world.wikisort.org - USA

Hardee County is a county located in the Florida Heartland, Central Florida region U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,327.[1] Its county seat is Wauchula.[2]

Hardee County
U.S. county
Hardee County Courthouse
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 27°29′N 81°49′W
Country	United States
State	Florida
Founded	April 23, 1921
Named for	Cary A. Hardee
Seat	Wauchula
Largest city	Wauchula
Area
• Total	638 sq mi (1,650 km2)
• Land	638 sq mi (1,650 km2)
• Water	0.6 sq mi (2 km2)  0.1%%
Population
• Estimate  (2020)	25,327
• Density	43/sq mi (17/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	17th
Website	www.hardeecounty.net

Hardee County comprises the Wauchula, FL Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

It was named for Cary A. Hardee, Governor of Florida from 1921 to 1925. Hardee County was created in 1921.

On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley went directly through Hardee County. Maximum sustained winds in downtown Wauchula were clocked at 149 mph (240 km/h) with higher gusts. Most buildings in the county sustained damage, and many were totally destroyed.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 638 square miles (1,650 km²), of which 638 square miles (1,650 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (0.1%) is water.[3]

Hardee County is located in what is known as the "Bone Valley" which contains most of North America's phosphate deposits and a large portion of the world's deposits. Phosphate is mined in large open pit mines with massive settling ponds that contain many harmful byproducts of the mining process and its disposal and use are restricted thus leaving the settling ponds in place indefinitely and rendering the land unfit for agriculture ^{[citation needed]} The Mosaic company currently owns all mining land in Hardee County with around 10,000 acres near Fort Green and is proposing an expansion of around 27,000 acres in a new mine near Ona, FL. There is much controversy over the mining practice, the rezoning and conversion of agricultural land into open pit mines. Land is "reclaimed" after mining but leaves areas of mostly artificially created lakes and wetlands in addition to the slightly poisonous and radioactive settling ponds.[4] The proposed Ona mine[5] would surround Horse Creek, a tributary to the Peace River, thus threatening the very pristine and largely untouched natural waterway as well as the Peace River watershed.

Adjacent counties

• Polk County, Florida - north
• Highlands County, Florida - east
• DeSoto County, Florida - south
• Manatee County, Florida - west
• Hillsborough County, Florida - northwest

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	10,348		—
1940	10,158		−1.8%
1950	10,073		−0.8%
1960	12,370		22.8%
1970	14,889		20.4%
1980	19,379		30.2%
1990	19,499		0.6%
2000	26,938		38.2%
2010	27,731		2.9%
2020	25,327		−8.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2019[1]

Hardee County racial composition as of 2020
(NH = Non-Hispanic)[lower-alpha 1]

Race	Pop 2010[12]	Pop 2020[13]	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	13,315	11,873	48.01%	46.88%
Black or African American (NH)	1,877	2,111	6.77%	8.33%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	91	55	0.33%	0.22%
Asian (NH)	294	165	1.06%	0.65%
Pacific Islander (NH)	8	3	0.03%	0.01%
Some Other Race (NH)	6	35	0.02%	0.14%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	245	481	0.88%	1.9%
Hispanic or Latino	11,895	10,604	42.89%	41.87%
Total	27,731	25,327

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 25,327 people, 7,991 households, and 5,838 families residing in the county.

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 26,938 people, 8,166 households, and 6,255 families residing in the county. The population density was 42 inhabitants per square mile (16/km²). There were 9,820 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 70.66% White, 8.33% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 17.99% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. 35.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to 2005 Census Estimates the county's population was 50.6% non-Hispanic white, 39.8% Latino, 9.0% African-American and 1.3% Native American. (source=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607003625/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12/12049.html

In 2000 there were 8,166 households, out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.40% were non-families. 18.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06 and the average family size was 3.40.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.60% under the age of 18, 11.00% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 19.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 119.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 123.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,183, and the median income for a family was $32,487. Males had a median income of $23,793 versus $18,823 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,445. About 17.00% of families and 24.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.20% of those under age 18 and 16.10% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

