Gainesville, Florida

City in Florida, United States

Gainesville, Florida

City

City of Gainesville

Downtown Gainesville at night

Flag of Gainesville, Florida

Flag

Seal

Motto:

Citizen centered. People empowered.

Location in Alachua County and the state of Florida

Coordinates: 29°39′7.19″N 82°19′29.97″W﻿ / ﻿29.6519972°N 82.3249917°W﻿ / 29.6519972; -82.3249917Coordinates: 29°39′7.19″N 82°19′29.97″W﻿ / ﻿29.6519972°N 82.3249917°W﻿ / 29.6519972; -82.3249917
Country|  United States
State|  Florida
County| Alachua
Settled| 1854
Incorporated| April 14, 1869
Government

• Type| Council-manager
• City Commission|

List

* Lauren Poe (Mayor)
* Reina Saco (At-Large A)
* Cynthia M. Chestnut (At-Large B)
* Desmon Duncan-Walker (District 1)
* Harvey Ward (District 2)
* David Arreola (District 3)
* Adrian Hayes-Santos (District 4)

[1]
• City Manager| Cynthia W. Curry[2]
Area

[3]

• City| 64.54 sq mi (167.15 km2)
• Land| 63.36 sq mi (164.11 km2)
• Water| 1.17 sq mi (3.04 km2)  1.74%
Elevation

[4]

| 152 ft (54 m)
Population

(2020)

• City| 141,085
• Rank| 194th
• Density| 2,226.61/sq mi (859.70/km2)
• Urban

| 187,781 (US: 187th)
• Metro

| 332,317 (153rd)
• CSA

| 400,814 (US: 99th)
Time zone| UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code|

32601–32614, 32627, 32635, 32641, 32653

Area code| 352
FIPS code| 12-25175
GNIS feature ID| 0282874[5]
Website| www.gainesvillefl.gov

Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County, Florida, and the largest city in North Central Florida, with a population of 141,085 in 2020.[6] It is the principal city of the Gainesville metropolitan area, which had a population of 339,247 in 2020.[7]

Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, the fourth-largest public university campus by enrollment in the United States as of the 2021–2022 academic year.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Geography
* 2.1 Climate
* 2.2 Cityscape
* 2.3 Developments and expansions
* 3 Demographics
* 3.1 Languages
* 4 Economy
* 4.1 Top employers
* 4.2 Startups
* 5 Education
* 5.1 Desegregation
* 5.2 Elementary schools
* 5.3 Middle schools
* 5.4 High schools
* 5.5 Private schools
* 5.6 Colleges and universities
* 5.7 Developmental research schools
* 5.8 Public libraries
* 6 Government and infrastructure
* 6.1 City government
* 6.1.1 Elected officials and elections
* 6.1.1.1 City commission
* 6.1.1.2 Mayor
* 6.1.1.3 Elections and terms of office
* 6.2 Departments
* 6.2.1 Municipal buildings
* 7 Transportation
* 7.1 Major roads
* 7.2 Intercity rail
* 7.3 Airport, bus, and others
* 8 Culture
* 8.1 Homelessness issues
* 8.2 Marijuana culture
* 8.3 Music scene
* 8.4 Sports
* 8.5 Startup culture
* 8.6 Annual cultural events
* 9 Media
* 9.1 Print
* 9.2 Radio
* 9.3 Television
* 10 Points of interest
* 11 Sister cities
* 12 See also
* 13 References
* 14 Further reading
* 15 External links

## History[edit | edit source]

Main articles: History of Gainesville, Florida and Timeline of Gainesville, Florida

There is archeological evidence, from about 12,000 years ago, of the presence of Paleo Indians in the Gainesville area, although it is not known if there were any permanent settlements.[8] A Deptford culture campsite existed in Gainesville and was estimated to have been used between 500 BCE and 100 CE.[9] The Deptford people moved south into Paynes Prairie and Orange Lake during the first century and evolved into the Cades Pond culture.[10] The Deptford people who remained in the Gainesville area were displaced by migrants from southern Georgia sometime in the seventh century.[10] These migrants evolved into the Alachua culture and they built their burial mound on top of the Deptford culture campsite.[9] When Europeans made first contact in the area, the Potano lived in the area. They were descendants of the Alachua culture people.[11] European contact diminished the numbers of native peoples (through disease, enslavement, war) and Spanish colonists began cattle ranching in the Paynes Prairie area in the 18th century. The Spanish ceded Florida to the US in 1821.[12]

Gainesville was established in 1854 and named after Edmund P. Gaines.[13][14] The town of Gainesville was incorporated in 1869[15] and chartered as a city in 1907.[16] The University of the State of Florida was moved from Lake City to Gainesville in 1906 and its name was simplified to University of Florida in 1909.[16][17]

## Geography[edit | edit source]

Gainesville is located at 29°39'55" North, 82°20'10" West (29.665245, −82.336097),[18] which is roughly the same latitude as Houston, Texas. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 62.4 square miles (161.6 km2), of which 61.3 square miles (158.8 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) is water. The total area is 1.74% water.[19]

Gainesville's tree canopy is both dense and species rich, including broadleaf evergreens, conifers, and deciduous species; the city has been recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation every year since 1982 as a "Tree City, USA". A 2016 ecological assessment indicates Gainesville's urban tree canopy covers 47 percent of its land area.[20]

Gainesville is the only city with more than 10,000 residents in the Gainesville, Florida, metropolitan statistical area (Alaucha, Levy and Gilchrist counties), and it is surrounded by rural area, including the 21,000-acre (8,500 ha) wilderness of Paynes Prairie on its southern edge. The city is characterized by its medium size and central location, about two hours' driving time from either Jacksonville or Orlando, three hours from Tampa, and six hours from either Atlanta or Miami. The area is dominated by the University of Florida,[21] which in 2008 was the third-largest university by enrollment in the US,[22] and as of 2021 was the fourth-largest.

### Climate[edit | edit source]

Gainesville's climate is defined as humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa), with tropical-like summers, warm to hot shoulder seasons, and mild winters. Due to its inland location, Gainesville experiences wide temperature fluctuations, and it is part of USDA Plant hardiness zone 9a.[23] During the hot season, from roughly May 15 to September 30, the city's climate is similar to the rest of the state, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms and high humidity. Average temperatures range from the low 70s (21–23 °C) at night to around 91 °F (33 °C) during the day.

In the cool season, Gainesville experiences 15 nights of temperatures at freezing or below and sustained freezes every few years. The all-time record low of 6 °F (−14 °C) was reached on February 13, 1899,[24] and the city experienced light snow and freezing rain on Christmas Eve, 1989. Traces of snow were also recorded in 1977,[25] 1996, 2010[26] and 2016.[27] The daily average temperature in January is 54.8 °F (12.7 °C); on average, the window for freezing temperatures is December 4 to February 24, allowing a growing season of 282 days, although the 1949-50 winter season did not record a freeze.[28] Like the rest of the state, cold temperatures are almost always accompanied by clear skies and high pressure systems; snow is therefore rare. Temperatures reaching 100 °F (38 °C) or falling below 20 °F (−7 °C) are rare, having respectively last occurred on June 4, 2019, and January 11, 2010.

