Vero Beach, Florida
| Vero Beach, Florida | |
|---|---|
| City | |
| Nickname(s): Hibiscus City | |
| Motto: Where the Tropics Begin | |
 Location in Indian River County and the state of Florida | |
  Vero Beach, Florida Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 27°39′N 80°23′W / 27.650°N 80.383°WCoordinates: 27°39′N 80°23′W / 27.650°N 80.383°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State |
 Florida |
| County | Indian River |
| Settled | 1870 |
| Incorporated (Vero) | 1919 |
| Incorporated (Vero Beach) | 1925 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Commission-Manager |
| Area[1] | |
| • City | 12.93 sq mi (33.5 km2) |
| • Land | 11.07 sq mi (28.7 km2) |
| • Water | 1.85 sq mi (4.8 km2) 14.31% |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Population (2010 census) | |
| • City | 15,220 |
| • Metro | 130,100 |
| Census Bureau | |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 32960-32969 |
| Area code(s) | 772 |
| FIPS code | 12-74150[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0292760[3] |
| Website | http://www.covb.org |
Vero Beach is a city and the seat of Indian River County, Florida, in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 data, the city had a population of 15,220.[4]
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 793 | — | |
| 1930 | 2,268 | 186.0% | |
| 1940 | 3,050 | 34.5% | |
| 1950 | 4,746 | 55.6% | |
| 1960 | 8,849 | 86.5% | |
| 1970 | 11,908 | 34.6% | |
| 1980 | 16,176 | 35.8% | |
| 1990 | 17,350 | 7.3% | |
| 2000 | 17,705 | 2.0% | |
| 2010 | 15,220 | −14.0% | |
| Est. 2014 | 16,017 | [5] | 5.2% |
As of the 2010 census,[2][7] there were 15,220 people, 7,505 households, and 3,946 families residing in the city. There were 10,258 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 87.5% White, 4.8% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 3.7% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.7% of the population.
There were 7,505 households out of which 16.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.4% were non-families. 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older with 4.8% being 85 years and older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.65.
In the city the population was spread out with 14.1% under the age of 16, 84.1% over 18, 4.3% from 15 to 19, 4.9% from 20 to 24, 5.5% from 20 to 25 and 29.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.9 years.
For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. The population consists of 51.3% female and 48.7% male.
Geography
Climate
Vero Beach has a mild climate, with an average temperature of 72.7 °F, with an annual high temperature of 81.4 °F and an annual low temperature of 64 °F.[8]
History
Pre-columbian
A neolithic skull was discovered in 1915. It has since been misplaced but appears to represent a culture from 11 to 14,000 years ago, with 13,000 years ago as the most likely timeframe.[9]
Post Columbian
In 1872 Captain Allen W. Estes officially established the first land patent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon.
In 1893 Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway began operation through the area.
Vero Beach became chartered as an official town in 1919.
When Indian River County is formed in 1925, Vero Beach became the county seat.
During the war year of 1942 the U.S. Navy selected 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) surrounding the Vero Beach Municipal Airport as the site of a Naval Air Station. It was commissioned November.
In 1951 Barber Bridge was built from mainland to barrier islands. It was later demolished and replaced in 1995 with the Merrill P. Barber Bridge.
In 1957 Piper Aircraft began research and development in Vero Beach. In 1961 Piper Aircraft moved administrative and manufacturing operations to Vero after completing building additions.
In 1965 the A1A bridge over the Sebastian Inlet connected the two barrier islands.
Economy
Industry
Vero Beach is home to general aviation manufacturer Piper Aircraft, which is the largest private employer in Indian River County. As of July 2015, Piper employed approximately 750 people. Aside from Piper, the bulk of commercial activity in Vero Beach centers around tourism, the citrus industry and service activities.
