Country United States County Palm Beach Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) Area 13.99 km² Population 5,962 (2013) | State Florida Elevation 13 ft (4 m) Area code(s) 561 Zip code 33476 Local time Monday 2:10 PM | |
Weather 23°C, Wind NE at 13 km/h, 44% Humidity | ||
Pahokee is a city located on the shore of Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,985 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 6,459. Culturally, Pahokee is associated with the Florida Heartland, although officially it is a part of South Florida.
Contents
- Map of Pahokee FL 33476 USA
- History
- Pahokee in the media
- Education
- Media
- Geography
- Demographics
- Notable people
- References
Map of Pahokee, FL 33476, USA
History
Pahokee was incorporated in 1922. The name "Pahokee" means 'grassy waters' in the Creek language. Local residents refer to Pahokee as "The Muck", which refers to the mineral-rich dark soil in which sugar cane, citrus fruits and corn are grown by agribusinesses. It was known as the "Winter Vegetable Capital of the World" in its heyday, when the city enjoyed thriving commerce.
Pahokee in the media
American soul and gospel singer and actor Freddie Lee Peterkin was born and raised in Pahokee and now resides in London. He became an artist of particular note in the UK with the release of his album "Beyond Comprehension". He noted in a recent BBC interview that despite living in London and Europe for many years, he considers his hometown to be Pahokee.
On December 18, 2009, Damien Cave, Miami Bureau Chief of the New York Times, wrote an article describing Pahokee's economic plight and the town's hopes that a new marina project might help rejuvenate business. There has been a significant move towards regeneration with the re-opening of the Pahokee Marina Tiki Bar and Restaurant now known as 'Pahokee Mo's' and new General Dollar store. Governor Rick Scott also pledged $1.3 million towards the restoration of Pahokee's infrastructure in late 2014 [1]. This is in addition to $200,000 pledged by Senator Abruzzo in 2014 [2]. Colin Walkes has been Mayor of Pahokee since 2013 [3]. He succeeded the previous four-term Mayor J.P. Sasser.
Pahokee has received significant attention because of nearby Miracle Village, a migrant worker facility converted into housing for registered sex offenders.
Education
It is a part of the School District of Palm Beach County.
Local elementary education consists of Pahokee Elementary School and Canal Point Elementary School. Secondary education exists in the form of Pahokee High School. Pahokee High School is best known for their football program that consistently ranks amongst the state's best. Pahokee, together with nearby Belle Glade has "sent at least 60 players to the National Football League".
Media
The local radio station closed in 2014 after 67 years. It had a gospel format and was known as WSWN Sugar 900. The local celebrity DJs on the station were Dawn Brady, Harvey Poole Jr. and the former station Manager is Mike D. Harvey Poole Jr.'s father Harvey Poole Sr. was the longest running, continuously on air African-American radio personality and broadcaster in the U.S., delighting and enlightening audiences since 1945. The Distinguished Pioneer award was established to honor those who have paved the way for generations of others in their particular field of expertise. His far-reaching broadcasts became well known throughout South Florida and the Bahamas.
Pahokee's local newspaper is 'A Better Pahokee' E-Newspaper, a free electronic subscription based news service providing monthly coverage and weekly special edition newsflashes of local news and events. The E-Newspaper was founded in February 2014 and has a monthly readership of over 20,000 people across the state of Florida.
Geography
Pahokee is located at 26°49′29″N 80°39′35″W (26.824717, -80.659660).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14 km2), all land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,985 people, 1,710 households, and 1,328 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,109.4 inhabitants per square mile (428.7/km²). There were 1,936 housing units at an average density of 358.9 per square mile (138.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 25.21% White 56.06% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 15.20% from other races, and 2.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 29.46% of the population. Whites not of Hispanic origin made up 13.6% of the populace.
There were 1,710 households out of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples living together, 22.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.35 and the average family size was 3.79.
In the city, 38.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.3% were aged 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 104.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,731, and the median income for a family was $26,265. Males had a median income of $28,859 versus $20,066 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,346. About 29.4% of families and 32.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.9% of those under age 18 and 32.0% of those age 65 or over.
In 2000, 72.78% of the population spoke only English at home, while those who spoke Spanish made up 26.65%, and those who spoke French Creole made up 0.56%.