Ocala, Florida
Top, left to right: Downtown Ocala, horse on a farm, Marion Hotel, Marion Theatre
Top, left to right: Downtown Ocala, horse on a farm, Marion Hotel, Marion Theatre
Official seal of Ocala, Florida
Nickname: 
Horse Capital of the World
Motto: 
"God Be With Us"
Map
Interactive map of Ocala
Coordinates: 29°11′16″N 82°7′50″W / 29.18778°N 82.13056°W / 29.18778; -82.13056
CountryUnited States
StateFlorida
CountyMarion
Settled1849
Incorporated (town)February 4, 1869
Incorporated (city)January 28, 1885
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager
 • City CouncilJames Hilty, Barry Mansfield, Ire J. Bethea Sr., Kristen Dreyer, Jay Musleh
 • MayorKent Guinn
 • City ManagerPeter Lee
Area
 • City47.26 sq mi (122.41 km2)
 • Land47.26 sq mi (122.39 km2)
 • Water0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
104 ft (32 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City63,591
 • RankUS: 638th
 • Density1,345.64/sq mi (519.56/km2)
 • Urban
156,909 (US: 211th)
 • Metro
354,353 (US: 149th)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
34470-34483
Area code352
FIPS code12-50750
GNIS feature ID0288030[2]
WebsiteOcalaFL.org

Ocala (/ˈkælə/ oh-KAL) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Florida, United States.[3] Located in North Florida, the city's population was 63,591 as of the 2020 census, making it the 54th-most populated city in Florida.[4] Ocala is the principal city of the Ocala metropolitan area, which had a population of 375,908 in 2020.

Home to over 400 thoroughbred farms and training centers, Ocala was officially named the Horse Capital of the World in 2007.[5] Notable attractions include the Ocala National Forest, Silver Springs State Park, Rainbow Springs State Park, the College of Central Florida, and the World Equestrian Center.

History

A reconstruction of Fort King
A reconstruction of Fort King

Ocala is located near what is thought to have been the site of Ocale or Ocali, a major Timucua village and chiefdom recorded in the 16th century. The modern city takes its name from the historical village, the name of which is believed to mean "Big Hammock" in the Timucua language.[6] The Spaniard Hernando de Soto's expedition recorded Ocale in 1539 during his exploration through what is today the southeastern United States. Ocale is not mentioned in later Spanish accounts; it appears to have been abandoned in the wake of de Soto's attack.[citation needed]

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Creek people and other Native Americans, and free and fugitive African Americans sought refuge in Florida. The Seminole people formed. After foreign colonial rule shifted between Spain and Great Britain and back again, in 1821 the United States acquired the territory of Florida. After warfare to the north, in 1827 the U.S. Army built Fort King near the present site of Ocala as a buffer between the Seminole, who had long occupied the area, and white settlers moving into the region. The fort was an important base during the Second Seminole War and later served in 1844 as the first courthouse for Marion County.[citation needed]

The modern city of Ocala, which was established in 1849, developed around the fort site. Greater Ocala is known as the "Kingdom of the Sun".[7] Plantations and other agricultural development dependent on slave labor were prevalent in the region. Ocala was an important center of citrus production until the Great Freeze of 1894–1895.[citation needed] During the Reconstruction era Ocala was represented by several African Americans in the Florida House of Representatives and on the local level.[8]

Downtown Ocala in 1883
Downtown Ocala in 1883

Rail service reached Ocala in June 1881, encouraging economic development with greater access to markets for produce. Two years later, much of the Ocala downtown area was destroyed by fire on Thanksgiving Day, 1883. The city encouraged rebuilding with brick, granite and steel rather than lumber. By 1888, Ocala was known statewide as "The Brick City".[citation needed]

In December 1890, the Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union, a forerunner of the Populist Party, held its national convention in Ocala. At the convention, the Alliance adopted a platform that would become known as the "Ocala Demands". This platform included abolition of national banks, promoting low-interest government loans, free and unlimited coinage of silver, reclamation of excess railroad lands by the government, a graduated income tax, and direct election of United States senators. Most of the "Ocala Demands" were to become part of the Populist Party platform.[citation needed]

Fort King Street c. 1920
Fort King Street c. 1920

In the last decades of the twentieth century, the greater Ocala area had one of the highest growth rates in the country for a city its size.[citation needed]

Ocala Historic District

Many historic homes are preserved in Ocala's large residential Historic District, designated in 1984. East Fort King Street features many excellent examples of Victorian architecture. Ocala structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places include the Coca-Cola Building, the E. C. Smith House, East Hall, the Marion Hotel, Mount Zion A.M.E. Church, the Ritz Historic Inn, and Union Train Station.

