Friday, September 14, 2007


Plantation is a city in Broward County, Florida in the United States. As of July, 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 85,497. The official motto of Plantation is "The Grass is Greener." Plantation also suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Wilma on October 24, 2005.
Plantation City Hall was the backdrop for part of the film, There's Something About Mary. Mary's childhood home was also filmed a few blocks from City Hall. Plantation Golf Course is the site of the famous Caddyshack pool scene.
Plantation is also home to two malls, both across the street from one another: the Broward Mall (south of Broward Boulevard), and the Fashion Mall (North of Broward.) As of April 11th, 2007 the Fashion Mall/Executive Pavillion has closed down.

Geography
As of the census of 2000, there were 82,934 people, 33,244 households, and 22,206 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,472.9/km² (3,815.2/mi²). There were 34,999 housing units at an average density of 621.6/km² (1,610.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.34% White, 13.78% African American, 0.17% Native American, 2.88% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.00% from other races, and 2.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.09% of the population.
There were 33,244 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $53,746, and the median income for a family was $65,029. Males had a median income of $44,838 versus $32,360 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,250. About 4.3% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Demographics
As of 2000, English as a first language was spoken by 78.00% of the population, Spanish was at 13.00%, French Creole at 2.24%, and French speakers made up 1.30%, Hebrew comprised at 0.72%, and Portuguese consisted of 0.71% of residents.

Languages

Education

Plantation High School
South Plantation High School Plantation Middle Schools

Central Park Elementary School
Mirror Lake Elementary School
Peters Elementary School
Plantation Elementary School
Plantation Park Elementary School
Tropical Elementary School Plantation, Florida Residents
1838 - Battle of Pine Island - part of the seven-year Seminole War. 1906 - Captain Walter Holloway unsuccessfully attempts to drain the Everglades for farming; major canal runs north-south through Plantation. 1911 - Sewell Locks, first wooden locks in the state, are built on the New River Canal next to State Road 84. 1941 -Frederick C. Peters purchases 10,000 acres for $25 per acre; land had been owned by the Everglades Plantation Company (origin of the city's name); Broward Boulevard is a two-lane road. 1947 - First homes built by Chauncey Clark; property valued at $200 an acre; two hurricanes completely flood the area. 1948 - 12 homes in the area; population reaches 36. 1949 - Plantation Women's Club founded; Plantation Homeowners organization founded by Dr. Abram Hoffman; 40 homes in the area. 1950 - Population reaches 200; Plantation Golf Club built. 1953 - Ellsworth D. Gage appointed first Mayor on April 30; Plantation incorporated as a city; first City Council meeting on May 11; Broward Boulevard grows to a four-lane street; population reaches 475. 1955 - S. Robinson Estey elected Mayor. He had previously been our Deputy Sheriff; Plantation Police Dept. organized. 1957 - First industrial plant in Plantation - Airpax Products, Co. on Sunrise Blvd; City of Plantation Volunteer Fire Dept. 1958 - Population reaches 1,600. 1959 - James Ward Jr. elected Mayor. First school, Berenice T. Peters Elementary School dedicated. 1961 - The Plantation Library was founded with Mrs. Helen B. Hoffman as chairwoman. 1962 - Edwin Deicke donated $100,000 for the expansion and renovation of Hoffman Building later renamed the Deicke Auditorium; Chamber of Commerce founded. 1963 - Community Center designed by Russell Pancoast built and dedicated on City's tenth anniversary. 1965 - Population reaches 6,500. 1969 - Motorola opens facility in Plantation 1970 - Gulfstream Land and Development Company purchases 5,400 acres for Jacaranda community development; population reaches 23,000. 1973 - Plantation City Hall opens and Deicke Auditorium dedicated. 1974 - Plantation Historical Society founded by Genevieve Veltri, Dorothy O'Hare, Lois Brickhouse, and Marilyn King. 1975 - Frank Veltri elected Mayor for first time; American Express moves Southern Region Operations Center to Plantation. Population 40,200, budget $4,229,569. 1978 - Broward Mall opens (1 million square feet). 1980 - The Plantation Historical Museum was founded; population 48,653. 1981 - Plantation Library is renamed the Helen B. Hoffman Plantation Library. 1982 - The population reaches 50,000; City budget reaches $12 million. 1985 - Plantation Historical Museum built. 1988 - Fountains Shopping Mall opens (450,000 square feet); Fashion Mall at Plantation opens (660,000 square feet). 1990 - The population reaches 65,000; city budget reaches $64 million; Central Park Elementary School opens. 1991 - Hartford's Cornerstone, Phase 1 opens. 1993 - Kemper National Services opens operations in Plantation. 1994 - Population reaches more than 73,500. 1996 - Olympic Torch Run weaves through Plantation. 1997 - Population reaches 78,000; city budget is in excess of $80 million. 1999 - Rae Carole Armstrong elected as Mayor of Plantation; 11,500 square foot Volunteer Park Community Center dedicated. 2000 - Population 84,500 and 55 diverse cultures; Presidential election delayed; Plantation Elementary moves to new school site; ground broken for Jim Ward Community Center. 2001 - World Trade Center destroyed on Sept. 11. Ground broken for Happy Tails Dog Park; Multi-cultural Garden opens in Park East. Community Bus Service in operation. 2002 - The Jim Ward 16,000 sq. ft. Community Center opens; Jack Carter Harmony Park dedicated; Happy Tails Dog Park dedicated.

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