"Kissimmee" redirects here. For other uses, see Kissimmee (disambiguation).
| Kissimmee, Florida |
| City |
| City of Kissimmee |
The Osceola County courthouse in October 2009 |
|
|
| Motto: "A community of neighborhoods for families!" |
Location in Osceola County and the state of Florida |
U.S. Census Map |
| Coordinates: 28°18′14″N 81°24′46″W / 28.30389°N 81.41278°W / 28.30389; -81.41278Coordinates: 28°18′14″N 81°24′46″W / 28.30389°N 81.41278°W / 28.30389; -81.41278 |
| Country |
United States of America |
| State |
Florida |
| County |
Osceola |
| Incorporated |
1883 |
| Government |
| • Type |
Council-Manager |
| • Mayor |
Jim Swan |
| • City Manager (1984-2010) |
Mark Durbin |
| • City Manager (2010-present) |
Mike Steigerwald |
| • City Attorney |
Don Smallwood |
| Area[1] |
| • City |
17.32 sq mi (44.8 km2) |
| • Land |
16.68 sq mi (43.2 km2) |
| • Water |
.64 sq mi (1.6 km2) 3.7% |
| Elevation[2] |
49 ft (15 m) |
| Population (2012)[3] |
| • City |
63,369 |
| • Density |
3,700/sq mi (1,400/km2) |
| • Metro |
2,267,846 |
| Time zone |
Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) |
EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code |
34741-34747, 34758-34759 |
| Area code(s) |
321, 407 |
| FIPS code |
12-36950 |
| GNIS feature ID |
0285145[4] |
| Website |
http://www.kissimmee.org/ |
Kissimmee (// kə-SIM-ee) is a city in Osceola County, Florida. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 59,682.[3] It is the county seat of Osceola County.[5] Kissimmee is a Principal City of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2010 population of 2,134,411.[3]
Contents
- 1 History
- 2 Geography
- 3 Demographics
- 4 Transportation
- 5 Sites of interest
- 6 Sports
- 7 Recreation
- 8 Economy
- 9 Education
- 9.1 Public schools
- 9.2 Private schools
- 9.3 Institutions of higher education
- 9.3.1 State colleges
- 9.3.2 Private universities, colleges, and others
- 9.4 Public libraries
- 10 Notable people
- 11 Climate
- 12 References
- 13 External links
History
Broadway Avenue in c. 1912
Founded in the mid-19th century as Valldale, it was renamed Kissimmee when incorporated as a city in 1883. The name, Kissimmee, came from 'Cacema', a Native American name meaning 'long water'.[6] Its growth can be credited to Hamilton Disston of Philadelphia, who based his two-million acre (8,000 km2) drainage operation out of the small town. Disston had contracted with the financially wobbly state of Florida to drain its southern lands, for which he would own half of all he successfully drained. This deal made Disston the largest single landowner in the United States.
Disston's dredging and land speculation required a small steamboat industry to transport people and goods along the new waterway. The Kissimmee shipyard was responsible for building most of these large steamships, which were just one jump ahead of civilization—with Kissimmee as the jumping off point. Concurrently, the South Florida Railroad was growing and extended the end of its line from Sanford down to Kissimmee, making the town on Lake Tohopekaliga a transportation hub for Central Florida. On February 12, 1885, the Florida Legislature incorporated the Kissimmee City Street Railway.
Kissimmee Automobile Company, 1910s
But the heyday of Kissimmee was short-lived. Expanding railroads began to challenge the steamships for carrying freight and passengers. By 1884, the South Florida Railroad, now part of the Plant System, had extended its tracks to Tampa. The Panic of 1893 was the worst depression the U.S. had experienced up to that time, crushing land speculation and unsound debt. Hamilton Disston closed his Kissimmee land operation. Consecutive freezes in 1894 and 1895 wiped out the citrus industry. The freezes, combined with South Florida's growth and the relocation of steamship operations to Lake Okeechobee, left Kissimmee dependent on cattle raising.
Kissimmee had a population of 4,310 in 1950. At that point there was some citrus packing as well as the ranching.[7]
Ranching remained an important part of the local economy until the opening of nearby Walt Disney World in 1971. After that, tourism and development supplanted cattle ranching to a large measure; however, cattle ranches still operate nearby, particularly in the southern part of Osceola County.
