Editing Fruitland Park, Florida

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|official_name            = City of Fruitland Park
|name                     = Fruitland Park, Florida
|other_name               = 
|native_name              = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|nickname                 = 
|settlement_type          = [[City (Florida)|City]]
|motto                    = The Friendly City 
<!-- images and maps  ----------->
|image_skyline            = FL Fruitland Park city hall02.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|flag_size                = 
|image_seal               = 
|seal_size                = 
|image_shield             = 
|shield_size              = 
|image_map                = Lake_County_Florida_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Fruitland_Park_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         = [[United States|United States of America]]
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Florida]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Florida|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Lake County, Florida|Lake]]
|subdivision_type3        = 
|subdivision_name3        = 
<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Council-manager government|Commission-Manager]]
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Chris Cheshire 
|leader_title1            = [[Vice Mayor]]
|leader_name1             = Patrick DeGrave
|leader_title2            = [[City Council|Commissioners]]
|leader_name2             = John Mobilian,<br>Chris Bell, and<br>Joseph "Joey" Cosenza
|leader_title3            = [[City Manager]]
|leader_name3             = Karen Manila
|leader_title4            = [[City Clerk]]
|leader_name4             = Gwen Johns
|established_title        = <!-- Settled -->
|established_date         = 
|established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2        = 
|established_title3       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date3        = May 25, 1927
|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           = 18.82
|area_land_km2            = 18.03
|area_water_km2           = 0.79
|area_total_sq_mi         = 7.27
|area_land_sq_mi          = 6.96
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.30
|area_water_percent       = 
<!-- Population   ----------------------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 8325
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 1195.61
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|28|51|31|N|81|54|47|W|region:US-FL|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 66
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 34731
|area_code                = [[Area code 352|352]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 12-24975<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2403668<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2403668}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.fruitlandpark.org/}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_density_km2   = 461.63
}}

'''Fruitland Park''' is a city in [[Lake County, Florida|Lake County]], [[Florida]], United States. It is part of the [[Greater Orlando|Orlando&ndash;Kissimmee&ndash;Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. The population was 8,325 at the 2020 census.

==History==
[[Image:Holytrinfruitlandpark2b.jpg|thumb|left|Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]]]

Fruitland Park antedates the [[American Civil War]], although the name of the town only came later, as it was originally called Gardenia. The earliest settler was M. Calvin Lee, of the Evander Lee family of [[Leesburg, Florida|Leesburg]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://leesburgchamber.com/History.asp?id=17 |title=Leesburg history |access-date=2008-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002010844/http://www.leesburgchamber.com/History.asp?id=17 |archive-date=2008-10-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> who planted a citrus grove. After the war, a son-in-law of the Lee family, P.S. Bouknight, homesteaded {{convert|40|acre|m2}} near Mirror Lake.

In 1875, the [[State of Florida]] sent Captain Kendricks to the northern part of the United States to talk about the advantages of living in Florida. Due to Major Orlando P. Rooks' poor health, and already considering a move, he had his wife, Josephine, moved to Fruitland Park.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030508093841/http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/rapids/8428/hikeplans/fruitland_park/planfruitland.html Fruitland Park hiking tour]</ref> They built their first home on Crystal Lake in 1877. It was here that the first white child, Frederic, was born in 1882.

The Fruitland Nurseries of Augusta, Georgia, was owned by J. P. Berckmann, friend of Major Rook. Major Rook named the town Fruitland Park for the nurseries, and the main street Berckmann Street for this friend.

The postal authorities refused to recognize the name Fruitland Park as there was already a Fruitland in the state. At their request, the name was changed to Gardenia in 1884. The [[Florida Railroad]], put through the town just prior to this, had listed the town as Fruitland Park in all their printed matter and refused to recognize the new name of Gardenia. Consequently, all freight and express had to be directed to Fruitland Park and all mail addressed to Gardenia. This caused a great deal of confusion, which lasted from 1884 to 1888, when a petition was sent to the postal authorities to have the name changed back to Fruitland Park. The petition was granted in 1888.