The city's flora and fauna are also distinct from coastal regions of the state, and include many deciduous species, such as dogwood, maple, hickory and sweet gum, alongside palms, live oaks, and other evergreens. This allows the city to enjoy brief periods of fall color in late November and December and a noticeable, prolonged spring from mid-February through early April. This is a generally pleasant period, as colorful blooms of azalea and redbud complement a cloudless blue sky, for this is also the period of the lowest precipitation and lowest humidity. The city averages 48.31 inches (1,230 mm) of rain per year. June through September accounts for most annual rainfall, while autumn and early winter is the driest period.

Climate data for Gainesville, Florida (Gainesville Regional Airport), 1991−2020 normals,[29] extremes 1890−present

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °F (°C)  | 89
(32)  | 91
(33)  | 96
(36)  | 96
(36)  | 102
(39)  | 104
(40)  | 102
(39)  | 100
(38)  | 99
(37)  | 96
(36)  | 91
(33)  | 87
(31)  | 104
(40)
Mean maximum °F (°C)  | 80.8
(27.1)  | 83.3
(28.5)  | 86.4
(30.2)  | 89.8
(32.1)  | 94.3
(34.6)  | 96.5
(35.8)  | 96.0
(35.6)  | 95.1
(35.1)  | 93.3
(34.1)  | 89.8
(32.1)  | 85.1
(29.5)  | 81.3
(27.4)  | 97.8
(36.6)
Average high °F (°C)  | 67.1
(19.5)  | 70.9
(21.6)  | 75.8
(24.3)  | 81.5
(27.5)  | 87.4
(30.8)  | 90.3
(32.4)  | 91.1
(32.8)  | 90.5
(32.5)  | 88.1
(31.2)  | 82.1
(27.8)  | 74.7
(23.7)  | 69.3
(20.7)  | 80.7
(27.1)
Daily mean °F (°C)  | 54.8
(12.7)  | 58.4
(14.7)  | 62.7
(17.1)  | 68.5
(20.3)  | 75.0
(23.9)  | 79.9
(26.6)  | 81.4
(27.4)  | 81.3
(27.4)  | 78.8
(26.0)  | 71.4
(21.9)  | 62.7
(17.1)  | 57.3
(14.1)  | 69.3
(20.7)
Average low °F (°C)  | 42.6
(5.9)  | 45.9
(7.7)  | 49.7
(9.8)  | 55.5
(13.1)  | 62.6
(17.0)  | 69.5
(20.8)  | 71.6
(22.0)  | 72.0
(22.2)  | 69.4
(20.8)  | 60.6
(15.9)  | 50.6
(10.3)  | 45.2
(7.3)  | 57.9
(14.4)
Mean minimum °F (°C)  | 24.8
(−4.0)  | 27.7
(−2.4)  | 32.0
(0.0)  | 40.4
(4.7)  | 50.4
(10.2)  | 63.0
(17.2)  | 67.4
(19.7)  | 67.6
(19.8)  | 60.2
(15.7)  | 43.4
(6.3)  | 32.5
(0.3)  | 28.3
(−2.1)  | 22.8
(−5.1)
Record low °F (°C)  | 10
(−12)  | 6
(−14)  | 22
(−6)  | 32
(0)  | 42
(6)  | 50
(10)  | 60
(16)  | 60
(16)  | 48
(9)  | 32
(0)  | 20
(−7)  | 13
(−11)  | 6
(−14)
Average precipitation inches (mm)  | 3.29
(84)  | 2.67
(68)  | 3.49
(89)  | 2.74
(70)  | 3.08
(78)  | 7.56
(192)  | 6.68
(170)  | 6.40
(163)  | 5.05
(128)  | 2.68
(68)  | 1.79
(45)  | 2.88
(73)  | 48.31
(1,227)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.2  | 7.2  | 7.4  | 6.2  | 6.9  | 14.9  | 15.9  | 16.1  | 11.0  | 7.2  | 5.8  | 7.0  | 113.8
Source: NOAA[28][30]

### Cityscape[edit | edit source]

Alachua County Courthouse Family and Civil Justice Center

University Corners, viewed from the main entrance to the University of Florida, February 2012. This is now the site of the apartment complex "The Standard", which opened in 2017.

Gainesville's Downtown

Hippodrome State Theatre

Since the 1990s, suburban sprawl has been a concern for a majority of the city commissioners. The "New Urbanization" plan to gentrify the area between historic Downtown and the University of Florida may slow the growth of suburban sectors and spark a migration toward upper-level apartments in the inner city. The area immediately north of the university is also seeing active redevelopment. Many gentrification plans rely on tax incentives that have sparked controversy[31] and are sometimes unsuccessful. University Corners, which would not have been proposed without a $98 million tax incentive program by the city,[32] was to be "a crowning jewel of the city's redevelopment efforts",[33] 450 condos and hotel units and 98,000 square feet (9,100 m2) of retail space in eight stories covering three city blocks,[34] on 3.4 acres (1.4 ha) purchased for $15.5 million.[35] 19 thriving businesses[31] were demolished in April 2007,[35] but in May 2008 deposit checks were refunded to about 105 people who reserved units,[36] and in July 2008 developers spent "$120,000 to beautify the site, so we won't have this ugly green fence".[35]

Gainesville's east side houses the majority of the city's African-American community, while the west side consists of the mainly student and White resident communities. West of the city limits are large-scale planned communities, most notably Haile Plantation, which was built on the site of its eponymous former plantation.

The destruction of the city's landmark Victorian courthouse in the 1960s, which some considered unnecessary, brought the idea of historic preservation to the community's attention. The bland county building that replaced the grand courthouse became known to some locals as the "air conditioner". Additional destruction of the downtown area's historic buildings has left a small handful of older buildings, like the Hippodrome State Theatre, at one time a federal building. However, revitalization of the city's core has picked up, and the city is replacing many parking lots and underutilized buildings with infill development and near-campus housing that blend with existing historic structures. There is a proposal to rebuild a replica of the old courthouse on a parking lot one block from the original location.