On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley passed through Kissimmee with winds in excess of 100 miles per hour, damaging homes and buildings, toppling trees and cutting electrical power to the entire city. Kissimmee Utility Authority restored power to 54 percent of the residents in the first 72 hours; 85 percent were restored within one week. Service was restored to all customers on August 28. Three weeks after Hurricane Charley, the area was struck by Hurricane Frances, followed by Hurricane Jeanne three weeks after Frances.
Geography
Kissimmee is located at 28°18′14″N 81°24′46″W / 28.30389°N 81.41278°W / 28.30389; -81.41278 (28.303988, -81.412867).[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.32 square miles (44.9 km2), of which 16.7 square miles (43 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (2 km2) is water (3.7%).[1] Kissimmee and the city of St. Cloud are the only incorporated settlements in the county. The cities lie in close proximity to each other along U.S. Highways 192 and 441.
- City water resources
Drained by the Kissimmee River, the city is situated on the northwest shore of Lake Tohopekaliga (locally called Lake Tohoe, West Lake Tohoe, or simply West Lake) in central Florida.
- Downtown
The downtown area lies near the intersection of U.S. Highway 17/92 and U.S. Highway 192. The downtown of Kissimmee does not possess any big skyscrapers; most of the buildings are two or three stories high. The biggest and the tallest building in the downtown is the Osceola County courthouse. The main street that runs through the city's center is a combination of three smaller streets: Main Street, Broadway Street, and Emmett Street.
Demographics
| Historical population |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1890 |
1,086 |
|
—
|
| 1900 |
1,132 |
|
4.2% |
| 1910 |
2,157 |
|
90.5% |
| 1920 |
2,722 |
|
26.2% |
| 1930 |
3,163 |
|
16.2% |
| 1940 |
3,225 |
|
2.0% |
| 1950 |
4,310 |
|
33.6% |
| 1960 |
6,845 |
|
58.8% |
| 1970 |
7,119 |
|
4.0% |
| 1980 |
15,487 |
|
117.5% |
| 1990 |
30,050 |
|
94.0% |
| 2000 |
47,814 |
|
59.1% |
| 2010 |
59,682 |
|
24.8% |
| Est. 2012 |
63,369 |
|
6.2% |
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
2012 Estimate[10]
|
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,814 people, 17,121 households, and 11,813 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,866.6 per square mile (1,106.8/km2). There were 19,642 housing units at an average density of 1,177.6 per square mile (454.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 67.22% White, 9.99% African American, 0.52% Native American, 3.38% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 14.15% from other races, and 4.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 41.73% of the population. The majority of Hispanics residing in the city are Puerto Ricans. There are also small Colombian, Cuban, Dominican and Mexican communities residing in and/or around the city.
There were 17,121 households out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,949, and the median income for a family was $36,361. Males had a median income of $25,851 versus $21,025 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,071. About 12.3% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
In 2010 Kissimmee had a population of 59,682. The racial and ethnic composition was 58.9% Hispanic (33.1% Puerto Rican, 5.1% Dominican, 4.0% Colombian, 3.9% Mexican, 2.6% Cuban, 1.4% Venezuelan, 0.9% Ecuadorian, 0.7% Salvadoran, 0.7% Peruvian, 0.6% Honduran, 0.6% Nicaraguan) or Latino, 26.2% non-Hispanic White, 9.6% non-Hispanic African American, 2.8% Hispanic black, 0.6% Native American, 3.4% Asian (1.1% Asian Indian, 0.8% Filipino), 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% Non-Hispanic from some other race and 4.7% two or more races.[11]
Transportation
Kissimmee has an Amtrak train station, which will be a station stop on the SunRail commuter rail system. There is also a Greyhound bus station. Local bus service is provided by the Lynx network.
Kissimmee Gateway Airport offered nonstop service to 12 cities on DayJet, but those services ended when the company suspended all operations in September 2008. However, Orlando International Airport can be reached from Kissimmee in 15 minutes by car.
The major land transportation arteries are the Florida's Turnpike, Interstate 4, Osceola Parkway, and US 192. Among other important routes are US 17/92 that join with US 441 into the Orange Blossom Trail (OBT) and State Route 423 also known as the John Young Parkway.
