There is archeological evidence, from about 12,000 years ago, of the presence of Paleo-Indians in the Gainesville area, although it is not known if there were any permanent settlements.[8] A Deptford culture campsite existed in Gainesville and was estimated to have been used between 500 BCE and 100 CE.[9] The Deptford people moved south into Paynes Prairie and Orange Lake during the first century and evolved into the Cades Pond culture.[10] The Deptford people who remained in the Gainesville area were displaced by migrants from southern Georgia sometime in the seventh century.[10] These migrants evolved into the Alachua culture and they built their burial mound on top of the Deptford culture campsite.[9] When Europeans made first contact in the area, the Potano lived in the area. They were descendants of the Alachua culture people.[11] European contact diminished the numbers of native peoples (through disease, enslavement, war) and Spanish colonists began cattle ranching in the Paynes Prairie area in the 18th century. The Spanish ceded Florida to the US in 1821.[12]
Gainesville was established in 1854 and named after Edmund P. Gaines.[13][14] The town of Gainesville was incorporated in 1869[15] and chartered as a city in 1907.[16] The University of the State of Florida was moved from Lake City to Gainesville in 1906 and its name was simplified to University of Florida in 1909.[16][17]
Geography
Gainesville is located at 29°39'55" North, 82°20'10" West (29.665245, −82.336097),[18] which is roughly the same latitude as Houston, Texas. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 62.4 square miles (161.6 km2), of which 61.3 square miles (158.8 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) is water. The total area is 1.74% water.[19]
Gainesville's tree canopy is both dense and species rich, including broadleaf evergreens, conifers, and deciduous species; the city has been recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation every year since 1982 as a "Tree City, USA". A 2016 ecological assessment indicates Gainesville's urban tree canopy covers 47 percent of its land area.[20]
Gainesville is surrounded by rural area, including the 21,000-acre (8,500 ha) wilderness of Paynes Prairie on its southern edge. The city is characterized by its medium size and central location, about two hours' driving time from either Jacksonville or Orlando, three hours from Tampa, and six hours from either Atlanta or Miami. The area is dominated by the University of Florida,[21] which in 2008 was the third-largest university by enrollment in the US,[22] and as of 2021 was the fourth-largest.
Climate
Gainesville's climate is defined as humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa), with tropical-like summers, warm to hot shoulder seasons, and mild winters. Due to its inland location, Gainesville experiences wide temperature fluctuations, and it is part of USDA Plant hardiness zone 9a.[23] During the hot season, from roughly May 15 to September 30, the city's climate is similar to the rest of the state, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms and high humidity. Average temperatures range from the low 70s (21–23 °C) at night to around 91 °F (33 °C) during the day.
In the cool season, Gainesville experiences 15 nights of temperatures at freezing or below and sustained freezes every few years. The all-time record low of 6 °F (−14 °C) was reached on February 13, 1899,[24] and the city experienced light snow and freezing rain on Christmas Eve, 1989. Traces of snow were also recorded in 1977,[25] 1996, 2010[26] and 2016.[27] The daily average temperature in January is 54.8 °F (12.7 °C); on average, the window for freezing temperatures is December 4 to February 24, allowing a growing season of 282 days, although the 1949-50 winter season did not record a freeze.[28] Like the rest of the state, cold temperatures are almost always accompanied by clear skies and high pressure systems; snow is therefore rare. Temperatures reaching 100 °F (38 °C) or falling below 20 °F (−7 °C) are rare, having respectively last occurred on June 4, 2019, and January 11, 2010.
The city's flora and fauna are also distinct from coastal regions of the state, and include many deciduous species, such as dogwood, maple, hickory and sweet gum, alongside palms, live oaks, and other evergreens. This allows the city to enjoy brief periods of fall color in late November and December and a noticeable, prolonged spring from mid-February through early April. This is a generally pleasant period, as colorful blooms of azalea and redbud complement a cloudless blue sky, for this is also the period of the lowest precipitation and lowest humidity. The city averages 48.31 inches (1,230 mm) of rain per year. June through September accounts for most annual rainfall, while autumn and early winter is the driest period.