Helping in this effort are the number of areas and buildings added to the National Register of Historic Places. Dozens of examples of restored Victorian and Queen Anne style residences constructed in the city's agricultural heyday of the 1880s and 1890s can be found in the following districts:

* Northeast Gainesville Residential District
* Southeast Gainesville Residential District
* Pleasant Street Historic District

Additionally, the University of Florida Campus Historic District, consisting of 11 buildings and 14 contributing properties, lies within the city's boundaries. Most of the buildings in the Campus Historic District are constructed in variations of Collegiate Gothic architecture, which returned to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Historic structures on the Register in and around downtown are:

* Bailey Plantation House (1854)
* Colson House (1905)
* Matheson House (1867)
* Thomas Hotel (1910)
* The Old Post Office (now the Hippodrome State Theatre) (1911)
* Masonic Temple (1908)
* Seagle Building (1926), downtown Gainesville's tallest building.
* Baird Hardware Company Warehouse (1890)
* Cox Furniture Store (1875)
* Cox Furniture Warehouse (c. 1890)
* Epworth Hall (1884)
* Old Gainesville Depot (1907)
* Mary Phifer McKenzie House (1895)
* Star Garage (1902)
* A. Quinn Jones House

### Developments and expansions[edit | edit source]

* Innovation Square[37]
* University Corners[38]
* The Continuum – Graduate and Professional Student Housing[39]

## Demographics[edit | edit source]

Gainesville Demographics

2020 Census | Gainesville | Alachua County[40][41] | Florida[42]
Total population | 141,085 | 278,468 | 21,538,187
Population, percent change, 2010 to 2020 | +13.3% | +12.3% | +14.6%
Population density | 2,226.72/sq mi | 318.25/sq mi | 401.64/sq mi
White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic) | 57.5% | 61.1% | 57.7%
(Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian) | 53.0% | 57.6% | 51.5%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 13.8% | 12.1% | 26.5%
Black or African-American | 20.6% | 18.7% | 15.0%
Asian | 7.8% | 6.5% | 3.0%
Native American or Native Alaskan | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4%
Two or more races (Multiracial) | 10.9% | 9.9% | 16.5%
Some other race | 3.7%  | 3.4%  | 7.3%
Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1890| 2,790| | —
1900| 3,633| | 30.2%
1910| 6,183| | 70.2%
1920| 6,860| | 10.9%
1930| 10,465| | 52.6%
1940| 13,757| | 31.5%
1950| 26,861| | 95.3%
1960| 29,701| | 10.6%
1970| 64,510| | 117.2%
1980| 81,371| | 26.1%
1990| 84,770| | 4.2%
2000| 95,447| | 12.6%
2010| 124,354| | 30.3%
2020| 141,085| | 13.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[43]

The US Census Bureau estimated Gainesville's population at 141,085 in 2020, a 13.3% increase from 2010 population of 124,504.[6][44] At the 2010 census there were 63,612 housing units, with 57,808 occupied and 5,804 vacant. Children under 18 years of age numbered 19,897 in 2020, comprising 14.1% of the population, and people 65 years or over were estimated at 14,245 in 2019, or 10.8% of the population. In 2020, 57.5% of the population was White, 20.6% Black, 7.8% Asian, 0.3% American Indians and Alaska Natives, 3.7% some other race, and 10.0% reporting two or more races. The population of Gainesville was 13.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race and 52.1% female in 2020. In 2015-2019, the estimated median household income was $37,264 and the per capita income was $23,018.[45]

### Languages[edit | edit source]

As of 2019,[46] 82.90% of residents age five and older spoke English at home, while 8.20% spoke Spanish, 1.93% spoke Chinese, 0.96% spoke French, Haitian Creole, or Cajun, 0.78% spoke Vietnamese, 0.55% spoke Russian, Polish, or other Slavic language, 0.50% spoke Tagalog, 0.34% spoke Korean, and 0.37% spoke German, 0.35% spoke Arabic, 2.14% spoke some other Indo-European Language, 0.75% spoke some other Asian or Pacific Islander language, and 0.24% spoke some other and unspecified language. In 2015, 0.61% of residents age five and older spoke Hindi at home.[47]

## Economy[edit | edit source]

Numerous guides, such as the 2004 Cities Ranked and Rated: More than 400 Metropolitan Areas Evaluated in the U.S. and Canada, have mentioned Gainesville's low cost of living. The restaurants near the University of Florida also tend to be inexpensive. The property taxes are high to offset the cost of the university, as the university's land is tax-exempt, but the median home cost is slightly below the national average, and Gainesville residents, like all Floridians, do not pay state income taxes.

The city's job market scored only 6 out of a possible 100 points in the Cities Ranked and Rated guide, as the downside to the low cost of living is an extremely weak local job market that is oversupplied with college-educated residents. Gainesville's median income is slightly below the U.S. average.

Gainesville heavily promoted solar power by creating the first feed-in tariff (FIT) in the United States. The FIT allowed small businesses and homeowners to supply electricity into the municipal power grid and paid a premium for the clean, on-site generated solar electricity. The FIT started with a rate of $0.32 per kilowatt-hour and allowed a person or business to enter into a 20-year contract where Gainesville Regional Utilities would purchase the power for 20 years.[48] The FIT ended in 2013,[49] when the rate was set at $0.18 per kWh, but the city is still seen as a leader in solar power. This increase in solar installations put Gainesville at number 5 in the world in solar installed per capita, beating Japan, France, China and all of the US.[50]

The sports drink Gatorade was invented in Gainesville in the 1960s to help refresh the UF football team. UF still receives a share of the profits from the beverage, but Gatorade's headquarters are now in Chicago.

Spring Hill UF Health building

The Florida Department of Citrus's department of economic research is on the UF campus.[51]

### Top employers[edit | edit source]

The city's economic engine is the University of Florida, which is by far the largest employer in the area and brings in a large amount of state and federal money. According to Gainesville's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[52] the top employers in the city are:

No.  | Employer  | No. of Employees

|
|

1  | University of Florida | 27,567
2  | UF Health | 12,705
3  | Gainesville Veterans Administration Medical Center | 6,127
4  | Alachua County School Board | 3,904
5  | City of Gainesville  | 2,072
6  | North Florida Regional Medical Center | 2,000
7  | Gator Dining Services  | 1,200
8  | Nationwide Insurance | 960
9  | Alachua County | 809
10  | Publix | 780

### Startups[edit | edit source]

Greater Gainesville (Alachua County) is home to many startups with over 160 high growth enterprises.[53] Gainesville is also home to dozens of organizations that support startups along their entire continuum of growth.[54]

## Education[edit | edit source]

Century Tower, University of Florida

The Gainesville urban area is served by Alachua County Public Schools, which has 75 different institutions in the county, most in the Gainesville area. Gainesville is also home to the University of Florida and Santa Fe College. The University of Florida is a major financial boost to the community, and UF athletic events, including SEC football games, create hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional revenue.[citation needed] According to a 2019 study by the university's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the university contributed $16.9 billion to Florida's economy and was responsible for over 130,000 jobs in the 2017–2018 fiscal year.[55]

### Desegregation[edit | edit source]

Gainesville's schools began desegregating in the 1960s and its high schools were integrated from 1968 to 1970, the "colored" schools having been either closed or integrated.[56]

### Elementary schools[edit | edit source]

* Boulware Springs Charter School
* Chiles Elementary School
* Duval Elementary School
* Caroline Beatrice Parker Elementary School
* Foster Elementary School
* Glen Springs Elementary School
* Hidden Oak Elementary School
* Idylwilde Elementary School
* Lake Forest Elementary School
* Littlewood Elementary School
* Meadowbrook Elementary School
* WA Metcalfe Elementary School
* Norton Knights Elementary School
* Rawlings Elementary School
* Talbot Elementary School
* Terwilliger Elementary School
* Wiles Elementary School
* Williams Elementary School

### Middle schools[edit | edit source]

Middle schools in the county run from 6th to 8th grades.

* Howard Bishop Middle School
* Fort Clarke Middle School
* Kanapaha Middle School
* Lincoln Middle School
* Westwood Middle School

### High schools[edit | edit source]

High schools in Gainesville run from 9th to 12th grades.