Sites of interest
- Colonial Estate
- First United Methodist Church
- Kissimmee Historic District
- Monument of States
- Old Holy Redeemer Catholic Church
- Osceola Center for the Arts
- Osceola County Courthouse (Florida)
- Osceola County Welcome Center and History Museum
Sports
The Houston Astros conduct spring training in Kissimmee, at Osceola County Stadium. The stadium also hosts numerous amateur baseball events throughout the remainder of the year in conjunction with; USSSA, Triple Crown Sports, World Baseball Federation and Promotion Sports. The Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring has also called Osceola County Stadium home since 1994.
Osceola County Softball Complex
The Osceola County Softball Complex is a facility of five softball fields which are host to a variety of amateur sports events. It is the home of the USSSA 2005 Complex of the Year Award, the Rebel Spring Games, and numerous other fast-pitch softball, slow-pitch softball, and youth baseball events.
Austin-Tindall Regional Park is an athletic facility in the area that is host to a variety of annual events.
The city is also home to the annual NCCAA men's soccer National Championship Tournament.
Recreation
Osceola Heritage Park is an event facility featuring a concert arena (Silver Spurs Arena) and professional sports stadium (Osceola County Stadium). The Silver Spurs Arena has been host to many acts, ranging from Hilary Duff and Bob Dylan to an annual rodeo event. Jehovah's Witnesses also use The Silver Spurs Arena for their annual District Conventions. In 2008, a number of English and Spanish conventions were held by the Witnesses, bringing thousands of delegates to the Kissimmee area for the three-day events.
Kissimmee is home to a 650-person capacity outdoor water park, in addition to multiple golf courses.
Kissimmee is also home to the Loop, a large outdoor shopping mall at John Young and Osceola Parkways on the Orange/Osceola County line. It features stores such as American Eagle, Kohls, and Best Buy. There is also a multi-plex theater.
Kissimmee is near Orlando, home to Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld, and Lake Buena Vista/Bay Lake Walt Disney World Resort, allowing tourists to access the parks through the city.
Economy
Top employers
According to Kissimmee's 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[12] the top employers in the city are:
| # |
Employer |
# of Employees |
| 1 |
School District of Osceola County, Florida |
6,425 |
| 2 |
The Walt Disney Company |
3,700 |
| 3 |
Walmart |
2,730 |
| 4 |
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center |
1,445 |
| 5 |
Osceola County |
1,604 |
| 6 |
Osceola Regional Medical Center |
1,357 |
| 7 |
Publix |
1,350 |
| 8 |
Florida Hospital Celebration Health |
1,300 |
| 9 |
McLane |
900 |
| 10 |
City of Kissimmee |
646 |
Education
The School District of Osceola County, Florida serves Kissimmee.
Public schools
The following Osceola County public schools are located in Kissimmee:
Elementary schools
- Boggy Creek Elementary
- Central Avenue Elementary
- Chestnut Elementary School
- Cypress Elementary
- Deerwood Elementary
- Highlands Elementary
- Kissimmee Elementary
- Kissimmee Charter Academy
- Mill Creek Elementary
- Partin Settlement Elementary
- Pleasant Hill Elementary
- Reedy Creek Elementary
- Bellalago Academy Charter School
- Sunrise Elementary School
- Thacker Avenue Elementary
- Ventura Elementary
- Kissimmee Charter Academy
- Westside K-8 School
- Flora Ridge Elementary
Middle schools
- Denn John Middle School
- Discovery Intermediate School
- Horizon Middle School
- Kissimmee Charter Academy
- Kissimmee Middle School
- Bellalago Academy Charter School
- Neptune Middle School
- Parkway Middle School
- New Beginnings Education Complex (Alternative school)
- Westside K-8 School
High schools
- Gateway High School - One of the high schools in the area that offers the International Baccalaureate Program.
- Liberty High School
- Osceola County School For The Arts (6-12)
- Osceola High School
- PATHS@TECO
- Poinciana High School
- Celebration High School - Started in 2009, the International Baccalaureate Program is offered here as well.
Private schools
Elementary schools
- Heritage Christian School K3-12 grade (Ministry of Bible Baptist Church)
- Shady Oaks Private School, founded 1969, PK-5.