Mixed-use student housing (left side) along US 441, viewed from the near the main entrance to the University of Florida (bottom left)Gainesville's DowntownAlachua County Courthouse Family and Civil Justice Center
Since the 1990s, suburban sprawl has been a concern for a majority of the city commissioners. The "New Urbanization" plan to gentrify the area between historic Downtown and the University of Florida may slow the growth of suburban sectors and spark a migration toward upper-level apartments in the inner city. The area immediately north of the university is also seeing active redevelopment. Many gentrification plans rely on tax incentives that have sparked controversy[31] and are sometimes unsuccessful. University Corners, which would not have been proposed without a $98 million tax incentive program by the city,[32] was to be "a crowning jewel of the city's redevelopment efforts",[33] 450 condos and hotel units and 98,000 square feet (9,100 m2) of retail space in eight stories covering three city blocks,[34] on 3.4 acres (1.4 ha) purchased for $15.5 million.[35] 19 thriving businesses[31] were demolished in April 2007,[35] but in May 2008 deposit checks were refunded to about 105 people who reserved units,[36] and in July 2008 developers spent "$120,000 to beautify the site, so we won't have this ugly green fence".[35]
Gainesville's east side houses the majority of the city's African-American community, while the west side consists of the mainly student and White resident communities. West of the city limits are large-scale planned communities, most notably Haile Plantation, which was built on the site of its eponymous former plantation.
The destruction of the city's landmark Victorian courthouse in the 1960s, which some considered unnecessary, brought the idea of historic preservation to the community's attention. The bland county building that replaced the grand courthouse became known to some locals as the "air conditioner". Additional destruction of the downtown area's historic buildings has left a small handful of older buildings, like the Hippodrome State Theatre, at one time a federal building. However, revitalization of the city's core has picked up, and the city is replacing many parking lots and underutilized buildings with infill development and near-campus housing that blend with existing historic structures. There is a proposal to rebuild a replica of the old courthouse on a parking lot one block from the original location.
Helping in this effort are the number of areas and buildings added to the National Register of Historic Places. Dozens of examples of restored Victorian and Queen Anne style residences constructed in the city's agricultural heyday of the 1880s and 1890s can be found in the following districts:
Additionally, the University of Florida Campus Historic District, consisting of 11 buildings and 14 contributing properties, lies within the city's boundaries. Most of the buildings in the Campus Historic District are constructed in variations of Collegiate Gothic architecture, which returned to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Historic structures on the Register in and around downtown are:
Gainesville, Florida – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 141,085 people, 51,180 households, and 18,972 families residing in the city.[44]
Children under 18 years of age numbered 19,897 in 2020, comprising 14.1% of the population, and people 65 years or over were estimated at 14,245, or 10.8% of the population.[45]
In 2015–2019, the estimated median household income was $37,264 and the per capita income was $23,018.[46]
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 124,354 people, 48,800 households, and 19,478 families residing in the city.[47]
Numerous guides, such as the 2004 Cities Ranked and Rated: More than 400 Metropolitan Areas Evaluated in the U.S. and Canada, have mentioned Gainesville's low cost of living. The restaurants near the University of Florida also tend to be inexpensive. The property taxes are high to offset the cost of the university, as the university's land is tax-exempt, but the median home cost is slightly below the national average, and Gainesville residents, like all Floridians, do not pay state income taxes.
The city's job market scored only 6 out of a possible 100 points in the Cities Ranked and Rated guide, as the downside to the low cost of living is an extremely weak local job market that is oversupplied with college-educated residents. Gainesville's median income is slightly below the U.S. average.