* Buchholz High School
* Eastside High School
* Gainesville High School
* Loften High School

### Private schools[edit | edit source]

Oak Hall School Cofrin Arts Center

* Brentwood School
* Countryside Christian School
* Cornerstone Academy
* Gainesville Country Day School
* Millhopper Montessori School
* Oak Hall School
* Queen of Peace Academy
* St. Patrick Interparish School
* The Rock School
* Trilogy School of Learning Alternatives
* Westwood Hills Christian School
* St. Francis Academy
* Newberry Christian Community School

### Colleges and universities[edit | edit source]

Sledd Hall at the University of Florida

* University of Florida
* Santa Fe College
* Saint Leo University (Gainesville Education Center)
* City College (Gainesville campus)

### Developmental research schools[edit | edit source]

* P. K. Yonge Developmental Research School

### Public libraries[edit | edit source]

The Alachua County Library District provides public library service to Gainesville and to all of Alachua County. The Library District has reciprocal borrowing agreements with the surrounding counties of Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Putnam, and Union. These agreements are designed to facilitate access to the most convenient library facility regardless of an individual's county of residence.

## Government and infrastructure[edit | edit source]

### City government[edit | edit source]

The council–manager government is the form of municipal government used in Gainesville. The day-to-day operations of the city are run by a professional city manager who is appointed by the elected city commission.[57]

#### Elected officials and elections[edit | edit source]

##### City commission[edit | edit source]

The legislative power of the city is vested in a city commission of seven members, one of whom is the mayor. The mayor and two other commissioners are elected at-large, while the other four are elected from single-member districts to represent a quarter of the city.[58]

The city commission is responsible for legislative functions such as establishing policy, passing local ordinances, voting appropriations, and developing an overall vision, like a corporate board of directors,[59] in addition to appointing several professional staff persons.

##### Mayor[edit | edit source]

Main article: Mayor of Gainesville

The mayor is presiding officer of the city commission and has a voice and a vote in its proceedings but no veto power.[60]

Partial list of mayors of Gainesville, Florida

* Samuel Y. Finley, 1869–?, First mayor of Gainesville[61]
* ?
* Josiah T. Walls, ?–1873[62]
* Watson Porter, 1873–?[62]
* ?
* William Reuben Thomas, 1901-1907
* Horatio Davis, 1908-1909[63]
* ?
* Gordon Tison, circa 1918[64]
* ?
* Robert W. Davis, 1924-1925[63]
* ?
* J. Milton Brownlee, 1951[63]
* Fred M. Cone, 1952[63]
* Roy L. Purvis, 1953[63]
* C. B. Bohannon, Jr., 1954[63]
* Joseph C. Wise, 1955[63]
* Myrl J. Hanes, 1959[63]
* Perry McGriff, circa 1960s??
* ?
* Joseph W. Little, 1975-1976[65]
* ?
* Jean Chalmers, 1984-1985[65]
* Gary Gordon, 1985-1986
* N. David Flagg, 1987-1988[65]
* David Coffey, 1988-1989[65]
* Cynthia Moore Chestnut, 1989-1990[65]
* Rodney J. Long, 1991-1992[65]
* Paula M. DeLaney, 1994–1995, 1998-2001[65][66]
* Bruce L. Delaney, 1997-1998[65]
* Thomas D. Bussing, 2001-2004[65]
* Pegeen Hanrahan, 2004-2010
* Craig Lowe, 2010-2013
* Ed Braddy, 2013-2016[67]
* Lauren Poe since 2016

##### Elections and terms of office[edit | edit source]

Municipal elections are nonpartisan and use a two-round system, i.e., if no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a runoff election ensues between the two candidates who received the most votes.[68]

The mayor and other commissioners are elected to a term the length of which is in transition;[69] in any case, neither the mayor nor any other commissioner may serve more than two consecutive terms, excepting following a partial term created by a vacancy. Mayoral terms are reckoned separately from terms as another commissioner, allowing a commissioner to serve more consecutive terms by alternating between the positions.[70]

### Departments[edit | edit source]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2022)

|

Law enforcement is provided by Gainesville Police Department, except on the University of Florida campus, which operates the University Police Department.

Fire protection within the city limits is provided by the Gainesville Fire Rescue, while the surrounding county is served by the Alachua County Fire Rescue. Alachua County Fire Rescue provides ambulance services for the whole county.

#### Municipal buildings[edit | edit source]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2022)

|

Gainesville's city hall is at 200 E University Avenue.

Gainesville Police Department is at 545 NW 8th Avenue.

## Transportation[edit | edit source]

Heading east on University Avenue, approaching 13th Street (US 441) intersection

In 2009, the Gainesville metropolitan statistical area (MSA) ranked seventh highest in the United States in percentage of commuters who biked to work (3.3 percent).[71]

### Major roads[edit | edit source]

Gainesville has an extensive road system, which is served by Interstate 75, and several Florida State Routes, including State routes 20, 24, and 26. Gainesville is also served by US 441 and nearby US 301, which give a direct route to Jacksonville, Ocala, and Orlando.

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

* I-75 runs northwest and southeast across the western edge of the city, with interchanges at SR 121/SR 331 (exit 382), SR 24 (exit 384), SR 26 (exit 387), and SR 222 (Exit 390).
* US 441 is the main local north–south road through Gainesville. It runs on the eastern edge of the University of Florida. It is known to locals as 13th Street, before curving to the northwest and finally joining SR 20, converting into an additional hidden state road. At the intersection of SR 121, the DeSoto Trail moves from SR 121 to US 441.
* SR 20 runs northwest and southeast through Gainesville. In east Gainesville, the road again becomes a stand-alone four-lane highway as it heads to Hawthorne, Interlachen, and Palatka. Northwest of Gainesville, SR 20 coincides with US 441 as a hidden state road through the town of Alachua before splitting at the fork a half-mile from downtown High Springs. SR 20 then coincides with US 27 as it heads to Fort White, Branford, Mayo, Perry, and Tallahassee.
* SR 24 runs northeast and southwest through Gainesville. The northeast corner of SR 24 and SR 222 is the site of the Gainesville Regional Airport, before heading to Waldo, Starke, and Jacksonville (Via.U.S. Route 301)(Gainesville-Jacksonville Highway). Southwest of Gainesville, SR 24 passes through the towns of Archer and Bronson before ending at Cedar Key.
* SR 26 is the main local east–west road through Gainesville. West of the city, it spans from Fanning Springs to Trenton, Newberry, and Jonesville. Eastward, SR 26 heads to Melrose before reaching its terminus at Putnam Hall in Putnam County.
* SR 120 runs east and west through the city. Its western end is at the junction with US 441, its eastern end at the junction with SR 24.
* SR 121 runs north and south on the western part of the city. The DeSoto Trail breaks away as SR 121 heads north to Lake Butler, Raiford, and Macclenny. Southward, it travels to Williston before reaching its terminus at Lebanon Station.
* SR 222 runs east and west on the northern part of the city. Its western end of state maintenance is at the junction with I-75 before continuing as County Road 222 to County Road 241, while its eastern end is at the junction with SR 26 a few miles east of the Gainesville Regional Airport.
* SR 331 runs northeast and southwest through the city. It also serves as a truck route for State Roads 24, 26, and 121. Despite skirting the Gainesville City Limits, SR 331 runs north and south as a four-lane divided rural highway.

