Volusia County (, v?-LOOSH-?) is located in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Florida, stretching between the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010 census, the county was home to 494,593 people, an increase of 11.6% from 2000. Its county seat is DeLand. It was founded on December 29, 1854, and was named for the community of Volusia, located in northwestern Volusia County.
Volusia County is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL metropolitan statistical area, and is also part of the larger Orlando-Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL Combined Statistical Area.
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History
Volusia County was named after the then-largest-community, Volusia, when the Florida legislature divided Orange County on December 29, 1854. At the time, Volusia County had as few as 600 residents.
The origins of the word "Volusia" are unclear, though there are several theories:
- The name came from a word meaning "Land of the Euchee," from the Euchee Indians who migrated into the area after the Timucua Indian cultures faded away in the early 1700s. The Euchees (or Uchees) lived in the area of Spring Gardens, about ten miles south of Volusia.
- The name was taken from a British man named Voluz who owned a plantation located on the St. Johns River in the late 1700s.
- The name originated from the last name Veluche belonging to the French or Belgian owner of the trading post in Volusia. According to some, this was during the British regime, and according to others, it was around 1818. Over time, the name Veluche became anglicized to Volusia.
- The town was established by and named for Jere Volusia.
- The settlement was named by the Spanish after the celebrated Roman jurist Volusio, who wrote 30 books and tutored Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and philosopher.
The land area of present-day Volusia County was inhabited by the indigenous Timucua, and Mayaca people . Neither group exists today as distinct racial entities, having been decimated by war and disease after contact with European settlers. Evidence of their habitation can still be seen in various areas of Volusia County such as the large shell middens at Tomoka State Park.
During the British occupation of Florida, a failed colony was started in southeast Volusia County by Andrew Turnbull, known as New Smyrna. This colony was connected to St. Augustine, the capital of East Florida, via the Kings Road. After the failure of the colony the settlers, many of Minorcan and Greek heritage made the 70-mile (110 km) journey to live in St. Augustine.
The Seminole Indians, descendants of the Creek tribe of Alabama and Georgia who resisted forced relocation to Indian Territory also camped in various parts of Volusia County. During the Second Seminole War (1836-1842) a large sugar plantation in what is today the city of Daytona Beach was burned by the Seminole.
On the east shore of the St. Johns River in Volusia, in present-day DeBary, General Winfield Scott established a fort/depot in 1836 named Fort Florida.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,432 square miles (3,710 km2), of which 1,101 square miles (2,850 km2) is land and 331 square miles (860 km2) (23.1%) is water.
Volusia County is bordered on the west by the St. Johns River and Lake Monroe, and by the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Roughly the size of Rhode Island, Volusia is situated 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Orlando, 60 miles (97 km) north of the Kennedy Space Center, and 89 miles (143 km) south of Jacksonville.
Regions
The Volusia County Government divides the county into three regions. This parallels the three calling regions used by BellSouth, the regional phone company:
East Volusia - also known as the Greater Daytona Beach Area, or the Halifax Area (named for the Halifax River which runs through the area), this region includes the cities of Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, Holly Hill, Ormond Beach, Ponce Inlet, Port Orange and South Daytona; and the surrounding unincorporated areas close to these cities.
Southeast Volusia - also known as the Greater New Smyrna Beach Area, this region includes the cities of New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater, and Oak Hill; also the unincorporated areas close to these cities.
West Volusia - also called Saint John's River Country (named for the Saint John's River which lies nearby), this region includes the cities of Barberville, DeBary, DeLand, DeLeon Springs, Deltona, Glenwood, Enterprise, Lake Helen, Orange City, Pierson, and Seville; as well as the surrounding unincorporated areas close to these cities. Deltona is the largest city in Volusia County.
Adjacent counties
- Flagler County - north
- Brevard County - south
- Orange County - south
- Seminole County - southwest
- Lake County - west
- Marion and Putnam counties - northwest
Parks and gardens
Rivers and waterways
Major attractions
- Barberville Pioneer Settlement in Barberville
- Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach
- Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach
- New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach
- Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse and Museum in Ponce Inlet
- Cracker Creek in Port Orange
- The Ocean Center (convention center) in Daytona Beach
- Volusia County Fair and Expo Center in DeLand
- Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville
Law and government
Under Volusia County's council-manager form of government, voters elect a county council which consists of seven members who serve four-year terms. Five are elected by district, the county chairman and at-large representative are elected county-wide.
