Editing Okeechobee, Florida

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|official_name            = City of Okeechobee
|name                     = Okeechobee, Florida 
|other_name               = 
|native_name              = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|nickname                 = 
|settlement_type          = [[City (Florida)|City]]
|motto                    = <!-- images and maps  ----------->
|image_skyline            = Okeechobee, Florida - Aerial.jpg
|imagesize                = 250x200px
|image_caption            = Aerial view of the city in 2013
|image_flag               = 
|flag_size                = 
|image_seal               = Okeechobee city seal.png
|seal_size                = 
|image_shield             = 
|shield_size              = 
|image_blank_emblem       = 
|blank_emblem_type        = 
|blank_emblem_size        = 
|image_map                = Okeechobee_County_Florida_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Okeechobee_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250x200px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Okeechobee County, Florida|Okeechobee County]] and the state of [[Florida]]
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|image_dot_map            = 
|dot_mapsize              = 
|dot_map_caption          = 
|dot_x                    = 
|dot_y                    = 
|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]]
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Florida]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Florida|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Okeechobee County, Florida|Okeechobee]]
|subdivision_type3        = 
|subdivision_name3        = 
|subdivision_type4        = 
|subdivision_name4        = <!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Mayor-council government|Mayor-Council]]
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Dowling R. Watford, Jr.
|leader_title1            = [[Vice Mayor]]
|leader_name1             = Monica Clark
|leader_title2            = [[City Council|Council Members]]
|leader_name2             = Noel Chandler,<br>Bob Jarriel, and<br>David McAuley 
|leader_title3            = [[City Manager|City Administrator]]
|leader_name3             = Gary Ritter
|leader_title4            = [[City Clerk]]
|leader_name4             = Lane Gamiotea
|established_title        = 
|established_date         = 
|established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2        = 
|established_title3       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date3        = June 4, 1915<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=96036|title = History of Okeechobee County Chapter 4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lamartin.com/history/history_of_okeechobee_county/chapter4.htm|title = Peter And Louisiana Chandler Raulerson Gravesite}}</ref>
|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           = 10.76
<!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion-->
|area_land_km2            = 10.50
<!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->
|area_water_km2           = 0.25
|area_total_sq_mi         = 4.15
|area_land_sq_mi          = 4.06
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.10
|area_water_percent       = 0.96
|area_urban_km2           = 
|area_urban_sq_mi         = 
|area_metro_km2           = 
|area_metro_sq_mi         = 
|area_blank1_title        = 
|area_blank1_km2          = 
|area_blank1_sq_mi        = <!-- Population   ----------------------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_note          = 
|population_total         = 5254
|population_density_km2   = 500.20
|population_density_sq_mi = 1295.36
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_metro_km2     = 
|population_density_metro_sq_mi   = 
|population_urban         = 
|population_density_urban_km2     = 
|population_density_urban_sq_mi   = 
|population_blank1_title  = 
|population_blank1        = 
|population_density_blank1_km2    = 
|population_density_blank1_sq_mi  = <!-- General information  --------------->
|timezone                 = Eastern (EST)
|utc_offset               = &minus;5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = &minus;4
||coordinates             = {{coord|27|14|38|N|80|49|17|W|region:US-FL|display=it}}<ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_m              = 8
|elevation_ft             = 26
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 34972-34974
|area_code                = [[Area code 863|863]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 12-51200<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              = 0288073<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|288073}}</ref>
|website                  = http://www.cityofokeechobee.com
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}

'''Okeechobee''' ({{IPAc-en|US|oʊ|k|i|ˈ|tʃ|oʊ|b|i}} {{respell|OH|kee|CHOH|bee}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/okeechobee?showCookiePolicy=true|title=Okeechobee
|access-date=24 September 2014|publisher=Collins Dictionary|date=n.d.}}</ref>) is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Okeechobee County, Florida]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=https://ce.naco.org/?county_info=12093 |access-date=2020-02-24 |title=Okeechobee County: County Explorer |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> As of the 2020 US census, the city's population was 5,254.