The city's streets lie on a grid system, with four quadrants (NW, NE, SW and SE). All streets are numbered, except for a few major thoroughfares, many of which are named for the towns they lead to (such as Waldo Road (SR 24), Hawthorne Road (SR 20), Williston Road (SR 121/SR 331), Archer Road (also SR 24) and Newberry Road (SR 26)). Streets called Avenues, Places, Roads or Lanes (often remembered by use of the acronym "APRiL") generally run east–west, while other streets (including Streets, Drives, Terraces, and Ways) generally run north–south.

### Intercity rail[edit | edit source]

Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach buses connect with Jacksonville (Amtrak station) to the north and Lakeland (Amtrak station) to the south. Bus service connects with Amtrak's Silver Service. Amtrak service is available at Palatka, 32 miles (51 km) to the east.

At one time, Gainesville had railroad lines extending in six directions and was served by several depots, one of which, the Seaboard Air Line Depot, survives and has been restored and lies in a city park. The earliest route reached the town in 1859. By 1938, traffic and business patterns changed, Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) had ended its Jacksonville-Waldo-Gainesville-Inverness-Tampa train and its Jacksonville-Waldo-Gainesville-Cedar Key train[72][73] and the less heavily used railroads were abandoned beginning in 1943. Some routes realigned, with the last trains running in the middle of Main Street in 1948.[74]

Passenger service by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) included: an overnight local train from Jacksonville, due south from Gainesville to Ocala, Clearwater and St. Petersburg and the West Coast Champion from New York City running on the same route during the daytime. Chicago service on the ACL's Dixie Flyer was furnished by a transfer at Jacksonville.[75] In 1967, upon the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad from the merger of ACL and SAL, the overnight local train through Gainesville was terminated.[76] However, by 1968, the Champion was diverted east via a route through Palatka and Orlando. The Jacksonville-Gainesville-Ocala-St. Petersburg route became a local section (SCL #93 south/#94 north).[77] Service into Gainesville ended at the end of April, 1971 at Amtrak's creation.[78]

By the 1980s, the only freight operator into the city was the Seaboard System (formerly the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, now merged into CSX).

### Airport, bus, and others[edit | edit source]

In addition to its extensive road network, Gainesville is served by Gainesville Regional Transit System, or RTS, Florida's fourth-largest mass transit system. The area is also served by Gainesville Regional Airport ("GNV"[79]) in the northeast part of the city, with daily service to Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth,[80] Miami, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

According to the 2000 census, 5.25 percent of Gainesville residents commuted to work by bike, among the highest figures in the nation for a major population center.

## Culture[edit | edit source]

Gainesville is known for its support of the visual arts. Each year, two large art festivals attract artists and visitors from all over the southeastern United States.[81]

Cultural facilities include the Florida Museum of Natural History, Harn Museum of Art, the Hippodrome State Theatre, and the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Smaller theaters include the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre (ART), Actors' Warehouse, and the Gainesville Community Playhouse (GCP). GCP is the oldest community theater group in Florida; in 2006, it christened a new theater building.[82]

The presence of a major university enhances the city's opportunities for cultural lifestyles. The University of Florida College of the Arts[83] is the umbrella college for the School of Music, School of Theatre and Dance, School of Art and Art History, and a number of other programs and centers including The University Galleries, the Center for World Art, and Digital Worlds. Collectively, the college offers many performance events and artist/lecture opportunities for students and the greater Gainesville community, the majority offered at little or no cost.

Since 1989, Gainesville has been home to Theatre Strike Force, the University of Florida's premier improv troupe. Gainesville also hosts several sketch comedy troupes and stand-up comedians.

In April 2003, Gainesville became known as the "Healthiest Community in America" when it won the only "Gold Well City" award given by the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA).[84] Headed up by Gainesville Health & Fitness Centers, and with the support of Shands HealthCare and the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, 21 businesses comprising 60 percent of the city's workforce became involved in the "Gold Well City" effort. As of July 2011, Gainesville remained the only city in the country to win the award.

The counties surrounding Alachua County vote strongly Republican, while Alachua County votes strongly Democratic.[85] In the 2008 election, there was a 22% gap in votes in Alachua County between Barack Obama and John McCain, while the other 11 candidates on the ballot and write-in votes received approximately 1.46% of the vote.[86]

### Homelessness issues[edit | edit source]

The National Coalition for the Homeless cited Gainesville as the 5th meanest city in the United States for its criminalization of homelessness in the Coalition's two most recent reports (in 2004 and 2009),[87][88] the latter time for its meal limit ordinance.[89] Gainesville has a number of ordinances targeting the homeless, including an anti-panhandling measure and one prohibiting sleeping outdoors on public property. In 2005, the Alachua Board of County Commissioners and the Gainesville City Commission responded by issuing a written "Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness";[90][91] which was followed by the 2010 "A Needs Assessment of Unsheltered Homeless Individuals In Gainesville, Florida" presentation to a joint meeting of Gainesville and Alachua County Commissions.[92] An indoor homeless shelter was built on the site of the former Gainesville Correctional Institution grounds, with surrounding area designated for tents.[93]

### Marijuana culture[edit | edit source]

Gainesville is renowned in recreational drug culture for "Gainesville Green", a particularly potent strain of marijuana. Orange and Blue magazine published a feature article in 2003 about the history of Gainesville Green and the local marijuana culture in general.[94] In the mid-1990s, several Gainesville Hemp Festivals took place outside the Alachua County courthouse.

### Music scene[edit | edit source]

Gainesville is well known for its music scene and has spawned a number of bands and musicians, including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,[95] Stephen Stills, Don Felder and Bernie Leadon of The Eagles, The Motels, Against Me!, Charles Bradley, Less Than Jake, Hot Water Music, As Friends Rust, Loyal Revival, John Vanderslice, Sister Hazel, Hundred Waters, and For Squirrels. It is also the location of independent labels No Idea Records and Elestial Sound, and the former home of Plan-It-X Records, which moved to Bloomington, Indiana. For two years, the Gainesville nonprofit Harvest of Hope Foundation hosted the Harvest of Hope Fest in St. Augustine.[96] Gainesville is also the home of Florida Rocks, the founders of "Santa Jam", who hold concerts every December throughout North Florida as a toy fundraiser for sick, injured, and homeless children and a showcase for local musicians. Since 2011 they have distributed nearly 700 toys to hospitals, local churches, homeless charities, and needy families across the area.[citation needed]

No Idea Records puts on an annual three-day rock festival known as The Fest, typically during the last weekend in October, coinciding with the annual Florida-Georgia football game, played in Jacksonville to minimize tensions between the largely out of town music festival goers with the University of Florida students and alumni.[97]

Between 1987 and 1998, Gainesville had a very active rock music scene, with Hollywood star River Phoenix having the local club Hardback Cafe as his main base. Phoenix's band Aleka's Attic was a constant feature of the rock scene.[98] The Phoenix family is still a presence in Gainesville, with Rain Phoenix's band Papercranes and Liberty Phoenix's store, Indigo.[99]

Gainesville is still known for its strong music community and was named "Best Place to Start a Band in the United States" by Blender magazine in March 2008.[100] The article cited the large student population, cheap rent, and friendly venues.