The county council establish ordinances and policies for the county. It also reviews and approves the county budget annually. The county council appoints a county manager, who carries out the will of the council and handles day-to-day business.
Elected officials
- County Chair: Ed Kelley
- Commissioner-At-Large and Vice Chair : Joyce Cusack
- District 1 Commissioner - Pat Patterson
- District 2 Commissioner - Billie Wheeler
- District 3 Commissioner - Debra Denys
- District 4 Commissioner - Heather Post
- District 5 Commissioner - Fred Lowry
- County Manager (appointed) - James Dinneen
The following are considered county officials (except the Public Defender who is considered a State official) and are elected and paid by the county:
- Sheriff - Mike Chitwood
- Clerk of the Courts - Laura E. Roth
- Property Appraiser - Larry Bartlett
- Supervisor of Elections - Lisa Lewis
- State Attorney - R.J. Larizza
- Public Defender - James S. Purdy
County offices
- Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand 32720
- Daytona Beach Administration Building, 250 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach 32114
- New Smyrna Beach Administration Office, 111 Canal St., New Smyrna Beach 32168
- Orange City Administration Office, 2744 Enterprise Rd., Orange City 32763
Justice
Most of the county's courts are located in DeLand. There they preside over a variety of cases including felonies, misdemeanors, traffic, and domestic cases in their dockets. An elected prosecutor tries cases for the public. Defendants may find representation through the office of the elected public defender.
The power of electing the county's sheriff lies with the county's residents. The county sheriff is directly responsible to the courts but also to the state for the enforcement of state laws. The County sheriff's deputies provide law enforcement to the unincorporated areas of Volusia County, as well as assisting in the various municipal police departments such as the Daytona Beach Police Department
Many volunteers work alongside the paid professionals. Included are Citizen Observer Program (C.O.P.). C.O.P. volunteers working under the direction of the county sheriff and play a part in the county's policing operations.
The Volusia County Branch Jail is a modern facility located on U.S. Highway 92 also known as International Speedway Boulevard, which is approximately equidistant between DeLand and Daytona Beach. The county's jail imprisons convicted offenders who have been sentenced for a term of a year or less. Longer sentences may be served in the Florida state prison system or alternatively in the federal prison system according to the dictates of the offence.
Libraries
The county centrally controls 13 libraries, with DeLand and Daytona Beach-City Island being the largest two. Each library branch is administered by geographic region.
Collections included 869,491 books, 83,943 videos, 58,784 audio materials, 2,051 magazines and newspapers, over 100,000 government documents and 51 licensed databases. Personal computers for public use are hooked up on broadband in all libraries. An estimated 230,000 Volusia County residents have library cards. One library card is valid at all locations, and materials are loaned between locations through a daily courier service and outside the libraries via Inter-Library Loan. Library cards are free for all Volusia County residents.
Depending on size, the branches have different operating hours; six are open every day of the week (Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach-City Island, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, DeLand, and Deltona), two are open six days a week (Edgewater and DeBary), and five are open five days a week (Daytona Beach-Keech Street, Oak Hill, Pierson, Lake Helen, and Orange City).
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 443,343 people, 184,723 households, and 120,069 families residing in the county. The population density was 402 people per square mile (155/km²). There were 211,938 housing units at an average density of 192 per square mile (74/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.11% White, 9.29% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.82% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 6.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 13.7% were of German, 11.5% Irish, 11.2% English, 10.7% American and 8.7% Italian ancestry.
There were 184,723 households out of which 24.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.40% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.00% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the county, the population was spread out with 20.30% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 22.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,219, and the median income for a family was $41,767. Males had a median income of $30,573 versus $22,471 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,664. About 7.90% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.30% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The overall Gross Metro Product (GMP) for Volusia County economy increased from $12.98-billion in 2005 to $13.69-billion in 2006; a $709.9-million increase. The GMP is an annual measurement of the total economic output and sales of goods and services provided within the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) that comprises all of Volusia County and its 16 cities. A GMP of $13.69-billion represents a significant circulation of new capital resources in an economy populated by just over 500,000 residents.
Local consumer confidence and a continued immigration of an estimated 28,800 new residents, new capital investments for new construction exceeding $1.11-billion and the steady growth of professional and health care services continued to drive much of the County's economic viability.