The [[Lake Okeechobee]] area was severely damaged in the [[1928 Okeechobee Hurricane]], the first recorded [[Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale|Category 5]] hurricane in the North Atlantic. This was one of the deadliest hurricanes ever to strike the US.

Okeechobee is served by the [[Okeechobee County Airport]].

==History==
[[File:Okeechobee City Hall.JPG|thumb|left|The city hall of the town.]]

Okeechobee is close to the site of the [[Battle of Lake Okeechobee]], a major battle of the [[Second Seminole War]], fought between forces under the command of [[Zachary Taylor]] and [[Seminole]] warriors resisting forced removal to [[Indian Territory]] west of the [[Mississippi River]] in the 1830s. (This territory was later admitted as the state of Oklahoma in 1907.)

From 1918 to 1929, the international drink company [[Coca-Cola]] had a plant to bottle their drinks in Okeechobee in the current location of [[Jersey Mike’s Subs]] .Damages sustained from the 1928 [[Okeechobee Hurricane]] was the primary reason they stopped bottling in Okeechobee.

In the 1930s, Okeechobee was the commercial center for the surrounding area, shipping hundreds of train cars of winter vegetables annually. It had poultry farms, a catfish shipping plant, and a [[American bullfrog|bullfrog]] breeding industry.<ref name="Florida Guide">{{Cite book|title=Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State|last=Federal Writers' Project|date=1947|publisher=Oxford University Press|edition=5th|page=468|location=New York}}</ref>

The [[American Guide Series|Florida guide]] described bullfrog breeding in the Okeechobee region:{{Blockquote
|text=Frog legs, or 'saddles,' bring high prices in the winter when frogs usually hibernate and are difficult to capture. Frog farmers enclose bottom lands, ponds, or swamps; as frogs live on insects, breeders strew the runs with rotting meat to attract blowflies. Some plant flowers and shrubs to lure bugs, and occasionally install electric lights to attract moths, beetles, and other nocturnal insects. A female frog lays from 10 to 30 thousand eggs a year; tadpoles appear from 60 to 90 days later, but frogs are seldom marketed before they are two years old.
<ref name="auto">{{cite book |last=Federal Writers' Project |date=1947 |edition= 5th |title=Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State |location=New York |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=468}}</ref>
|author=Federal Writers'Project|title="Part III: The Florida Loop"  |source=''Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State'' (1947)
}}

==Geography==

The exact coordinates for the location of City of Okeechobee is at {{coord|27|14|38|N|80|49|17|W|}}.

Okeechobee is located just north of [[Lake Okeechobee]]. [[Taylor Creek (Okeechobee, Florida)|Taylor Creek]] flows through the east side of the town. The area is served by US routes [[US Route 98|98]] and [[US Route 441|441]] and state routes [[Florida State Road 70|70]], [[Florida State Road 700|700]] and [[Florida State Road 15|15]].<ref>''Okeechobee, Florida,'' 7.5 Minute Quadrangle, USGS, 1953 (1987 rev.)</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|4.2|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|4.1|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}} (0.96%) is water.

=== Climate ===

Okeechobee has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|''Cfa'']]), bordering within one degree of a tropical climate with hot, humid summers and warm, drier winters.
{{Weather box|width=auto
|location = Okeechobee, Florida, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1945–2011
|single line = Y

|Jan avg record high F = 83.0
|Feb avg record high F = 84.3
|Mar avg record high F = 87.1
|Apr avg record high F = 90.1
|May avg record high F = 93.6
|Jun avg record high F = 95.3
|Jul avg record high F = 96.7
|Aug avg record high F = 96.5
|Sep avg record high F = 94.7
|Oct avg record high F = 92.0
|Nov avg record high F = 87.0
|Dec avg record high F = 83.7
|year avg record high F = 97.8