Over the past decade, Gainesville has been home to a wide variety of bands, from the Latin/afrobeat sounds of Umoja Orchestra, to the rock of Morningbell, to ska staples The Know How.[101]

Gainesville's reputation as an independent music mecca can be traced back to 1984 when a local music video station was brought on the air. The station was called TV-69, broadcast on UHF 69 and was owned by Cozzin Communications.[102] The channel drew considerable media attention thanks to its promotion by Bill Cosby, who was part owner of the station when it started. TV-69 featured many videos by punk and indie-label bands and had several locally produced videos ("Clone Love" by a local parody band, and a Dinosaur Jr. song).

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

### Sports[edit | edit source]

The Florida Gators is the varsity team of the University of Florida, competing in the Southeastern Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association since 1933. It has been ranked in the top 10 in the NACDA ranking since the 1983–84 season. As of 2022, UF has won 45 national team championships, including two men's basketball titles, three football titles, one women's soccer title, one baseball title, four gymnastics titles, two softball titles, four men's golf titles, and seven women's tennis titles.

Opened in 1969, the Gainesville Raceway is a dragstrip that hosts the Gatornationals, one of the four NHRA major races.

### Startup culture[edit | edit source]

Roughly since the 2006 founding of Grooveshark, a Gainesville-based music streaming service, Gainesville has seen an increase in the number of technology-based startup companies founded and developed in the city, particularly the downtown area.[103][104][105] Among them are Digital Brands, SharpSpring, Fracture, Optym, and Feathr. The city celebrates Josh Greenberg Day annually in April, in honor of the late founder of Grooveshark and his contributions to the community's startup culture.[106]

### Annual cultural events[edit | edit source]

* The Spring Arts Festival, hosted each year, usually in early April, by Santa Fe College (formerly Santa Fe Community College), is one of the three largest annual events in Gainesville and known for its high-quality, unique artwork.[107]
* The nationally recognized Downtown Festival and Art Show, hosted each fall by the City of Gainesville, attracts award-winning artists and a crowd of more than 100,000.[108]
* The Hoggetowne Medieval Faire has attracted thousands of fairgoers for over 20 years.[109]
* The Fest, a multi-day, multiple-venue underground music festival held annually in Gainesville since 2002.[110][111]

## Media[edit | edit source]

Independent Florida Alligator Logo

### Print[edit | edit source]

See also: List of newspapers in Florida

Gainesville is served by The Gainesville Sun and The Independent Florida Alligator, the student newspaper for the University of Florida and Santa Fe College. In March 2022 two-year-old Mainstreet Daily News announced it would go into print weekly.[112]

The New York Times Editing Center also resides in Gainesville.[113]

### Radio[edit | edit source]

See also: List of radio stations in Florida

Arbitron ranks the Gainesville-Ocala market as the nation's 83rd-largest.[114] Thirteen radio stations are licensed to operate in the city of Gainesville—five AM stations, six commercial FM stations, and two low-power non-commercial FM stations. Three of the stations (WRUF, WRUF-FM, and WUFT-FM) are operated by broadcasting students at the University of Florida. WUFT-FM is the city's NPR member station, while the WRUF stations are operated as commercial stations. MARC Radio Group operates six stations in the market.[115]

### Television[edit | edit source]

See also: List of television stations in Florida

Gainesville is the 162nd-largest television market in the nation, as measured by Nielsen Media Research.[116] Broadcast television stations in the Gainesville market include WCJB, an ABC/CW affiliate in Gainesville; WGFL, a CBS/MyNetworkTV affiliate broadcasting from High Springs; WNBW, an NBC affiliate in Gainesville; WOGX, a Fox owned-and-operated station (O&O) from Ocala; and WUFT, the PBS station affiliated with the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Gainesville has one cable television station called Community 12TV, which is carried on area COX systems. Community 12TV presently airs local government meetings and other public affairs programming as well as content from The Florida Channel.[117]

## Points of interest[edit | edit source]

* 34th Street Wall
* Baughman Center
* Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field
* Bivens Arm
* Civic Media Center
* Depot Park
* Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park
* Florida Museum of Natural History, including the Butterfly Rainforest exhibit
* Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail State Park
* Gainesville Raceway
* Haile Homestead
* Harn Museum of Art
* Helyx Bridge
* Hippodrome State Theatre
* Ichetucknee Springs State Park
* Kanapaha Botanical Gardens
* Lake Alice
* Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park
* Morningside Nature Center
* Newnan's Lake
* The Oaks Mall
* Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
* San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
* Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo
* Stephen C. O'Connell Center
* William Reuben Thomas Center

Points of interest in Gainesville, Florida

* Boardwalk at Devil's Millhopper

* Newnans Lake

* Sweetwater Wetlands Park at Payne's Prairie

* The Oaks Mall

* Gainesville's Depot Park

## Sister cities[edit | edit source]

Gainesville's sister cities are:[118]

* Deir Alla, Jordan
* Duhok, Iraq (2006)
* Jacmel, Haiti
* Kfar Saba, Israel (1998)
* Matagalpa, Nicaragua
* Mejdlaya, Lebanon (2015)
* File:Flag of Russia.svg Novorossiysk, Russia (1982)
* Rzeszów, Poland (2013)

## See also[edit | edit source]

* List of people from Gainesville, Florida

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104. ^ Schweers, Jeff (April 28, 2013). "Gainesville's Startup Alley covets UF computer grads". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
105. ^ Stein, Ron. "Gainesville has become a tech hub for engineering entrepreneurs". Florida Trend. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
106. ^ Whitely, Richard (April 20, 2016). "Gainesville Remembers Grooveshark Co-Founder With 'Josh Greenberg Day'". WUFT. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
107. ^ "Spring Arts Festival - My WordPress Blog". Spring Arts Festival. Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
108. ^ "Downtown Festival & Art Show". Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2011. "Downtown Festival & Art Show", Retrieved 2011-07-07
109. ^ "Hoggetowne Medieval Faire". Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2011. "Hoggetowne Medieval Faire", Retrieved 2011-07-07
110. ^ @thefestfl. "The Fest 16 » History". The Fest 16. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
111. ^ Levi Bradford (October 26, 2016). "Fifteen years of Fest". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
112. ^ "Derrick: Mainstreet jumps into print".
113. ^ "The New York Times is relocating some wire service positions to Gainesville, creating about 25 jobs". Ocala.com. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
114. ^ "Market Ranks and Schedule". Arbitron, Inc. Retrieved September 6, 2007.
115. ^ "Our Stations".
116. ^ "Local Television Market Universe Estimates". The Nielsen Company. Retrieved September 6, 2007.
117. ^ "Program Schedule". www.cityofgainesville.org. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
118. ^ "Explore Our Sister Cities". steve4994.wixsite.com. Sister City Program of Gainesville, Inc. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