Gainesville heavily promoted solar power by creating the first feed-in tariff (FIT) in the United States. The FIT allowed small businesses and homeowners to supply electricity into the municipal power grid and paid a premium for the clean, on-site generated solar electricity. The FIT started with a rate of $0.32 per kilowatt-hour and allowed a person or business to enter into a 20-year contract where Gainesville Regional Utilities would purchase the power for 20 years.[50] The FIT ended in 2013,[51] when the rate was set at $0.18 per kWh, but the city is still seen as a leader in solar power. This increase in solar installations put Gainesville at number 5 in the world in solar installed per capita, beating Japan, France, China and all of the US.[52]
The sports drink Gatorade was invented in Gainesville in the 1960s to help refresh the UF football team. UF still receives a share of the profits from the beverage, roughly $20 million a year,[53] but Gatorade's headquarters are now in Chicago.
The city's economic engine is the University of Florida, which is by far the largest employer in the area and brings in a large amount of state and federal money. According to Gainesville's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[55] the top employers in the city are:
The entire county is within the Alachua County Public Schools school district,[56] which has 75 different institutions in the county, most in the Gainesville area. Gainesville is also home to the University of Florida and Santa Fe College. The University of Florida is a major financial boost to the community, and UF athletic events, including SEC football games, create hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional revenue.[citation needed] According to a 2019 study by the university's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the university contributed $16.9 billion to Florida's economy and was responsible for over 130,000 jobs in the 2017–2018 fiscal year.[57]
Desegregation
Gainesville's schools began desegregating in the 1960s and its high schools were integrated from 1968 to 1970, the "colored" schools having been either closed or integrated.[58]
Elementary schools
Boulware Springs Charter School
Caroline Beatrice Parker Elementary School
Chiles Elementary School
Duval Elementary School
Expressions Learning Arts Academy
Foster Elementary School
Glen Springs Elementary School
Hidden Oak Elementary School
Idylwilde Elementary School
Lake Forest Elementary School
Littlewood Elementary School
Meadowbrook Elementary School
WA Metcalfe Elementary School
Norton Knights Elementary School
Rawlings Elementary School
Talbot Elementary School
Terwilliger Elementary School
Wiles Elementary School
Williams Elementary School
Middle schools
Middle schools in the county run from 6th to 8th grades.
The legislative power of the city is vested in a city commission of seven members, one of whom is the mayor. The mayor and two other commissioners are elected at-large, while the other four are elected from single-member districts to represent a quarter of the city.[61]
The mayor is presiding officer of the city commission and has a voice and a vote in its proceedings but no veto power.[63] The current mayor is Harvey Ward, a registered Democrat who took office in 2023.
Municipal elections are nonpartisan and use a two-round system, i.e., if no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a runoff election ensues between the two candidates who received the most votes.[64]
The mayor and other commissioners are elected to a term the length of which is in transition;[65] in any case, neither the mayor nor any other commissioner may serve more than two consecutive terms, excepting following a partial term created by a vacancy. Mayoral terms are reckoned separately from terms as another commissioner, allowing a commissioner to serve more consecutive terms by alternating between the positions.[66]
Departments
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Law enforcement is provided by Gainesville Police Department, except on the University of Florida campus, which operates the University Police Department.
Fire protection within the city limits is provided by the Gainesville Fire Rescue, while the surrounding county is served by the Alachua County Fire Rescue. Alachua County Fire Rescue provides ambulance services for the whole county.
Municipal buildings
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2022)
Gainesville's city hall is at 200 E University Avenue.
Gainesville Police Department is at 545 NW 8th Avenue.
Transportation
Heading east on University Avenue, approaching 13th Street (US 441) intersection
In 2009, the Gainesville metropolitan statistical area (MSA) ranked seventh highest in the United States in percentage of commuters who biked to work (3.3 percent).[67]
I-75 runs northwest and southeast across the western edge of the city, with interchanges at SR 121/SR 331 (exit 382), SR 24 (exit 384), SR 26 (exit 387), and SR 222 (Exit 390).
US 441 is the main local north–south road through Gainesville. It runs on the eastern edge of the University of Florida. It is known to locals as 13th Street, before curving to the northwest and finally joining SR 20, converting into an additional hidden state road. At the intersection of SR 121, the DeSoto Trail moves from SR 121 to US 441.