The original Fort King site was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2004.

Geography

A portion of the Silver River located in Silver Springs State Park
A portion of the Silver River located in Silver Springs State Park

Ocala is located at 29°11′16″N 82°07′50″W / 29.187704°N 82.130613°W / 29.187704; -82.130613.[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 47.31 square miles (122.5 km2), all land. The surrounding farms are famous for their thoroughbred horses, in terrain similar to Kentucky bluegrass. Ocala is also known for nearby Silver Springs, site of one of the largest artesian spring formations in the world and Silver Springs Nature Theme Park, one of the earliest tourist attractions in Florida.

The 110-mile (180 km) long Ocklawaha River passes 10 miles (16 km) east of Ocala, flowing north from Central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka.

Marion County is also home to the Ocala National Forest which was established in 1908 and is now the second largest national forest in the state. The Florida Trail, also known as the Florida National Scenic Trail, cuts through Ocala National Forest.[10] Silver Springs State Park was formed as Silver River State Park in 1987, out of land the state purchased around the Silver Springs attraction to spare it from development. The state took over Silver Springs itself in 1993 and incorporated it into the park in 2013.[11]

Climate

Ocala has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), with hot, humid summers and mild winters.

Climate data for Ocala, Florida, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 88
(31)
90
(32)
97
(36)
98
(37)
102
(39)
105
(41)
104
(40)
103
(39)
101
(38)
98
(37)
94
(34)
90
(32)
105
(41)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 81.9
(27.7)
84.0
(28.9)
87.3
(30.7)
90.8
(32.7)
95.1
(35.1)
96.8
(36.0)
96.6
(35.9)
95.8
(35.4)
94.2
(34.6)
90.8
(32.7)
86.3
(30.2)
82.3
(27.9)
98.0
(36.7)
Average high °F (°C) 70.6
(21.4)
73.7
(23.2)
78.6
(25.9)
83.9
(28.8)
88.9
(31.6)
91.0
(32.8)
92.0
(33.3)
91.6
(33.1)
89.5
(31.9)
84.3
(29.1)
77.2
(25.1)
72.2
(22.3)
82.8
(28.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 58.1
(14.5)
61.0
(16.1)
65.3
(18.5)
70.7
(21.5)
76.4
(24.7)
80.7
(27.1)
82.1
(27.8)
82.0
(27.8)
79.9
(26.6)
73.5
(23.1)
65.4
(18.6)
60.3
(15.7)
71.3
(21.8)
Average low °F (°C) 45.6
(7.6)
48.4
(9.1)
52.1
(11.2)
57.4
(14.1)
63.9
(17.7)
70.4
(21.3)
72.2
(22.3)
72.5
(22.5)
70.3
(21.3)
62.7
(17.1)
53.5
(11.9)
48.3
(9.1)
59.8
(15.4)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 27.1
(−2.7)
29.3
(−1.5)
33.5
(0.8)
42.7
(5.9)
52.8
(11.6)
64.5
(18.1)
68.6
(20.3)
68.4
(20.2)
61.9
(16.6)
46.4
(8.0)
35.8
(2.1)
30.4
(−0.9)
24.7
(−4.1)
Record low °F (°C) 11
(−12)
12
(−11)
23
(−5)
30
(−1)
44
(7)
48
(9)
58
(14)
60
(16)
52
(11)
32
(0)
22
(−6)
15
(−9)
11
(−12)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.38
(86)
2.94
(75)
3.68
(93)
2.22
(56)
3.53
(90)
7.41
(188)
6.94
(176)
7.07
(180)
6.49
(165)
3.21
(82)
2.09
(53)
2.68
(68)
51.64
(1,312)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 8.6 7.7 7.2 6.3 6.9 15.6 16.8 18.0 13.1 8.2 6.1 6.9 121.4
Source: NOAA[12][13]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1850243
1870600
188080333.8%
18902,904261.6%
19003,38016.4%
19104,37029.3%
19204,91412.4%
19307,28148.2%
19408,98623.4%
195011,74130.7%
196013,59815.8%
197022,58366.1%
198037,17064.6%
199042,04513.1%
200045,9439.3%
201056,31522.6%
202063,59112.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]

Ocala first appeared in the 1850 U.S. Census, with a total recorded population of 243.[15] Ocala did not report separately in 1860.[16]

As of the 2010 through 2014 census, Ocala was 63.3% non Hispanic white, 20.4% African American, 11.7% Hispanic or Latino, 2.6% Asian, 2% all other.[17] As of the census of 2000, there were 45,943 people, 18,646 households, and 11,280 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,189.2 inhabitants per square mile (459.2/km2). There were 20,501 housing units at an average density of 530.7 per square mile (204.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 72.9% White, 22.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.2% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.7% of the population.

