Editing Eustis, Florida

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
|name                     = Eustis, Florida
|official_name            = City of Eustis
|other_name               = 
|native_name              = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|nickname                 = 
|settlement_type          = [[City (Florida)|City]]
|motto                    = America's Hometown
|image_skyline            = Eustis Hist Dist govt04.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = City hall
|image_flag               = 
|flag_size                = 
|image_seal               = 
|seal_size                = 
|image_map                = Lake_County_Florida_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Eustis_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250x200px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Lake County, Florida|Lake County]] and the state of [[Florida]]
|pushpin_map              = <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
|pushpin_label_position   = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = 
|pushpin_mapsize          = <!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = {{nowrap|{{flag|United States of America}}}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Florida}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Florida|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = {{flagicon image|Flag of Lake County, Florida.png}} [[Lake County, Florida|Lake]]
|subdivision_type3        = 
|subdivision_name3        = 
|subdivision_type4        = 
|subdivision_name4        = <!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              =  Willie Hawkins
|leader_title1            = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = <!-- Settled -->
|established_date         = 
|established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2        = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_12.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 31, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 33.75
|area_land_km2            = 28.75
|area_water_km2           = 5.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 13.03
|area_land_sq_mi          = 11.10
|area_water_sq_mi         = 1.93
|area_water_percent       = 
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 23189
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 2088.72
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|28|51|23|N|81|40|38|W|region:US-FL|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 79
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 32726, 32727, 32736
|area_code                = [[Area code 352|352]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 12-21350<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2403580<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2403580}}</ref>
|website                  = [http://www.eustis.org/ City of Eustis official website]
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_density_km2   = 806.50
}}

'''Eustis''' is a city in [[Lake County, Florida]], United States. It is part of the [[Greater Orlando|Orlando&ndash;Kissimmee&ndash;Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. The population was 23,189 at the 2020 census.

The City of Eustis holds a festival every year which begins on the last Friday of February and runs through Sunday and has been held since 1902. This festival, referred to simply as [[GeorgeFest]], is recognized today as the longest ongoing annual event held in honor of [[George Washington]], first President of the United States.

==History==

[[File:Club Houses, New Ocklawaha Hotel Golf Grounds, Eustis, Fla (NYPL b12647398-79302).tiff|thumb|left|New Ocklawaha Hotel Golf Grounds]]
The people of Eustis, on the east shore of Lake Eustis, took their time deciding on a name. First it was Highlands, then Pendryville, and finally Lake Eustis, itself named about 1825 for General [[Abraham Eustis]]. General Eustis, prominent in the Seminole Wars, had skirmished with the Indians on the south shore, near present-day [[Tavares, Florida]]. In 1876, A.S. Pendry homesteaded and set out a citrus grove. In 1877 he opened the Ocklawaha Hotel. The post office in the lobby carried the sign "Pendryville". {{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

Before railroads came in the 1880s, Eustis was a busy port for steamers plying Lakes Harris, Eustis, Dora, and Griffin. In 1883 the "Lake" was dropped and the town became just Eustis. Although the U.S. opened up the area for homesteading in the 1850s, settlement was delayed by the Civil War. Surveying was finally completed in 1875 and settlement began in earnest. Among the earliest settlers was Guilford David "G.D." Clifford, who established a store and began the first mail service for the new settlement. It was in the Clifford General Store second floor meeting hall that the town's first churches were formed. Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian groups all organized and held services there before they had their own buildings.<ref name="First One Hundred Years 2011">"The First One Hundred Years", First Presbyterian Church website, January 8, 2011.<!-- publishing info, ISBN (if any), page(s) needed --></ref>

The first homes were those of D.W. Herrick, A.D. Herrick, and Henry Key. In 1881 Clifford and Smith built the first general store in the building later occupied by A.D. and C.D. Miller. A big year was 1878 when the town's first telegraph line connected Eustis, Leesburg, and Sanford. The railroad arrived in 1880, the first train coming from Astor to Fort Mason, where passengers and freight made lake steamer connections to Leesburg, Helena, Yalaha, Bloomfield, Lane Park, and Tavares. Bertie Clifford was the first baby born before Eustis was incorporated in 1883, and Edith Hutchins the first baby of the newly incorporated town. D.W. Herrick was the first mayor. G.D. Clifford's dream home in Eustis was designed in 1894 but the Big Freeze of 1894–1895 postponed its completion until 1911. Says Eustis historian Louise Carter, "Even though the freeze brought the town's economy to a standstill, Mr. Clifford kept his lakefront general store open and extended credit until people could recover."

According to an 1887 business directory, the Clifford Store on Lake Eustis sold groceries, hardware, building material, fertilizers, stoves, crockery, glassware, hay, and grain. The opera house, on the second floor, was a cultural center of Eustis and a wide swath of Central Florida. The eighteen-room house at the corner of Bay Street and Bates Avenue today houses the Eustis Historical Museum and Preservation Society, and takes visitors back to the gracious Lake County lifestyle of one hundred-odd years ago.<ref name="First One Hundred Years 2011"/>

Dr. J. H. Potter, the founding pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, encouraged the development of Eustis Seminary in 1886, under the direction of Professor Byron F. Marsh (for whom Marsh Memorial Park is named). The seminary served students from first through twelfth grades. Its buildings were located near the present site of Eustis High School on Washington Avenue. Struggling financially, the school closed around 1895. By the early 1900s, Eustis was already a winter vacation spot for many. The Ocklawaha Hotel catered to the wealthy. Eustis continues to be a popular winter destination.<ref name="First One Hundred Years 2011"/>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|9.6|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|8.4|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|1.3|sqmi|km2}} (13.28%) is water.