United States presidential election results for Hardee County, Florida[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	6,122	72.01%	2,298	27.03%	82	0.96%
2016	5,242	68.57%	2,149	28.11%	254	3.32%
2012	4,696	64.83%	2,463	34.00%	85	1.17%
2008	4,763	64.00%	2,568	34.51%	111	1.49%
2004	5,049	69.65%	2,149	29.65%	51	0.70%
2000	3,765	60.38%	2,342	37.56%	129	2.07%
1996	2,928	47.18%	2,417	38.95%	861	13.87%
1992	2,900	45.08%	2,018	31.37%	1,515	23.55%
1988	3,640	66.96%	1,688	31.05%	108	1.99%
1984	3,962	72.06%	1,536	27.94%	0	0.00%
1980	2,603	48.82%	2,599	48.74%	130	2.44%
1976	2,189	42.86%	2,670	52.28%	248	4.86%
1972	3,563	84.57%	647	15.36%	3	0.07%
1968	1,278	28.34%	703	15.59%	2,529	56.08%
1964	2,321	54.88%	1,908	45.12%	0	0.00%
1960	1,960	52.96%	1,741	47.04%	0	0.00%
1956	1,589	45.67%	1,890	54.33%	0	0.00%
1952	1,802	46.55%	2,069	53.45%	0	0.00%
1948	689	24.12%	1,871	65.49%	297	10.40%
1944	708	24.72%	2,156	75.28%	0	0.00%
1940	694	21.33%	2,559	78.67%	0	0.00%
1936	844	28.27%	2,142	71.73%	0	0.00%
1932	566	18.55%	2,485	81.45%	0	0.00%
1928	2,087	70.06%	826	27.73%	66	2.22%
1924	264	22.66%	795	68.24%	106	9.10%

Libraries

Hardee County is part of the Heartland Library Cooperative which serves Hardee County and some of the surrounding counties, including Glades, Highlands, Okeechobee, and DeSoto. The seven-branch library system has one branch in Wauchula. Hardee County Public Library and the Heartland Library Cooperative are also members of the Tampa Bay Library Consortium.[16]

Hardee County Public Library was established in the mid-1980s after a group of residents expressed concern that the current small local library was not enough for the growing county. In September 1984 the Board of County Commissioners adopted the Resolution 84-21 that allowed the creation of the Hardee County Public Library. Later in 1997, the Board of County Commissioners signed an inter-local agreement to become a member of the Heartland Library Cooperative. Becoming a member of the Heartland Library Cooperative allows the library more resources and materials for its members. In the summer of 2004, the library building was severely damaged by Hurricane Charley and managed to keep its doors open for a couple of years before ultimately closing in 2006 for much-needed repairs. The library reopened its doors in January 2007. The library went from 5,800 square feet in 1984 to 15,680 square feet in 2007. It circulates an average of 71,251 items per year to 27,652 residents.[17][18]

In addition to traditional materials and online resources, the Hardee County Public Library is also home to the Florida Advocate and Herald-Advocate (local newspapers) on microfilm as well as Wauchula City Directories from the 1970s-to 1980s.[19] A library card is free for people who reside in Hardee County and other participating counties in the Heartland Library Cooperative.[20]

Cities

• Bowling Green
• Wauchula

Town

• Zolfo Springs

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Transportation

Airports

• Wauchula Municipal Airport

Education

The Hardee County School District has one high school, one junior high, and five elementary schools. Hardee Senior High and Hardee Junior High are in Wauchula. The elementary schools are Bowling Green, Hilltop, North Wauchula, Wauchula, and Zolfo Springs.

South Florida State College is a public college serving Hardee, Highlands and DeSoto Counties. Its Hardee campus is in Bowling Green.

See also

• Florida Heartland
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardee County, Florida

Notes

References

External links

Government links/constitutional offices

• Hardee County Board of County Commissioners official website
• Hardee County Supervisor of Elections
• Hardee County Property Appraiser
• Hardee County Sheriff's Office
• Hardee County Tax Collector

Special districts

• Hardee County Public Schools
• Southwest Florida Water Management District
• Heartland Library Cooperative

Judicial branch

• Hardee County Clerk of Courts (Official Site)
• Public Defender, 10th Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Hardee, Highlands, and Polk counties
• Office of the State Attorney, 10th Judicial Circuit of Florida^{[permanent dead link]}
• Circuit and County Court for the 10th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Museum and library resources

• Heartland Library Cooperative. Hardee County is part of the Heartland Library Cooperative
• The Herald-Advocate, the local newspaper for Hardee County, Florida fully and openly available in the Florida Digital Newspaper Library

Other resources

• Photos of Damage from Hurricane Charley at FloridaDisaster.org

На других языках

---

[de] Hardee County

Das Hardee County[1] ist ein County im Bundesstaat Florida der Vereinigten Staaten. Der Verwaltungssitz (County Seat) ist Wauchula.

---

- [en] Hardee County, Florida

---

[ru] Харди (округ, Флорида)

Ха́рди[1] (англ. Hardee county) — округ штата Флорида Соединённых Штатов Америки. На 2000 год в нём проживало 26 938 человек. По оценке бюро переписи населения США в 2005 году население округа составляло 28 286 человек.[2] Окружным центром является город Вочула.

---

---