SR 20 runs northwest and southeast through Gainesville. In east Gainesville, the road again becomes a stand-alone four-lane highway as it heads to Hawthorne, Interlachen, and Palatka. Northwest of Gainesville, SR 20 coincides with US 441 as a hidden state road through the town of Alachua before splitting at the fork a half-mile from downtown High Springs. SR 20 then coincides with US 27 as it heads to Fort White, Branford, Mayo, Perry, and Tallahassee.
SR 120 runs east and west through the city. Its western end is at the junction with US 441, its eastern end at the junction with SR 24.
SR 121 runs north and south on the western part of the city. The DeSoto Trail breaks away as SR 121 heads north to Lake Butler, Raiford, and Macclenny. Southward, it travels to Williston before reaching its terminus at Lebanon Station.
SR 222 runs east and west on the northern part of the city. Its western end of state maintenance is at the junction with I-75 before continuing as County Road 222 to County Road 241, while its eastern end is at the junction with SR 26 a few miles east of the Gainesville Regional Airport.
SR 331 runs northeast and southwest through the city. It also serves as a truck route for State Roads 24, 26, and 121. Despite skirting the Gainesville City Limits, SR 331 runs north and south as a four-lane divided rural highway.
The city's streets lie on a grid system, with four quadrants (NW, NE, SW and SE). All streets are numbered, except for a few major thoroughfares, many of which are named for the towns they lead to (such as Waldo Road (SR 24), Hawthorne Road (SR 20), Williston Road (SR 121/SR 331), Archer Road (also SR 24) and Newberry Road (SR 26)). Streets called Avenues, Places, Roads or Lanes (often remembered by use of the acronym "APRiL") generally run east–west, while other streets (including Streets, Drives, Terraces, and Ways) generally run north–south.
At one time, Gainesville had railroad lines extending in six directions and was served by several depots, one of which, the Seaboard Air Line Depot, survives and has been restored and lies in a city park. The earliest route reached the town in 1859. By 1938, traffic and business patterns changed, Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) had ended its Jacksonville-Waldo-Gainesville-Inverness-Tampa train and its Jacksonville-Waldo-Gainesville-Cedar Key train[68][69] and the less heavily used railroads were abandoned beginning in 1943. Some routes realigned, with the last trains running in the middle of Main Street in 1948.[70]
Passenger service by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) included: an overnight local train from Jacksonville, due south from Gainesville to Ocala, Clearwater and St. Petersburg and the West Coast Champion from New York City running on the same route during the daytime. Chicago service on the ACL's Dixie Flyer was furnished by a transfer at Jacksonville.[71] In 1967, upon the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad from the merger of ACL and SAL, the overnight local train through Gainesville was terminated.[72] However, by 1968, the Champion was diverted east via a route through Palatka and Orlando. The Jacksonville-Gainesville-Ocala-St. Petersburg route became a local section (SCL #93 south/#94 north).[73] Service into Gainesville ended at the end of April, 1971 at Amtrak's creation.[74]
By the 1980s, the only freight operator into the city was the Seaboard System (formerly the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, now merged into CSX).
According to the 2000 census, 5.25 percent of Gainesville residents commuted to work by bike, among the highest figures in the nation for a major population center.
Gainesville is known for its support of the visual arts. Each year, two large art festivals attract artists and visitors from all over the southeastern United States.[77]
The presence of a major university enhances the city's opportunities for cultural lifestyles. The University of Florida College of the Arts[79] is the umbrella college for the School of Music, School of Theatre and Dance, School of Art and Art History, and a number of other programs and centers including The University Galleries, the Center for World Art, and Digital Worlds. Collectively, the college offers many performance events and artist/lecture opportunities for students and the greater Gainesville community, the majority offered at little or no cost.