There were 18,646 households. 40.9% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city the population was spread out, with 23.2% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

Economy

The median income for a household in the city was $30,888, and the median income for a family was $38,190. Males had a median income of $29,739 versus $24,367 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,021. About 13.2% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

Ocala is the headquarters of Emergency One, a worldwide designer and manufacturer of fire rescue vehicles.

Top employers

According to Ocala's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[18] the top employers in the city are:

Total Number of Employees by Year per Employer
Employer 2019
Marion County Public Schools 6,650
AdventHealth Ocala 2,648
State of Florida 2,600
Wal-Mart 2,400
Ocala Regional Medical Center 2,400
Publix Super Market 1,488
Marion County Board of Commissioners 1,368
Lockheed Martin 1,200
City of Ocala 1,200
AT&T 1,000

Culture

Gypsy Gold Farm, Ocala
Gypsy Gold Farm, Ocala

The first thoroughbred horse farm in Florida was developed in Marion County in 1943 by Carl G. Rose. Other farms were developed, making Ocala the center of a horse-breeding area. Local horses have won individual races of the Triple Crown series; in 1978, Affirmed, who was bred and trained in Marion County, won all three races, boosting interest in the industry there.

Ocala is one of only five cities (four in the US and one in France) permitted under Chamber of Commerce guidelines to use the title, "Horse Capital of the World",[5] based on annual revenue produced by the horse industry. 44,000 jobs are sustained by breeding, training, and related support of the equine industry, which generates over $2.2 billion in annual revenue. Postime Farms and Ocala serve as host to one of the largest horse shows in the country: H.I.T.S or "Horses in the Sun", a Dressage/Jumper event lasting about two months. It generates some 6 to 7 million dollars for the local Marion County economy each year. The show features classes for over 100 different breeds, including Tennessee Walker, Paso Fino, Morgan horse, Saddlebred, Draft horse and the American Quarter Horse. Other equine events in the area include mounted shooting by the Florida Outlaws, as well as endurance rides, barrel races, extreme cowboy events, jumper shows, trick shows, parades, draft pulls, rodeo events and more.

Government and politics

Ocala is governed by a five-member board of councillors and a mayor, all of which are elected on a nonpartisan basis. It has a council-manager form of government, relying on a manager hired by the city. The mayor sets policy but has few powers other than vetoing legislation passed by the council and tending to some duties involving the police department. The current mayor is Kent Guinn.[19] The city manager handles most administrative and financial matters.[20]

A number of county offices are housed at the McPherson Governmental Complex.[21]

As of 2020, Republicans outnumber Democrats in Marion County, 112,000 to 80,000.[22] In the 2008 presidential election, John McCain carried both the city and the county, the latter by a landslide, although Florida as a whole voted for Democrat Barack Obama by a narrow margin.[23]

Education

Eighth Street Elementary School, located within the Ocala Historic District
Eighth Street Elementary School, located within the Ocala Historic District

The public schools in Ocala are run by the Marion County School Board. There are 30 elementary, ten middle and ten public high schools in Marion County, which include the following schools in Ocala:

Elementary schools

Middle schools

High schools

Private schools

Colleges and universities

Ocala is home to the College of Central Florida, a member of the Florida College System, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. CF offers bachelor's degrees in Business and Organizational Management, Early Childhood Education, and Nursing, as well as associate degrees and certificates. The college offers specialty programs in equine studies, agribusiness, and logistics and supply chain management.[30] It also has one of 21 campuses of Rasmussen College, a Higher Learning Commission regionally accredited post secondary institution.[31][32] Webster University offers on-site, regionally accredited graduate degree programs in business and counseling at their Ocala Metropolitan Campus.[33]

Libraries

Three of the eight libraries in the Marion County Public Library System are located in Ocala.[34] Those three libraries are:

Transportation

Eastbound SR 40 as it approaches US 27-301-441 in Ocala.
Eastbound SR 40 as it approaches US 27-301-441 in Ocala.

Several major highways pass through Ocala, including Interstate 75, U.S. Highway 27, U.S. Route 301, and U.S. Highway 441. Ocala was on the western leg of the historic Dixie Highway.