Volusia County's manufacturing sector maintained a steady and stable position within the local economy contrary to the declining trends being experienced elsewhere within the State of Florida. The overall number of manufacturers present within the county increased to over 430 in 2006 and accounted for a large portion of the county's GMP. Manufacturing maintains one of the highest of all average wage levels within the county and generates a higher rate of circulation of economic impact than any other business sector that comprises the local economy.
Volusia County's manufacturing sector generated an average annual wage of $37,632 in 2006, well above the county's average annual wage of $32,200 for all workers. [2]
Transportation
Transportation
- Bob Le Flight Strip
- Daytona Beach International
- DeLand Municipal Airport
- Massey Ranch Airpark
- New Smyma Beach Municipal Airport
- Ormond Beach Municipal Airport
- Pierson Municipal Airport
Major roads
- Interstate 95 is the main south-to-north interstate highway along the east coast of the state as well as Volusia County. Eight interchanges exist within the county, three of them in Daytona Beach.
- Interstate 4 is the main west-to-east interstate highway through Central Florida, however it also serves as the westernmost interstate highway in the county. Contains at least seven interchanges and becomes State Road 400 east of I-95.
- U.S. 1 is the main local road through eastern Volusia County, running south to north. Served as the main south-to-north highway in both the state and the eastern half of the county until I-95 was built.
- US 17 is the main local road through western Volusia County, running south to north.
- US 92 a west-to-east route shares a concurrency with US 17 further south in Polk County until branching off onto the International Speedway Boulevard.
- SR A1A is the scenic coastal alternate route to US 1, which also includes some county road spurs and extensions.
- SR 40, a west-to-east road in northern Volusia County enters the county from the Astor Bridge over the St. Johns River and heads east towards Ormond Beach.
- SR 44, a west-to-east road in southern Volusia County enters the county from the Crows Bluff Bridge over the St. Johns River and heads east towards New Smyrna Beach.
- SR 46, a west-to-east road on the southwestern corner of Volusia County enters the county from the Mims Bridge over the St. Johns River and quickly enters Brevard County with no major junctions whatsoever.
- SR 5A is Nova Road, a suffixed alternate route of State Road 5, the unsigned hidden state road for US 1. It spans from Port Orange to Ormond Beach.
- SR 421, a connecting west-to-east road between I-95 and the Port Orange Causeway
- SR 11, a scenic south to north road that runs from US 17 north of DeLand to US 1 in Bunnell in Flagler County.
- SR 483, a south-to-north state and county road that runs west of SR 5A spanning from Port Orange to Holly Hill. Runs along the eastern border of both Daytona Beach International Airport, and Daytona International Speedway.
Public transportation
Volusia County Public Transit System (VOTRAN) is the local Volusia County bus service. The buses offer service throughout the county, Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is handicapped-accessible. Limited service is offered in East Volusia in the evenings and on Sundays. The cost is $1.25 per trip, $3.00 for a one-day bus pass, or $40 for a 31-day pass (valid for all VOTRAN routes).
Passenger Train service to Volusia County is provided by Amtrak on the Silver Meteor and Silver Star routes. Service between Volusia County and Orlando is provided by SunRail, a commuter rail line running from Volusia to Orange County. The initial phase of the project commenced in 2014 and will extend service to as far north as DeBary. A planned expansion will include the DeLand Amtrak station in 2015.
Education
Public primary and secondary education is handled by Volusia County Schools. Some of the larger private schools include Father Lopez Catholic High School.
Middle schools
High schools
Colleges and universities
Vocational
Media
Newspapers
- The West Volusia Beacon [3] - Online edition of news publication covering DeLand and West Volusia.
- The Daytona Beach News-Journal - Print and Online daily newspaper covering all of Volusia County.
- Orlando Sentinel - Newspaper and news site based in Orlando with a bureau covering Volusia County.
- The Avion Newspaper - Student college publication of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach.
Television
Television station WESH is allocated to Daytona Beach - Orlando, and its transmission tower is located midway between those two. Otherwise, Volusia County is served by the major TV broadcasting stations in Orlando and Orange County, Florida.
Radio
AM
FM
Places
Cities
Towns
- Pierson
- Ponce Inlet
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated communities
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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