In April 2003, Gainesville became known as the "Healthiest Community in America" when it won the only "Gold Well City" award given by the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA).[80] Headed up by Gainesville Health & Fitness Centers, and with the support of Shands HealthCare and the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, 21 businesses comprising 60 percent of the city's workforce became involved in the "Gold Well City" effort. As of July 2011, Gainesville remained the only city in the country to win the award.
The counties surrounding Alachua County vote strongly Republican, while Alachua County votes strongly Democratic.[81] In the 2008 election, there was a 22% gap in votes in Alachua County between Barack Obama and John McCain, while the other 11 candidates on the ballot and write-in votes received approximately 1.46% of the vote.[82]
Homelessness issues
The National Coalition for the Homeless cited Gainesville as the 5th meanest city in the United States for its criminalization of homelessness in the Coalition's two most recent reports (in 2004 and 2009),[83][84] the latter time for its meal limit ordinance.[85] Gainesville has a number of ordinances targeting the homeless, including an anti-panhandling measure and one prohibiting sleeping outdoors on public property. In 2005, the Alachua Board of County Commissioners and the Gainesville City Commission responded by issuing a written "Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness";[86][87] which was followed by the 2010 "A Needs Assessment of Unsheltered Homeless Individuals In Gainesville, Florida" presentation to a joint meeting of Gainesville and Alachua County Commissions.[88] An indoor homeless shelter was built on the site of the former Gainesville Correctional Institution grounds, with surrounding area designated for tents.[89]
Marijuana culture
Gainesville is renowned in recreational drug culture for "Gainesville Green", a particularly potent strain of marijuana. Orange and Blue magazine published a feature article in 2003 about the history of Gainesville Green and the local marijuana culture in general.[90] In the mid-1990s, several Gainesville Hemp Festivals took place outside the Alachua County courthouse.
Between 1987 and 1998, Gainesville had a very active rock music scene, with Hollywood star River Phoenix having the local club Hardback Cafe as his main base. Phoenix's band Aleka's Attic was a constant feature of the rock scene.[94] The Phoenix family is still a presence in Gainesville, with Rain Phoenix's band Papercranes and Liberty Phoenix's store, Indigo.[95]
Gainesville is still known for its strong music community and was named "Best Place to Start a Band in the United States" by Blender magazine in March 2008.[96] The article cited the large student population, cheap rent, and friendly venues.
Gainesville's reputation as an independent music mecca can be traced back to 1984 when a local music video station was brought on the air. The station was called TV-69, broadcast on UHF 69 and was owned by Cozzin Communications.[98] The channel drew considerable media attention thanks to its promotion by Bill Cosby, who was part owner of the station when it started. TV-69 featured many videos by punk and indie-label bands and had several locally produced videos ("Clone Love" by a local parody band, and a Dinosaur Jr. song).
The Florida Gators is the varsity team of the University of Florida, competing in the Southeastern Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association since 1933. It has been ranked in the top 10 in the NACDA ranking since the 1983–84 season. As of 2022, UF has won 45 national team championships, including two men's basketball titles, three football titles, one women's soccer title, one baseball title, four gymnastics titles, two softball titles, four men's golf titles, and seven women's tennis titles.