- North Kissimmee Christian School, founded 1995, k3-12th grade
- Holy Redeemer Catholic School (Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade)
- Poinciana Academy
- City Of Life, founded 1994, k3-12th grade (formerly known as Heartland Christian academy [formerly known as Heartland Preparatory])
Southland Christian School, K3-12 grade. "House of Flame"
Institutions of higher education
State colleges
- Valencia College, Osceola Campus
Private universities, colleges, and others
- Johnson University Florida; formerly Florida Christian College
Public libraries
Hart Memorial Central Library
Osceola Library System operates the Hart Memorial Central Library in Kissimmee.[13]
Notable people
- Vassar Clements, bluegrass musician
- Buddy Dyer, politician; mayor of Orlando
- Tonga Fifita, professional wrestler; actor
- Brent Fullwood, American football player
- Justin Gatlin, Athletics, Olympic and World Championship gold medallist 100m and 200m sprinter
- Kristina Janolo, Miss Florida 2011
- George Frederic Kribbs, congressman
- Ray Lloyd, professional wrestler; martial artist
- A. J. McLean, singer from the Backstreet Boys
- James Mitchell, professional wrestling manager
- Tito Paul, American football player
- John Quinones, attorney and former politician
- William J. Sears, congressman
- Kissy Simmons, actor
- John Milton Bryan Simpson, judge
- Bobby Sippio, American football player
- Justin Smith, professional poker player
- Jonathan Summerton, race car driver
- Colt Terry, army special forces
- Brett Williams, American football player
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Kissimmee has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[14]
References
- ^ a b "Florida by place Population, Housing Units, Area and Density:2000". US Census Bureau. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
- ^ "Kissimmee, United States Page". Falling Rain Genomics. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
- ^ a b c "Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File (QT-PL), Kissimmee city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American FactFinder 2. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Katherine Long
- ^ Columbia-Lippincott Gazetteer, p. 956
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved March 31, 2014.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Retrieved March 31, 2014.
- ^ 2010 census figures for Kissimmee
- ^ City of Kissimmee CAFR
- ^ "Hours & Locations." Osceola Library System. Retrieved on December 29, 2010. Click map link, and "211 E Dakin Ave. Kissimmee, FL 34741" will be displayed
- ^ Climate Summary for Kissimmee, Florida
External links
- Official website
- Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Kissimmee travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Osceola Library System
- Kissimmee Downtown District Preservation
- Kissimmee Utility Authority, municipal utility serving Kissimmee and surrounding area since 1901
|
Municipalities and communities of Osceola County, Florida, United States
|
|
|
County seat: Kissimmee
|
|
| Cities |
|
|
|
| CDPs |
- Buenaventura Lakes
- Campbell
- Celebration
- Four Corners‡
- Poinciana‡
- Yeehaw Junction
|
|
Unincorporated
communities |
- Ashton
- Bull Creek
- Deer Park
- Harmony
- Holopaw
- Intercession City
- Kenansville
- Lake Marian Highlands
- Narcoosee
- Reedy Creek Improvement District‡
|
|
| Footnotes |
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
|
|
|
Greater Orlando
|
|
| Colleges and universities |
- Daytona State College
- Lake–Sumter State College
- Seminole State College of Florida
- University of Central Florida
- Valencia College
|
|
|
| Largest city |
|
|
| Counties |
- Flagler‡
- Lake
- Orange
- Osceola
- Seminole
- Sumter‡
- Volusia‡
|
|
Cities and towns
25k-99k |
- Alafaya
- Altamonte Springs
- Apopka
- Buenaventura Lakes
- Casselberry
- Clermont
- Daytona Beach‡
- DeLand‡
- Deltona‡
- Four Corners
- Kissimmee
- Meadow Woods
- Ocoee
- Oviedo
- Palm Coast‡
- Pine Hills
- Poinciana
- Sanford
- St. Cloud
- University
- The Villages‡
- Winter Garden
- Winter Park
- Winter Springs
|
|
Cities and towns
10k-25k |
- Azalea Park
- Conway
- DeBary‡
- Dr. Phillips
- Eustis
- Fairview Shores
- Goldenrod
- Horizon West
- Hunter's Creek
- Lady Lake
- Lake Butler
- Lake Mary
- Leesburg
- Lockhart
- Longwood
- Maitland
- Mount Dora
- Oak Ridge
- Orange City‡
- Pine Castle
- Southchase
- Tavares
- Wekiva Springs
|
|
|
‡ This populated place is included in the Orlando–Deltona–Daytona Beach, FL Combined Statistical Area.
See also: Florida
|
|
