Editing Otter Creek, Florida

{{Short description| Town in the state of Florida, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
| official_name      = Otter Creek, Florida
| nickname           = 
| settlement_type    = [[Town (Florida)|Town]]
| motto              = 
<!-- images and maps  ----------->
| image_skyline      = Otter Creek, Florida.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Eastbound [[Florida State Road 24|SR 24]] entering Otter Creek.
| image_map          = Levy_County_Florida_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Otter_Creek_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250x200px
| map_caption        = Location in [[Levy County, Florida|Levy County]] and the state of [[Florida]]
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
<!-- Location ------------------>
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Florida}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Florida|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = {{noflag|[[Levy County, Florida|Levy]]}}
<!-- Politics ----------------->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = [[Mayor-council government|Mayor-Council]]
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]<ref name=OttCreInc>{{Cite web|title=MUNICIPAL DIRECTORY: Town of Otter Creek|url=https://floridaleagueofcities.com/research-resources/municipal-directory|website=floridaleagueofcities.com}}</ref>
| leader_name        = Therese Granger
| leader_title1      = [[Vice Mayor]]
| leader_name1       = Zim Padgett
| leader_title2      = [[City Council|Councilmembers]]
| leader_name2       = Sonya Lamb,<br>Don Severino, and<br>Russell Meeks Sr.
| leader_title3      = [[City Clerk|Town Clerk]]
| leader_name3       = Belinda Standridge
| leader_title4      = [[City Attorney|Town Attorney]]
| leader_name4       = Steven Warm
| established_title  = [[Settler colonialism|Settled<br>(Otter Creek Ford)]]
| established_date   = 1856<ref name=OCSett>{{Cite web|title=THE BIRTH OF LEVY COUNTY (Page 10)|url=https://www.votelevy.com/Portals/Levy/documents/Florida%20and%20The%20Birth%20of%20Levy%20County.pdf|website=www.votelevy.com}}</ref>
| established_title1 = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated<br>(Town of Otter Creek)]]
| established_date1  = 1969<ref name=OCInc>{{Cite web|title=FLORIDA CITIES BY INCORPORATION YEAR WITH INCORPORATION & DISSOLUTION INFO|url=https://www.flcities.com/docs/default-source/research-institute-reports/2020citiesbyincorporationwithinfo.pdf?sfvrsn=5009d6d5_0|website=www.flcities.com}}</ref><ref name=OttCreInc/>
| established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
| established_date2  = 
<!-- Area    --------------------->
| 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     = 3.57
| area_land_km2      = 3.52
| area_water_km2     = 0.05
| area_water_percent = 
<!-- Population   ----------------------->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 108
| population_density_km2 = 30.64
<!-- General information  --------------->
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| coordinates        = {{coord|29|19|24|N|82|46|22|W|region:US-FL|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
| elevation_m        = 8
| elevation_ft       = 26
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 32683
| area_code          = [[Area code 352|352]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 12-53500<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        = 0288275<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 79.35
| area_total_sq_mi   = 1.38
| area_land_sq_mi    = 1.36
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.02
}}

'''Otter Creek''' is a town in [[Levy County, Florida|Levy County]], [[Florida]], [[United States]]. The town is located in [[North Florida]]. The population was 108 at the 2020 census.

==History==
[[Hernando de Soto]] crossed Otter Creek during his explorations of Florida in 1539.

It was settled in 1856, and the community was called "''Otter Creek Ford''".<ref name=OCSett/>

In the 1930s and 1940s, Otter Creek was the second largest community in Levy County, with a population approaching 1,000.

The loss of a lumber mill that made cypress [[Flitch beam|"flitches"]] for citrus crates and the discontinuation of two railroads which bisected the town led to a steady population decline.

The '''Town of Otter Creek''' was officially incorporated as a municipality in 1969.<ref name=OCInc/><ref name=OttCreInc/>

In 2007, the town council created a local historic district consisting of neighborhoods with "[[company town]]" residences that date from the 19th and early 20th century

After the closure of the lumber mill, there has been very little business or commercial activity within Otter Creek. By 2019, only two small businesses remained, an independently-owned convenience store (no gasoline) located at the intersection of Highways 19 and 24, and the Creekside Christian School, a private, primary school operating on the grounds of Otter Creek Baptist Church.

To the extent that other businesses existed, they have closed due to the deaths of their owners or otherwise failed.  Some notable examples were the Smith Store and the Country Store, both community-centric and vibrant in their days.  The Smith Store was operated by Ella Graham (deceased 1996), whose grandson once delivered groceries and dry goods to the town residents on a Shetland pony.  The Country Store, originally built and operated by Junior and Philene Williams, changed hands after their deaths, but permanently closed about 2000.  There was an animal hide tannery until about 1980, and a few bait shops and convenience stores. The remnants of nearly all are now decrepit.

==Geography==
The approximate coordinates for the Town of Otter Creek is located at {{coord|29.323435|-82.772708|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=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|3.8|km2|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|3.7|km2|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.05|km2|disp=flip}} (1.28%) is water.

==Climate==
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], the Town of Otter Creek has a [[humid subtropical climate]] zone (''Cfa'').

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1970= 230
|1980= 167
|1990= 136
|2000= 121
|2010= 134
|2020= 108
|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"
|+'''Otter Creek 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) - Otter Creek town, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Otter+Creek+town;+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) - Otter Creek town, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Otter+Creek+town;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|126
|93
|94.03%
|86.11%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|4
|2
|2.99%
|1.85%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|0
|3
|0.00%
|2.78%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|0
|0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] or [[Native Hawaiian]] (NH)
|0
|0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|-
|[[Other races (U.S. Census)|Some other race]] (NH)
|0
|2
|0.00%
|1.85%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races/Multiracial]] (NH)
|1
|1
|0.75%
|0.93%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|3
|7
|2.24%
|6.48%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''134'''
|'''108'''
|
|
|-
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 108 people, 44 households, and 33 families residing in the town.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Otter Creek town, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Otter+Creek+town;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 134 people, 65 households, and 49 families residing in the town.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Otter Creek town, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Otter+Creek+town;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2010.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 121 people, 54 households, and 32 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|84.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 70 housing units at an average density of {{convert|49.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 93.39% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 3.31% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 2.48% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.83% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.96% of the population.

In 2000, there were 54 households, out of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.91.

In 2000, in the town, the population was spread out, with 17.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 37.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the town was $18,036, and the median income for a family was $19,821. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $22,500 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $13,101. There were 12.1% of families and 20.2% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including no under eighteens and 17.2% of those over 64.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Levy County, Florida}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Levy County, Florida]]
[[Category:Towns in Florida]]
[[Category:Former census-designated places in Florida]]