See also: List of county roads in Marion County, Florida

Ocala International Airport provides general aviation services to the community. Ocala Suntran provides bus service throughout select parts of the city. One of the major hubs for Suntran is the former Ocala Union Station, which served Amtrak trains until November 2004. Amtrak serves Ocala by bus connection to Jacksonville and Lakeland. Ocala is also served by Greyhound Bus Lines. Marion Transit is the complementary ADA paratransit service for SunTran the fixed route in the City of Ocala. Marion Transit was established in 1976 and operates paratransit buses providing public transportation throughout Marion County for the Transportation Disadvantaged population.

Healthcare

On April 18, 2018, Community Health Systems sold its lease of Munroe Regional Medical Center to Adventist Health System.[35][36] On August 1, 2018, Adventist Health System acquired Munroe Regional Medical Center and its subsidiary Florida Hospital took over the operations of the hospital under the name of Florida Hospital Ocala.[37]

Notable people

Notable musical groups

Sister cities

See also: List of sister cities in Florida

Ocala has two sister cities:

See also

References

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "Florida Cities Ranked by Population". florida-demographics.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "FTBOA > Breeding > Industry Facts". www.ftboa.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  6. ^ "Historic Highlights". City of Ocala. Archived from the original on January 14, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2007.
  7. ^ McCarthy, Kevin; Jernigan, Ernest (2001). Ocala. p. 11. ISBN 0-7385-1377-6.
  8. ^ "Ocala Black History Mural". City of Ocala Recreation and Parks. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  9. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  10. ^ "The Florida Trail in the Ocala National Forest". Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2007.
  11. ^ "History". Thefriendsofsilverriver.org. Friends of Silver River. 2014. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  12. ^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  13. ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  14. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  15. ^ "1850 Census of Population: Florida" (PDF). Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  16. ^ "1860 Census of Population: Florida" (PDF). Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  17. ^ "American FactFinder - Results". archive.ph. May 21, 2019. Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  18. ^ "City of Ocala, Florida: Comprehensive Annual Financial Report – For September 30, 2018" (PDF). ocalafl.org. p. 191. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  19. ^ Delgado, Jeremiah (September 17, 2019). "Winner elected in race for Ocala mayor; November runoff for council seat". Ocala-News. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  20. ^ "Ocala City Charter" (PDF). City of Ocala. Archived from the original (XLS) on June 13, 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  21. ^ "McPherson Governmental Complex Map". Marion County, FL.
  22. ^ "Marion County Supervisor of Elections > Home". Votemarion.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  23. ^ "2008 General Election Results". Marion County Department of Elections. Archived from the original (XLS) on July 13, 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  24. ^ "A living education". Amblesideocala.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  25. ^ "Home". Thecornerstoneschool.org. December 8, 2015. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  26. ^ "Meadowbrook Academy : Home". Mbaocala.org. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  27. ^ "Home – Ocala Christian Academy". Ocacrusaders.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  28. ^ "Ocala First Assembly of God – An A/G Church in North Central Florida – Ocala, FL". Ocalafirst.org. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  29. ^ "Shiloh SDA Church School : Home". Antt40.adventistschoolconnect.org. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  30. ^ "College of Central Florida". Cf.edu. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  31. ^ "Rasmussen College Campuses". Rasmussen.edu. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  32. ^ "Accreditation". Rasmussen.edu. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  33. ^ "Webster University: Webster University: Ocala Metro Campus". Webster.edu. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  34. ^ "Marion County Public Library System library directory". Marioncountyfl.org. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  35. ^ Miller, Naseem (April 18, 2018). "Florida Hospital to acquire Ocala Hospital". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  36. ^ Medina, Carlos (April 18, 2018). "Change over". Ocala StarBanner. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  37. ^ Miller, Naseem (August 1, 2018). "Munroe Regional officially acquired by Florida Hospital". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  38. ^ Brown, Canter; Rivers, Larry E. (2008). "The Pioneer African American Jurist Who Almost Became a Bishop: Florida's Judge James Dean, 1858-1914". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 87 (1): 16–49. ISSN 0015-4113. JSTOR 20700194. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021.
  39. ^ "Joey Gilmore | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  40. ^ Bohls, Kirk (May 13, 2012). "Travis Mays – Horns' 'home run hire' – has hit the recruiting trail running". statesman.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  41. ^ "Friends Across the Ocean". City of Ocala. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  42. ^ "San Rossore Officially Sister City To Ocala". Thoroughbred Times. Archived from the original on August 19, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2007. "This event is just the beginning of a nice relationship between the city of Ocala and the city of Pisa and San Rossore," Fontanelli said in Italian during the ceremony.