| Jan high F = 74.4
| Feb high F = 76.9
| Mar high F = 82.3
| Apr high F = 84.4
| May high F = 88.5
| Jun high F = 90.3
| Jul high F = 92.0
| Aug high F = 91.9
| Sep high F = 90.1
| Oct high F = 86.2
| Nov high F = 80.3
| Dec high F = 75.9
|year high F = 84.4
|Jan mean F = 63.2
|Feb mean F = 65.8
|Mar mean F = 70.5
|Apr mean F = 74.2
|May mean F = 78.3
|Jun mean F = 81.8
|Jul mean F = 83.3
|Aug mean F = 83.4
|Sep mean F = 81.8
|Oct mean F = 77.0
|Nov mean F = 70.2
|Dec mean F = 65.4
|year mean F = 74.6
| Jan low F = 52.1
| Feb low F = 54.8
| Mar low F = 58.7
| Apr low F = 64.0
| May low F = 68.1
| Jun low F = 73.2
| Jul low F = 74.5
| Aug low F = 74.8
| Sep low F = 73.5
| Oct low F = 67.8
| Nov low F = 60.1
| Dec low F = 55.0
|year low F = 64.7

|Jan avg record low F = 33.8
|Feb avg record low F = 37.3
|Mar avg record low F = 41.9
|Apr avg record low F = 48.6
|May avg record low F = 58.6
|Jun avg record low F = 67.0
|Jul avg record low F = 69.4
|Aug avg record low F = 70.5
|Sep avg record low F = 67.6
|Oct avg record low F = 54.6
|Nov avg record low F = 45.3
|Dec avg record low F = 36.9
|year avg record low F = 30.9

|Jan record high F = 87
|Feb record high F = 87
|Mar record high F = 94
|Apr record high F = 97
|May record high F = 100
|Jun record high F = 100
|Jul record high F = 101
|Aug record high F = 101
|Sep record high F = 99
|Oct record high F = 98
|Nov record high F = 91
|Dec record high F = 89
|year record high F =
|Jan record low F = 16
|Feb record low F = 26
|Mar record low F = 29
|Apr record low F = 37
|May record low F = 49
|Jun record low F = 54
|Jul record low F = 63
|Aug record low F = 65
|Sep record low F = 60
|Oct record low F = 41
|Nov record low F = 33
|Dec record low F = 20
|year record low F =
|precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 2.47
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.12
| Mar precipitation inch = 2.96
| Apr precipitation inch = 2.86
| May precipitation inch = 4.15
| Jun precipitation inch = 7.28
| Jul precipitation inch = 5.90
| Aug precipitation inch = 7.31
| Sep precipitation inch = 7.23
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.80
| Nov precipitation inch = 1.89
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.33
|year precipitation inch = 50.30
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 6.1
| Feb precipitation days = 6.3
| Mar precipitation days = 6.2
| Apr precipitation days = 5.6
| May precipitation days = 7.3
| Jun precipitation days = 15.8
| Jul precipitation days = 13.2
| Aug precipitation days = 13.7
| Sep precipitation days = 13.6
| Oct precipitation days = 7.2
| Nov precipitation days = 4.9
| Dec precipitation days = 6.8
| year precipitation days = 106.7
|Jan snow inch =
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|unit snow days = 0.1 in
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|source 1 = NOAA (mean maxima/minima 1981&ndash;2010)<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=mlb
| title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| accessdate = May 24, 2021
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00086485&format=pdf
| title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991&ndash;2020
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| accessdate = May 24, 2021
}}</ref> }}