Greater Gainesville (Alachua County) is home to many startups with over 160 high growth enterprises.[99] Gainesville is also home to dozens of organizations that support startups along their entire continuum of growth.[100]
Roughly since the 2006 founding of Grooveshark, a Gainesville-based music streaming service, Gainesville has seen an increase in the number of technology-based startup companies founded and developed in the city, particularly the downtown area.[101][102][103] Among them are Digital Brands, SharpSpring, Fracture, Optym, and Feathr. The city celebrates Josh Greenberg Day annually in April, in honor of the late founder of Grooveshark and his contributions to the community's startup culture.[104]
Annual cultural events
The Spring Arts Festival, hosted each year, usually in early April, by Santa Fe College (formerly Santa Fe Community College), is one of the three largest annual events in Gainesville and known for its high-quality, unique artwork.[105]
The nationally recognized Downtown Festival and Art Show, hosted each fall by the City of Gainesville, attracts award-winning artists and a crowd of more than 100,000.[106]
The Hoggetowne Medieval Faire has attracted thousands of fairgoers for over 20 years.[107]
The Fest, a multi-day, multiple-venue underground music festival held annually in Gainesville since 2002.[108][109]
Arbitron ranks the Gainesville-Ocala market as the nation's 83rd-largest.[112] Thirteen radio stations are licensed to operate in the city of Gainesville—five AM stations, six commercial FM stations, and two low-power non-commercial FM stations. Three of the stations (WRUF, WRUF-FM, and WUFT-FM) are operated by broadcasting students at the University of Florida. WUFT-FM is the city's NPR member station, while the WRUF stations are operated as commercial stations. MARC Radio Group operates six stations in the market.[113]
Gainesville has one cable television station called Community 12TV, which is carried on area COX systems. Community 12TV presently airs local government meetings and other public affairs programming as well as content from The Florida Channel.[115]
^ abMilanich, Jerald T. (1998). Florida's Indians from ancient times to the present. Gainesville: University Press of Florida. ISBN0813022002. OCLC48138342.
^Tebeau, Charlton W.; Marina, William (1999). A history of Florida (3rd ed.). Coral Gables, Fla.: University of Miami Press. ISBN0870243381. OCLC43972863.
^Florida; a Guide to the Southern-Most State. 1939. p. 380.
^Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. US Government Printing Office. p. 133.
^Andreu, Michael G.; Fox, David A.; Landry, Shawn M.; Northrop, Robert J.; Hament, Caroline A. (March 1, 2017). City of Gainesville Urban Forest Ecological Analysis 2016(PDF) (Report). p. 16. Retrieved June 22, 2019. Based on Eco sample plot data collected, the estimated average tree canopy cover of Gainesville is 47%
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^"Contact" (Archive). Florida Department of Citrus. Retrieved on September 13, 2015. "Florida Department of Citrus Economic Research 2125 McCarty Hall – University of Florida Gainesville, Florida 32611-0249 USA"
Braley, R. Olin (2004). The Killing of Harmon Murray: Being a True Account of the Life and Times of Florida's Premier Black Outlaw. Gainesville, Florida: The Alachua Press.
Fox, Kathleen A.; Lane, Jodi (2010). "Perceptions of gangs among prosecutors in an emerging gang city". Journal of Criminal Justice. 38 (4): 595–603. doi:10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2010.04.031.
Hicks, Rob (2008). Images of America: Gainesville. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN978-0-7385-5402-0.
Hildreth, Charles H.; Merlin G. Cox (1981). History of Gainesville, Florida 1854-1979. Gainesville, Florida: Alachua County Historical Society.
McCarthy, Kevin M.; Murray D. Laurie (1997). Guide to the University of Florida and Gainesville. Sarasota, florida: Pineapple Press. ISBN1-56164-134-0.
Milanich, Jerald T. (1995). Florida Indians and the Invasion from Europe. Gainesville, Florida, USA: University Press of Florida. ISBN0-8130-1636-3.
Milanich, Jerald T. (1998). Florida's Indians from Ancient Times to the Present. Gainesville, Florida, USA: University Press of Florida. ISBN0-8130-1598-7.
Milanich, Jerald T. (1999). The Timucua. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers. ISBN0-631-21864-5.
Milanich, Jerald T. (2006). Laboring in the Fields of the Lord: Spanish Missions and Southeastern Indians. Gainesville, Florida, USA: University Press of Florida. ISBN0-8130-2966-X.
Newton, Michael (2001). The Invisible Empire: The Ku Klux Klan in Florida. Gainesville, Florida: The University Press of Florida. ISBN0-8130-2120-0.
Pickard, Ben (1991). Historic Gainesville: a tour Guide to the Past. Gainesville, Florida: Historic Gainesville, Inc.
Rajtar, Steve (2007). A Guide to Historic Gainesville. Charleston, South Carolina; London: History Press. ISBN978-1-59629-217-8.
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