 304.5/km² (789.0/mi²). There are 2,199 housing units at an average density of 124.5/km² (322.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 71.55% White, 24.40% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.34% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races. 5.08% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,987 households out of which 28.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% are married couples living together, 16.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% are non-families. 24.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.51 and the average family size is 2.96.
In the city the population is spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $33,487, and the median income for a family is $40,443. Males have a median income of $28,097 versus $22,040 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,673. 19.1% of the population and 14.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 30.2% of those under the age of 18 and 13.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- City of Green Cove Springs (http://www.greencovesprings.com/) official site