The city limits are defined by Eudora, Abrams, and CR 44 (bypass) on the east, CR44 to the north, US Hwy 441 to the south and Lake Eustis and Florida Hospital Waterman to the west.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 411
|1910= 910
|1920= 1193
|1930= 2835
|1940= 2930
|1950= 4005
|1960= 6189
|1970= 6722
|1980= 9453
|1990= 12967
|2000= 15106
|2010= 18558
|2020= 23189
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Eustis racial composition'''<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Eustis city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Eustis+city;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Eustis city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Eustis+city;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|12,606
|14,075
|67.93%
|60.70%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|3,152
|3,779
|16.98%
|16.30%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|62
|45
|0.33%
|0.19%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|205
|307
|1.10%
|1.32%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] or [[Native Hawaiian]] (NH)
|1
|12
|0.01%
|0.05%
|-
|[[Other races (U.S. Census)|Some other race]] (NH)
|21
|85
|0.11%
|0.37%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races/Multiracial]] (NH)
|309
|952
|1.67%
|4.11%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|2,202
|3,934
|11.87%
|16.96%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''18,558'''
|'''23,189'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|-
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 23,189 people, 8,106 households, and 5,485 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Eustis city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Eustis+city;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

In 2020, there were 1,762 veterans living in the city and 12.2% were foreign born persons. There were 2.55 persons per household. 92.8% of the households had a computer and 87.1% of households had a broadband internet subscription.<ref name=QFeustis>{{cite web |title=QuickFacts Eustis city, Florida |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/eustiscityflorida/PST045221 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2 July 2022}}</ref>

Of the population older than 25 years in 2020, 86.9% had a high school degree or higher and 19.0% of that same population had a Bachelor’s degree or higher.11.7% of the population 65 years and older lived with a disability and 19.1% of that same population did not have health insurance. 6.0% were under 5 years old, 20.7% were 18 years old, 21.0%. 51.9% of the population were female.<ref name=QFeustis/>

In 2020, the median household income was $52,074 and the per capita income was $26,974. 16.0% of the population lived below the [[poverty threshold]]. The population per square mile 2,123.7.<ref name=QFeustis/>

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 18,558 people, 7,491 households, and 4,695 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Eustis city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Eustis+city;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2010.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

Eustis also serves as the center for many small communities of Rural East Lake County including Cassia and Pine Lakes. These communities are not reflected in the Census Bureau's city statistics but make up for the vast discrepancy in county to city statistics. When the rural statistics are compiled into the city stats, the total population of Eustis topped 50,000 in 2000.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

==Education==
Eustis is served by [[Lake County Schools]].

Numerous educational institutions are zoned for Eustis: 
*Eustis Heights Elementary School
*Eustis Elementary School
*Eustis Middle School
*[[Eustis High School]]
*Alee Academy

==National historic status==
[[Image:Cliffordhouseeustis5.jpg|thumb|Clifford House]]
There are several locations in Eustis which have been included in the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<br/>
They are:
* [[Clifford House (Eustis, Florida)|Clifford House]]
* [[Eustis Commercial Historic District]]
* [[Ferran Park and the Alice McClelland Memorial Bandshell]]
* [[Gould Hyde Norton House]]
* [[Moses J. Taylor House]]
* [[Purdy Villa]]
* [[William Kimbrough Pendleton House]]
* [[Woman's Club of Eustis]]

==Notable people==

* [[Keon Ellis]], [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] professional basketball player
* [[Edgar James Banks]], diplomat, antiquarian, and novelist
* [[Tzimon Barto]], classical pianist
* [[Gwendolyn B. Bennett]], [[Harlem Renaissance]] poet and artist
* [[Rod Brewer]], [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] professional baseball player
* [[Joe Burnett]], [[National Football League|NFL]] professional football player
* [[Kerry Carpenter]], [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] professional baseball player
* [[Jeff Coffey]], musician who joined rock group [[Chicago (band)|Chicago]] in October 2016
* [[Rod Ferrell]], convicted murderer<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ne-vampire-cult-killer-rod-ferrell-20200204-dzuc2zida5eudexqqoai6aouxi-story.html|title=Vampire killer Rod Ferrell should get a shot at parole, attorney argues|first=Stephen|last=Hudak|website=OrlandoSentinel.com}}</ref>
* [[Anthony Fieldings]], NFL professional football player
* [[Kenny Green (basketball, born 1964)|Kenny Green]], NBA professional basketball player
* [[Richard Henyard]], convicted murderer
* [[David Hobby]], photojournalist and founder of Strobist.com
* [[Solomon Jones (basketball)|Solomon Jones]], NBA professional basketball player
* [[Kathryn Joosten]], actress 
* [[Hughie Lee-Smith]], artist
* [[Jonathan Lucroy]], MLB professional baseball player
* [[Kristin Ludecke]], beauty queen
* [[Thomas McClary (musician)|Thomas McClary]], singer/songwriter and founding member of [[The Commodores]]
* [[Chris Okey]], MLB professional baseball player
* [[Michael Ray (singer)|Michael Ray]], country music singer
* [[Jonathan Schneck|Jon Schneck]], guitarist in alternative rock band [[Relient K]]
* [[John Robert Schrieffer]], physicist and winner of the 1972 [[Nobel Prize in Physics]] 
* [[Brady Singer]], MLB professional baseball player
* [[Patricia Sullivan (politician)|Patricia Sullivan]], political activist
* [[David M. Walker (astronaut)|David Walker]], astronaut
* [[Gunner Wright]], actor

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.eustis.org/ City of Eustis official website]

{{Lake County, Florida}}
{{Metro Orlando}}
{{Florida}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Eustis, Florida| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Lake County, Florida]]
[[Category:Cities in the Greater Orlando]]
[[Category:Cities in Florida]]