==Demographics==

{{US Census population
|1920= 900
|1930= 1795
|1940= 1658
|1950= 1849
|1960= 2947
|1970= 3715
|1980= 4225
|1990= 4943
|2000= 5376
|2010= 5621
|2020= 5254
|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"
|+'''Okeechobee 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) - Okeechobee city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Okeechobee+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) - Okeechobee city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Okeechobee+city;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|3,524
|3,196
|62.69%
|60.83%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|496
|502
|8.82%
|9.55%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|58
|40
|1.03%
|0.76%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|46
|71
|0.82%
|1.35%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] or [[Native Hawaiian]] (NH)
|2
|2
|0.04%
|0.04%
|-
|[[Other races (U.S. Census)|Some other race]] (NH)
|7
|18
|0.12%
|0.34%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races/Multiracial]] (NH)
|70
|165
|1.25%
|3.14%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|1,418
|1,260
|25.23%
|23.98%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''5,621'''
|'''5,254'''
|
|
|-
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 5,254 people, 1,814 households, and 1,316 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Okeechobee city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Okeechobee+city;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

Of the city's population in 2020, 6.7% were under 5 years old, 22.5% were under 18 years old, and 17.0% were 65 years and over. 47.7% of the population was female. There were 383 veterans living in the city and 14% were foreign-born persons.<ref name=QFOk>{{cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Okeechobee city, Florida; United States |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/okeechobeecityflorida,US/PST045221 |website=www.census.gov |access-date=15 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

In 2020, the median household income was $40,149 with a per capita income of $21,449. 21.8% of the population lived below the [[poverty threshold]].<ref name=QFOk/>

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 5,621 people, 1,839 households, and 1,152 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Okeechobee city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Okeechobee+city;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2010.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

==Education==
The sole school district in the county is [[Okeechobee County School District]].<ref>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st12_fl/schooldistrict_maps/c12093_okeechobee/DC20SD_C12093.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Okeechobee County, FL|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|date=December 23, 2020|access-date=2025-04-10}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st12_fl/schooldistrict_maps/c12093_okeechobee/DC20SD_C12093_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

==Points of interest==

On 25 December 1837, Lake Okeechobee became the site of [[Battle of Lake Okeechobee|an important battle]] in the [[Second Seminole War]], fought between a number of [[Seminole]] Native American groups, the United States government, and allied militias. The battlefield is now the site of a {{convert|145|acre|km2|adj=on}} park, and annual reenactments.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/jan/29/battle-lake-okeechobee-be-re-enacted-weekend/| title=Battle of Lake Okeechobee to be re-enacted this weekend| author=Joe Crankshaw | date=January 29, 2009| work=Treasure Coast Palm| publisher=Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group }}</ref>

In 2016, the [[Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival]] was organized for the first time. This multi-day, multi-genre music festival attracted approximately 30,000 people to the city in its first year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.southflorida.com/sf-okeechobee-festival-wrapup-20160308-story.html|title = Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival draws 30,000 people}}</ref> The annual festival has continued since then, and is planned for 2023.

==Notable people==

*[[Janet Bonnema]], [[civil engineer]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/newszapfl/obituary.aspx?n=janet-p-bonnema&pid=109706626|title=Janet P. Bonnema – Obituary|publisher=NewsZapFL|date=15 May 2008|access-date=7 June 2017}}</ref>
*[[Kutter Crawford]], [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] baseball player
*[[Evan Neal]], [[National Football League|NFL]] football player
*[[Lonnie Pryor]], NFL football player
*[[Reggie Rembert]], NFL football player
*[[Tom Rooney (Florida politician)|Thomas Rooney]], U.S. House of Representatives, [[Florida's 17th congressional district]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cityofokeechobee.com/ City of Okeechobee]
*[https://map.chronicle.rip/evergreen-cemetery-okeechobee Evergreen (Okeechobee) Cemetery deceased records and online map] at Chronicle Cemetery Map
{{Okeechobee County, Florida}}
{{Florida county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:County seats in Florida]]
[[Category:Cities in Okeechobee County, Florida]]
[[Category:Cities in Florida]]
[[Category:Populated places on Lake Okeechobee]]
[[Category:1917 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1917]]