## Further reading[edit | edit source]

See also: Bibliography of the history of Gainesville, Florida

* Andersen, Lars (2004). Paynes Prairie: The Great Savanna: A History and Guide. Sarasota, Florida, USA: Pineapple Press. ISBN 1-56164-296-7. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
* Braley, R. Olin (2004). The Killing of Harmon Murray: Being a True Account of the Life and Times of Florida's Premier Black Outlaw. Gainesville, Florida: The Alachua Press.
* Fox, Kathleen A.; Lane, Jodi (2010). "Perceptions of gangs among prosecutors in an emerging gang city". Journal of Criminal Justice. 38 (4): 595–603. doi:10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2010.04.031.
* Hicks, Rob (2008). Images of America: Gainesville. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-5402-0.
* Hildreth, Charles H.; Merlin G. Cox (1981). History of Gainesville, Florida 1854-1979. Gainesville, Florida: Alachua County Historical Society.
* McCarthy, Kevin M.; Murray D. Laurie (1997). Guide to the University of Florida and Gainesville. Sarasota, florida: Pineapple Press. ISBN 1-56164-134-0.
* Milanich, Jerald T. (1995). Florida Indians and the Invasion from Europe. Gainesville, Florida, USA: University Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-1636-3.
* Milanich, Jerald T. (1998). Florida's Indians from Ancient Times to the Present. Gainesville, Florida, USA: University Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-1598-7.
* Milanich, Jerald T. (1999). The Timucua. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers. ISBN 0-631-21864-5.
* Milanich, Jerald T. (2006). Laboring in the Fields of the Lord: Spanish Missions and Southeastern Indians. Gainesville, Florida, USA: University Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-2966-X.
* Newton, Michael (2001). The Invisible Empire: The Ku Klux Klan in Florida. Gainesville, Florida: The University Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-2120-0.
* Pickard, Ben (1991). Historic Gainesville: a tour Guide to the Past. Gainesville, Florida: Historic Gainesville, Inc.
* Rajtar, Steve (2007). A Guide to Historic Gainesville. Charleston, South Carolina; London: History Press. ISBN 978-1-59629-217-8.
* Taulbee, Lindsay. "Gainesville in the '70s: Changes roiling beneath a polite Southern surface". Gainesville Magazine. Gainesville Sun. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
* Washington, Ray. "University of Florida: Unrest amid the boom times 1960-1980". Gainesville Sun. Gainesville Sun. Retrieved May 13, 2011.

## External links[edit | edit source]

File:Wikisource-logo.svg

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Gainesville (Florida)".

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gainesville, Florida.

* Official website
* Gainesville Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau
* Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce
* File:Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg [[voy:Gainesville (Florida)#Template:Wikidata|Gainesville, Florida]] travel guide from Wikivoyage

* v
* t
* e

Greater Gainesville, Florida Area

* Gainesville
* Alachua County
* Gilchrist County

Government
and infrastructure|

* Alachua County Public Schools
* Gainesville Police Department
* Mayor of Gainesville
* University of Florida Police Department headquarters
* UF Health Shands Hospital

File:Flag of Gainesville, Florida.png

Cityscape
and cultural centers|

* A. Quinn Jones House
* Alachua County Library District
* Boulware Springs Water Works
* Civic Media Center
* Dove World Outreach Center
* Haile Plantation
* Hawthorne Historical Museum and Cultural Center
* National Register of Historic Places listings
* Northeast Gainesville Residential District
* Plaza of the Americas
* Pleasant Street Historic District
* Shady Grove Primitive Baptist Church
* Southeast Gainesville Residential District
* The Hub
* Thomas Center
* University Auditorium
* University of Florida buildings
* University of Florida Campus Historic District

Colleges and universities|

* City College
* Florida Gateway College
* Santa Fe College
* University of Florida

Parks and recreation|

* Bivens Arm
* Depot Park
* Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park
* Dudley Farm Historic State Park
* Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail
* Haile Homestead
* Ichetucknee Springs State Park
* Kanapaha Botanical Gardens
* Lake Alice
* Lake Santa Fe
* Lake Wauburg
* Lochloosa Lake
* Lubee Bat Conservancy
* Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park
* Morningside Nature Center
* Newnans Lake
* Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
* San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
* Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo

Attractions
and festivals|

* 34th Street Wall
* Alfred A. McKethan Stadium
* Archer Historical Society Museum
* Baughman Center
* Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
* Butler Plaza
* Century Tower
* Constans Theatre
* Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
* Florida Museum of Natural History
* Gainesville Raceway
* Gator Growl
* Hawthorne Historical Museum and Cultural Center
* Hippodrome State Theatre
* J. Wayne Reitz Union
* James G. Pressly Stadium
* Kika Silva Pla Planetarium
* Matheson History Museum
* Matheson House
* Micanopy Historical Society Museum
* Mildred's Big City Food
* O'Connell Center
* Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art
* Satchel's Pizza
* The Fest
* The Oaks Mall

Transportation|

* Amtrak Thruway
* Gainesville Regional Airport
* Gainesville Regional Transit System
* Helyx Bridge
* Old Gainesville Depot

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Alachua County, Florida, United States

County seat: Gainesville

Cities|

* Alachua
* Archer
* Gainesville
* Hawthorne
* High Springs
* Newberry
* Waldo

File:Map of Florida highlighting Alachua County.svg

Towns|

* LaCrosse
* Micanopy

Unincorporated
communities|

* Arredondo
* Bland
* Campville
* Cross Creek
* Earleton
* Evinston‡
* Fairbanks
* Flora§
* Fort Clarke
* Gordon
* Grove Park
* Hague
* Haile
* Haile Plantation
* Island Grove
* Jonesville
* Lochloosa
* Melrose‡
* Monteocha
* Orange Heights
* Paradise§
* Rochelle
* Rutledge
* Tioga
* Wacahoota‡
* Windsor

Ghost towns|

* Hogtown§
* Newnansville
* Spring Grove
* Traxler

Footnotes|

* ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
* §This place has been annexed into Gainesville

* United States portal

* v
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* e

Mayors of cities with populations exceeding 100,000 in Florida

1. Lenny Curry (R)
(Jacksonville)
2. Francis Suarez (R)
(Miami)
3. Jane Castor (D)
(Tampa)
4. Buddy Dyer (D)
(Orlando)
5. Ken Welch (D)
(St. Petersburg)
6. Esteban Bovo (R)
(Hialeah)
7. Shannon Martin (R)
(Port St. Lucie)
8. John Gunter (R)
(Cape Coral)
9. John Dailey (D)
(Tallahassee)
10. Dean Trantalis (D)
(Fort Lauderdale)
11. Frank C. Ortis (D)
(Pembroke Pines)
12. Josh Levy (D)
(Hollywood)
13. Lauren Poe (D)
(Gainesville)
14. Wayne Messam (D)
(Miramar)
15. Scott J. Brook (D)
(Coral Springs)
16. Rob Medina (R)
(Palm Bay)
17. Keith James (D)
(West Palm Beach)
18. Frank Hibbard (R)
(Clearwater)
19. Bill Mutz (R)
(Lakeland)
20. Rex Hardin (D)
(Pompano Beach)
21. Rodney Harris (D)
(Miami Gardens)
22. Judy Paul (D)
(Davie)