Top employers
According to Vero Beach's 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[10] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian River County School District | 2,013 |
| 2 | Indian River Medical Center | 1,608 |
| 3 | Indian River County | 1,354 |
| 4 | Publix | 1,006 |
| 5 | Piper Aircraft | 700 |
| 6 | Sebastian River Medical Center | 569 |
| 7 | John's Island | 550 |
| 8 | City of Vero Beach | 451 |
| 9 | VNA of the Treasure Coast | 399 |
| 10 | Indian River Estates | 350 |
Retail
There are two large shopping malls the Indian River Mall and the Fashion Outlet Mall just west of I-95 on State Road 60. There are small specialty shops along Ocean Drive on the barrier island and in what is called the "Miracle Mile." The Historic Downtown is a newly revitalized area of shopping, dining, antique stores and art galleries.
Tourism
Points of interest
Beaches
The beaches in Vero Beach are part of Florida's Treasure Coast. Vero's three main public beaches are South Beach, accessible at the eastern end of State Road 656 at the eastern end of 17th Street; Humiston Park, in Vero's Central Beach Business District on Ocean Drive and Jaycee Park which is adjacent to Conn Beach. These beaches are lifeguard protected from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. There are 26 miles of oceanfront shore in Indian River County. Vero Beach also has other free public access trails and walkways with beach access, such as Riomar Beach, Sea Cove, Sea Grape Trail, Sexton Plaza, and Turtle Trail.
Water recreation in the Indian River Lagoon
The Indian River Lagoon, passing through Vero Beach, forms a significant portion of the Intracoastal Waterway, and is a hub for boating, fishing, water skiing, diving, kayaking and other small-craft waterborne activities.
Resorts
Disney's Vero Beach Resort is located in Vero Beach.
Costa dè Este is located in Vero Beach.
Vero Beach Hotel & Spa is located in Vero Beach
The Driftwood Resort is located in Vero Beach.
National Register of Historic Places
- Driftwood Inn
- Hallstrom House
- Old Indian River County Courthouse
- Judge Henry F. Gregory House
- Maher Building
- McKee Jungle Gardens
- Old Palmetto Hotel
- Pueblo Arcade
- Royal Park Arcade
- Theodore Hausmann Estate
- Old Vero Beach Community Building
- Vero Beach Diesel Power Plant
- Vero Beach Woman's Club
- Vero Railroad Station
- Vero Theatre
Infrastructure
Transportation
Bus
Vero Beach is served by GoLine Bus routes.[11]
Rail
The Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) mainline bisects Vero Beach, with an active team track in town serving a lumber/building products customer.
Notable people
- Fred Barnes, journalist, editor of The Weekly Standard and Fox News host[12]
- Lake Bell, actress, attended school in Vero Beach[13]
- Alex Cobb, pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, attended Vero Beach High School
- Gloria Estafan,a Cuban singer, has a house and owns a hotel in Vero Beach [14]
- Tom Fadden (1895-1980), actor[15]
- Prince Fielder, professional baseball player[16]
- Calvin Souther Fuller, inventor of the solar cell, died 1994[17]
- Carl Hiaasen, journalist, novelist, and author of children's books[18]
- Ivan Lendl, former professional tennis player[19]
- Debbie Mayfield, Florida state representative[20]
- F. James McDonald (1922–2010), former president and chief operating officer of General Motors.[21]
- Alison Mosshart, lead singer of The Kills and The Dead Weather[22]
- Jake Owen, country music singer-songwriter, graduate of Vero Beach High School, 1999[23][24]
- Peter George Peterson, co-founder, Blackstone Group[25]
- Albert Reed, model, 2007 Dancing with the Stars competitor, actor, graduate of Vero Beach High School, 2003[26]
- Priscilla Renea, singer-songwriter signed to Capitol Records,debut album entitled "Jukebox" released in 2009[27]
- Norman Sas, inventor of Electric football[28]
- Parvati Shallow, winner of Survivor: Micronesia, runner-up in Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains[29]
- Bryan Stork, professional football player for the New England Patriots of the NFL.