On December 20, 1884, Rev. G.W. Butler organized the first "community" church in Fruitland Park, it was called the Community Church a Methodist Episcopal church founded by the Illinois conference. The church had acquired lots on College Ave., between Fountain St. and Lime St.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.communityumcfp.com/CUMCcss/historycss.html |title=CUMC History |access-date=2008-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021075443/http://www.communityumcfp.com/CUMCcss/historycss.html |archive-date=2008-10-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The church was built in 1886–1887. That building burned in 1934, but was rebuilt in 1935. That building was later sold to the [[United Pentecostal Church]] and still remains today.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}}

Fruitland Park was granted a charter by the state, and incorporated on May 25, 1927.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fruitlandpark.org/history.htm |title=Fruitland Park history |access-date=2008-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207115604/http://www.fruitlandpark.org/history.htm |archive-date=2008-12-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Fruitland Park is also home to the oldest Dirt Kart Track in America. The 1/8 mile clay oval kart track has hosted Saturday Night Dirt Kart Racing for Go Kart enthusiasts since opening in 1958.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.racingin.com/track/details.aspx?s=FL&Address_ID=1797 |title=RacingIn|access-date=2021-03-28}}</ref>

===Expansion of The Villages===

On December 10, 2013, The Villages of Lake-Sumter Inc. closed on a deal to purchase property in Fruitland Park for $8 million from a private owner. Subsequently, they also began the annexation and rezoning process with the city. The property is currently the construction site for 2,038 new Villages homes, a project with final completion projected sometime in 2016. It was determined that the city of Fruitland Park stands to earn approximately $13 million in impact fees and building permits as a result of the expansion, not including ongoing tax revenues upon completion.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 10, 2013 |title=Villages closes $8 million deal on Fruitland Park property |newspaper=Villages-News |url= http://www.villages-news.com/villages-close-8-million-deal-fruitland-park-property/|access-date=April 28, 2015 }}</ref>

==Geography==

Fruitland Park is located at {{coord|28.858571|-81.913114|type:city_region:US|format=dms|display=inline}}.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|9.5|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|7.6|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} is land and {{convert|1.9|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} (20.44%) is water.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1930= 270
|1940= 362
|1950= 551
|1960= 774
|1970= 1359
|1980= 2259
|1990= 2754
|2000= 3186
|2010= 4078
|2020= 8325
|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>
}}

===2010 and 2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Fruitland Park 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) - Fruitland Park city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Fruitland+Park+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) - Fruitland Park city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Fruitland+Park+city;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|3,234
|6,555
|79.30%
|78.74%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|373
|630
|9.15%
|7.57%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|7
|22
|0.17%
|0.26%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|57
|144
|1.40%
|1.73%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] or [[Native Hawaiian]] (NH)
|13
|18
|0.32%
|0.22%
|-
|[[Other races (U.S. Census)|Some other race]] (NH)
|4
|39
|0.10%
|0.47%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races/Multiracial]] (NH)
|77
|225
|1.89%
|2.70%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|313
|692
|7.68%
|8.31%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''4,078'''
|'''8,325'''
|
|
|-
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 8,325 people, 3,755 households, and 2,639 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Fruitland Park city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Fruitland+Park+city;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 4,078 people, 1,385 households, and 1,008 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Fruitland Park city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Fruitland+Park+city;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2010.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 3,186 people, 1,192 households, and 890 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|421.3|/km2|/mi2|disp=preunit|people|people|abbr=on}}. There were 1,288 housing units at an average density of {{convert|170.3|/km2|/mi2|disp=preunit|units|units|abbr=on}}. The racial makeup of the city was 89.08% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 7.16% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.56% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.32% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.63% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.19% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.54% of the population.

In 2000, there were 1,192 households, out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.07.

In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $40,403, and the median income for a family was $42,665. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $19,951 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $16,400. About 8.1% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over. As of 2018 population is around 6,000 as the villages have built hundreds of new homes.

== Notable People ==

* [[Lillian Vickers-Smith]], first female sports editor in the United States

==See also==
* [[Lake Griffin State Park]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category|Fruitland Park, Florida}}
* [http://www.fruitlandpark.org/ City of Fruitland Park]

{{Lake County, Florida}}

{{authority control}}

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