* v
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State of Florida

Tallahassee (capital)

Topics|

* Index
* Ballot measures
* Climate (Climate change)
* Congressional
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* Fauna
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* Transportation

History|

* Timeline
* Spanish Florida
* Missions
* British Rule
* East Florida
* West Florida
* Seminole
* Florida Territory
* Seminole Wars
* Slavery
* Plantations of Leon County
* Civil War
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* Florida land boom of the 1920s
* Cape Canaveral
* Kennedy Space Center
* Disney World

Geography|

* Beaches
* Caves
* Everglades (Drainage and development)
* Keys
* Lakes
* Lake Okeechobee
* Reef
* Rivers
* Sinkholes
* Springs
* State forests
* State parks
* Swamps

Major
hurricanes|

* Florida Keys (1919)
* Tampa Bay (1921)
* Miami (1926)
* Okeechobee (1928)
* Florida Keys (1929)
* Treasure Coast (1933)
* Labor Day (1935)
* Dry Tortugas (1944)
* Homestead (1945)
* Fort Lauderdale (1947)
* South Florida (1948)
* 1949 Florida hurricane
* Easy (1950)
* King (1950)
* Donna (1960)
* Betsy (1965)
* Eloise (1975)
* Elena (1985)
* Andrew (1992)
* Opal (1995)
* Charley (2004)
* Frances (2004)
* Ivan (2004)
* Jeanne (2004)
* Dennis (2005)
* Wilma (2005)
* Matthew (2016)
* Irma (2017)
* Michael (2018)
* Dorian (2019)
* Sally (2020)
* Ian (2022)

Society|

* African-American
* Crime
* Cuban-American culture
* Miami
* Tampa
* Culture
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Floridians
* Haitian-American culture
* Delray Beach
* Miami
* Indigenous peoples
* Everglades
* Politics
* Sports

Regions|

* Big Bend
* Central Florida
* Emerald Coast
* Everglades
* First Coast
* Forgotten Coast
* Gold Coast
* Halifax area
* Heartland
* Keys
* Nature Coast
* North Central Florida
* North Florida
* Panhandle
* South Florida
* Southwest Florida
* Space Coast
* Suncoast
* Tampa Bay Area
* Treasure Coast

Metro areas|

* Cape Coral–Fort Myers
* Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
* Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach
* Gainesville
* Homosassa Springs
* Jacksonville
* Lakeland–Winter Haven
* Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
* Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island
* North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton
* Ocala
* Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
* Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville
* Panama City
* Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent
* Port St. Lucie
* Punta Gorda
* Sebastian-Vero Beach
* Sebring
* Tallahassee
* Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
* The Villages

Largest cities|

* Jacksonville
* Miami
* Tampa
* Orlando
* St. Petersburg
* Hialeah
* Tallahassee
* Port St. Lucie
* Fort Lauderdale
* West Palm Beach
* Cape Coral
* Pembroke Pines
* Hollywood
* Miramar

Counties|

* Alachua
* Baker
* Bay
* Bradford
* Brevard
* Broward
* Calhoun
* Charlotte
* Citrus
* Clay
* Collier
* Columbia
* DeSoto
* Dixie
* Duval
* Escambia
* Flagler
* Franklin
* Gadsden
* Gilchrist
* Glades
* Gulf
* Hamilton
* Hardee
* Hendry
* Hernando
* Highlands
* Hillsborough
* Holmes
* Indian River
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Lafayette
* Lake
* Lee
* Leon
* Levy
* Liberty
* Madison
* Manatee
* Marion
* Martin
* Miami‑Dade
* Monroe
* Mosquito (former county)
* Nassau
* Okaloosa
* Okeechobee
* Orange
* Osceola
* Palm Beach
* Pasco
* Pinellas
* Polk
* Putnam
* Santa Rosa
* Sarasota
* Seminole
* St. Johns
* St. Lucie
* Sumter
* Suwannee
* Taylor
* Union
* Volusia
* Wakulla
* Walton
* Washington

* v
* t
* e

North Florida

Region of Florida

Topics|

* Climate
* Geography
* Culture
* Economy
* Transportation
* Partition proposals
* Pork Chop Gang
* Laura Street

File:North Florida map.png

Map of North Florida

Counties|

* Alachua
* Baker
* Bay
* Bradford
* Calhoun
* Clay
* Columbia
* Dixie
* Duval
* Escambia
* Flagler
* Franklin
* Gadsden
* Gilchrist
* Gulf
* Hamilton
* Holmes
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Lafayette
* Leon
* Levy
* Liberty
* Madison
* Marion
* Nassau
* Okaloosa
* Putnam
* Santa Rosa
* St. Johns
* Suwannee
* Taylor
* Union
* Wakulla
* Walton
* Washington

Major cities|

* Jacksonville
* Tallahassee
* Gainesville

Cities and towns
50k–100k|

* Ocala
* Palm Coast
* Pensacola

Cities and towns
10k–40k|

* Atlantic Beach
* Callaway
* Crestview
* Destin
* Fernandina Beach
* Fort Walton Beach
* Jacksonville Beach
* Lake City
* Lynn Haven
* Niceville
* Palatka
* Panama City Beach
* St. Augustine
* Panama City

Metro areas|

* Fort Walton Beach–Crestview–Destin
* Gainesville
* Jacksonville
* Ocala
* Palm Coast
* Panama City–Lynn Haven–Panama City Beach
* Pensacola–Ferry Pass–Brent
* Tallahassee

Regions|

* Big Bend
* Emerald Coast
* First Coast
* Florida Panhandle
* Forgotten Coast
* Halifax area
* Nature Coast
* North Central Florida
* Northeast Florida

* v
* t
* e

County seats of Florida

* Apalachicola
* Arcadia
* Bartow
* Blountstown
* Bonifay
* Bradenton
* Bristol
* Bronson
* Brooksville
* Bunnell
* Bushnell
* Chipley
* Clearwater
* Crawfordville
* Crestview
* Cross City
* Dade City
* DeFuniak Springs
* DeLand
* East Naples
* Fernandina Beach
* Fort Lauderdale
* Fort Myers
* Fort Pierce
* Gainesville
* Green Cove Springs
* Inverness
* Jacksonville
* Jasper
* Key West
* Kissimmee
* LaBelle
* Lake Butler
* Lake City
* Live Oak
* Macclenny
* Madison
* Marianna
* Mayo
* Miami
* Milton
* Monticello
* Moore Haven
* Ocala
* Okeechobee
* Orlando
* Palatka
* Panama City
* Pensacola
* Perry
* Port St. Joe
* Punta Gorda
* Quincy
* Sanford
* Sarasota
* Sebring
* St. Augustine
* Starke
* Stuart
* Tallahassee
* Tampa
* Tavares
* Titusville
* Trenton
* Vero Beach
* Wauchula
* West Palm Beach

*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
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*[e]: Edit this template