- Roscoe Tanner, former professional tennis player[30]
- Jennifer Welter, professional football player and first female to coach a men's professional football team, current linebacker and special teams coach for the Texas Revolution of Champions Indoor Football, and current preseason coaching intern for the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL, was born in Vero Beach
Education
Public schools
The Indian River County School District operates the following public schools:[31]
- Vero Beach High School The first high school founded in Vero Beach. grades 9–12
- Indian River Charter High School. Charter school, grades 9–12
- Alternative Center for Education. Public · grades 5–12
- Rosewood Magnet School. grades pre-K-5
- Imagine South Vero, Charter school, grades K-8
Private schools
- St. Helen Catholic School[32]
- Saint Edward's School. Independent College Preparatory in Episcopal School Tradition · grades pre-K-12
- Anderson Academy. Private · grades 8–12
- Masters Academy. Private · grades pre-K-12
- Tabernacle Baptist Christian School. Private · grades K-12
- SunCoast School, Private · grades pre-K-8
Colleges
- Indian River State College – Mueller Campus
References
- ↑ "Florida by Place. Population, Housing, Area, and Density: 2000". US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
- 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ US Census bureau. "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010". Retrieved 1 August 2012.
- ↑ "Climate Vero Beach - Florida and Weather averages Vero Beach". www.usclimatedata.com. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
- ↑ Brotemarkle, Ben (March 8, 2016). "New discoveries found at Vero Beach cite". Florida Today (Melbourne, Florida). pp. 7A. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ↑ City of Vero Beach CAFR
- ↑ http://www.golineirt.com/
- ↑ "Home Alone". The Weekly Standard. June 11, 2001. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
- ↑ Lake Bell - Biography - IMDb
- ↑ Q&A: Gloria Estefan on her Florida hotels - USATODAY.com
- ↑
- ↑ Santucci, Jon (March 17, 2012). "Fielder's career path takes him from St. Edward's to the Tigers » TCPalm.com". Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
Fielder, who lived briefly in Vero Beach growing up, spoke with Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers about his memories of St. Edward's high school, his offseason and his new team.
- ↑ "SOLAR CELL INVENTOR DIES". Palm Beach Post. 2 November 1994.
- ↑ Goodnow, Cecelia (September 29, 2005). "Carl Hiaasen relishes reachinga new generation of greenies". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
Hiaasen said by phone from his home in Vero Beach, Fla.
- ↑ Potter, Jerry (December 7, 2006). "Fatherhood, golf keep Lendl busy". USA Today. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
He lives with his family in Florida, splitting time between Vero Beach and Bradenton
- ↑ "Florida House of Representatives – Debbie Mayfield". Florida House of Representatives. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
City of Residence: Vero Beach
- ↑ via Associated Press. "F. James McDonald, Former G.M. President, Is Dead at 87", The New York Times, June 15, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
- ↑ RIEMENSCHNEIDER, Chris (July 28, 2009). "Weather front: An interview with Alison Mosshart". Star Tribune. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
having spent her childhood in Vero Beach, Fla., where she fronted an emo-ish punk band
- ↑ Isenberg, Barbara (December 14, 2007). "Country music star comes home to Vero Beach". My Hometown News. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
- ↑ "Jake Owen biography". Great American Country. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
- ↑ American legacy: the story of John & Caroline Kennedy – Clemens David Heymann. Google Books. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
- ↑ Vero Beach Press Journal (August 13, 2005) Good for you. Section: Today on the Treasure Coast; Page E8.
- ↑ Kaufman, Gil. "Jukebox". Priscilla Renea's Jukebox on the Link. MTV. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
- ↑ Yardley, William (July 12, 2012). "Norman Sas, Inventor of Electric Football, Dies at 87". New York Times. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
- ↑ Harris, Bill. "CANOE – JAM! Television – TV Shows – Survivor: 'Survivor' gal sexy & Shallow". Canoe.ca. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
- ↑ Roscoe Tanner, Ex-Tennis Star, Says He's Trying to Change New York Times, February 13, 2012.
- ↑ "Contact Us." Indian River County School District. Retrieved March 3, 2012. "1990 25th St., Vero Beach FL 32960"
- ↑ Welcome to St. Helen Catholic School
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vero Beach, Florida. |
 |
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Vero Beach. |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|