Gainesville, Florida - United States of America

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March 4th 2007

Published: March 5th 2007

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Gainesville

Gainesville, Florida - United States of America

Mar 04, 2007

*City official name :Gainesville
*Founded date :
*Location :Florida State
*Elavation :? ft (? m)
*Area :Approximately ? square miles (? km²).
*Facts :Gainesville is the largest city and county seat of Alachua County, Florida.GR6. Gainesville is primarily known for being home to the University of Florida, the flagship university of the State University System of Florida and the third-largest university in the United States. Santa Fe Community College, one of the nation's largest community colleges, is also located in Gainesville.

The 2000 Census reported the population of Gainesville to be 95,447. Following a successful annexation in 2002, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated a 2004 population of 108,856. However, the City of Gainesville estimates the 2003 population at 117,182. The Gainesville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes Alachua and Gilchrist counties, has a population of 239,114 as of 2005 Census Bureau estimates.

Gainesville's original inhabitants were the Timucua Indians. Spanish colonists began cattle ranching in the Payne's Prairie area using Timucua labor and the largest ranch became known as LaChua. Though the ranch was eventually destroyed by British raiders, it nevertheless gave its name to the Alachua band of

Gainesville

Gainesville, Florida - United States of America

the Seminole tribe who settled in the region in the 1700s under the leadership of the great chief Ahaya the Cowkeeper.

Gainesville was originally formed along the Florida Railroad Company's line stretching from Cedar Key to Fernandina Beach as part of a route eventually carrying cargo from New Orleans to New York. In 1854 Gainesville became the new Alachua County seat (moving from the more populated but inconveniently located Newnansville). The city is named for General Edmund P. Gaines, commander of U.S. Army troops in Florida during the Second Seminole War.

Gainesville was the scene of small-scale fighting in the Civil War. On February 15, 1864, a skirmish erupted when about 50 Union troops entered the city intending to capture two trains. The Second Florida Cavalry successfully repulsed this raid. The raiding party was eventually defeated at the Battle of Olustee five days later. Later that year, the Battle of Gainesville took place on August 17, 1864. Three-hundred Union troops occupying the city were attacked by the Florida Cavalry. The Federals were driven out of town and suffered significant casualties.

Following the civil war, the city prospered as a major citrus growing center, with direct rail access

Gainesville

Gainesville, Florida - United States of America

to ports on the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. However, this prosperity ended when the great freezes of 1894 and 1899 destroyed the entire crops, and citrus growing moved permanently south to the Orlando area. Other attempts to replace this lost industry included phosphate mining, turpentine production and tung oil had only moderate success.

Gainesville's fortunes took a major turn for the better, however, when the University of Florida was created by the Florida Legislature in 1905. Gainesville was chosen, beating out other cities who saw their colleges close, such as Lake City and Bartow. Fortunately, the city had the foresight to construct a modern municipal water, sewer and electric system and was able to offer these services to a new university location for free. A site was selected at a location then considered about a mile west of town. The first classes were held at Buckman Hall in the fall of 1906.

Over the past century, the university has brought the town a youthful population, cultural opportunities, and world class medical facilities. The sports drink Gatorade was invented in Gainesville as a means of refreshing the UF football team and UF still receives a share of the

Gainesville

Gainesville, Florida - United States of America

profits from the beverage. However Gatorade's headquarters are now located in Chicago, Illinois.

The destruction of the city's landmark Victorian courthouse in the 1960s, which some considered unnecessary, brought the need for historic preservation to the attention of the community. The bland county building which replaced the grand courthouse became known to some locals as the "air conditioner." Additional destruction of other historic buildings in the downtown followed as the city tried to "modernize", but succeeded in only diminishing the city's unique historic charm. After many years of little or no progress, revitalization of the City's core has picked up, and many parking lots and underutilized buildings are being replaced with infill development and near-campus housing which blend in respectfully with neighboring historic structures. There is even talk of rebuilding a replica of the old courthouse on a parking lot just one block from the original location.

Helping in this effort are the number of areas and buildings which have been 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 heydays of the 1880s and 1890s can be found in the following districts:

Gainesville

Gainesville, Florida - United States of America

Northeast Gainesville Residential District
Southeast Gainesville Residential District
Pleasant Street Historic District

Historic structures on the Register in and around downtown are:

Bailey Plantation House (1854)
Matheson Center Home (1867)
Thomas Hotel (1928)
The Old Post Office (now the Hippodrome State Theatre) (1913)
Masonic Temple (1913)
Seagle Building (1937), thirteen stories, downtown's only "skyscraper."
Baird Hardware Company Warehouse (1910)
Cox Furniture Store (1887)
Cox Furniture Warehouse (c. 1890)
Epworth Hall (1884)
Old Gainesville Depot (1850s)
Mary Phifer McKenzie House (1895)
Star Garage (1903)

There are only three listings for places on the outskirts of Gainesville:

Liberty Hill Schoolhouse (????)
Boulware Springs Water Works (1895)
Kanapaha (c. 1854-56)

All of the Gainesville urban area, inside or outside the city limits, is served by the School Board of Alachua County, which has some 75 different institutions in the county, most of which are in the Gainesville area. Gainesville is also home to the University of Florida and Santa Fe Community College. The University of Florida is a major financial boost to the community, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional revenues are created by the athletic events that occur at UF, including SEC football games.