Ocala, Florida

Ocala is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Florida, United States. Located in North Central Florida, the city's population was 63,591 as of the 2020 census, up from 56,315 at the 2010 census and making it the 43rd-most populated city in Florida. Ocala is the principal city of the Ocala metropolitan area, which had a population of 375,908 in 2020.
Home to over 400 thoroughbred farms and training centers, Ocala is considered the "Horse Capital of the World". Notable attractions include the Ocala National Forest, Silver Springs State Park, Rainbow Springs State Park, the College of Central Florida, and the World Equestrian Center.

History

Ocala is named after Ocale, a Timucua village and chiefdom recorded in the 16th century, the name of which is believed to mean "Big Hammock" in the Timucua language. Another possible meaning of the name is "song or singer of admiration or glorification". Spaniard Hernando de Soto's expedition recorded Ocale in 1539 during his exploration through what is today the Southeastern United States. The site of Ocale has not been found, but historians believe it was located in southwestern Marion County, near the Withlacoochee River. References to Ocale, Olagale, and Etoquale occur in 16th and early 17th century sources, but do not specify a location. A Spanish mission named San Luis de Eloquale was established by 1630. Milanich believes the mission was near the Withlacoochee River. Eloquale is not named in a 1655 list of missions, and Ocale disappeared from history.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Creek people and other Native Americans, as well as free and fugitive African Americans sought refuge in Florida. The Seminole people formed. After foreign colonial rule shifted between Spain and Great Britain and back again, in 1821, the United States acquired the territory of Florida. After warfare to the north, in 1827, the U.S. Army built Fort King near the present site of Ocala as a buffer between the Seminole, who had long occupied the area, and white settlers moving into the region. The fort was an important base during the Second Seminole War and later served in 1844 as the first courthouse for Marion County.
The modern city of Ocala, which was established in 1849, developed around the fort site. Greater Ocala is known as the "Kingdom of the Sun". Plantations and other agricultural development dependent on slave labor were prevalent in the region. Ocala was an important center of citrus production until the Great Freeze of 1894–1895. During the Reconstruction Era, Ocala was represented by several African Americans in the Florida House of Representatives and on the local level.
Image:OcalaFL83.jpg|thumb|left|Downtown Ocala in 1883
Rail service reached Ocala in June 1881, encouraging economic development with greater access to markets for produce. Two years later, much of the Ocala downtown area was destroyed by fire on Thanksgiving Day, 1883. The city encouraged rebuilding with brick, granite, and steel rather than lumber. By 1888, Ocala was known statewide as the "Brick City".
In December 1890, the Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union, a forerunner of the Populist Party, held its national convention in Ocala. At the convention, the alliance adopted a platform that would become known as the "Ocala Demands". This platform included abolition of national banks, promoting low-interest government loans, free and unlimited coinage of silver, reclamation of excess railroad lands by the government, a graduated income tax, and direct election of United States senators. Most of the "Ocala Demands" were to become part of the Populist Party platform.
Image:Fort King Street, Looking West, Ocala, FL.jpg|thumb|left|Fort King Street, circa 1920
In the last decades of the 20th century, the greater Ocala area had one of the highest growth rates in the country for a city its size.

Ocala Historic District

Many historic homes are preserved in Ocala's large residential Historic District, designated in 1984. East Fort King Street features many excellent examples of Victorian architecture. Ocala structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places include the Coca-Cola Building, E. C. Smith House, East Hall, Marion Hotel, Mount Zion A.M.E. Church, Ritz Historic Inn, and Union Train Station. The original Fort King site was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2004.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, all land. The surrounding farms are famous for their Thoroughbred Horses, in terrain similar to Kentucky bluegrass. Ocala is also known for nearby Silver Springs, site of one of the largest artesian spring formations in the world and Silver Springs Nature Theme Park, one of the earliest tourist attractions in Florida.
The long Ocklawaha River passes east of Ocala, flowing north from Central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka.
Marion County is also home to the Ocala National Forest, which was established in 1908, and is now the second-largest national forest in the state. The Florida Trail, also known as the Florida National Scenic Trail, cuts through Ocala National Forest. Silver Springs State Park was formed as Silver River State Park in 1987, from land the state purchased around the Silver Springs attraction to spare it from development. The state took over Silver Springs itself in 1993 and incorporated it into the park in 2013.

Climate

Ocala has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and mild winters.

Demographics

Ocala first appeared in the 1850 U.S. Census, with a total recorded population of 243. Ocala did not report separately in 1860.

2010 and 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, 63,591 people, 23,893 households, and 13,239 families were residing in the city.
As of the 2010 census, 56,315 people, 21,722 households, and 12,945 families lived in the city.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 45,943 people, 18,646 households, and 11,280 families resided in the city. The population density was. The 20,501 housing units had an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 72.9% White, 22.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 1.8% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.7% of the population.
Of the 18,646 households, 40.9% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were not families. About 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.91. The city's age distribution was 23.2% under 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

Economy

The median income for a household in the city was $30,888, and for a family was $38,190. Males had a median income of $29,739 versus $24,367 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,021. About 13.2% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under 18 and 9.8% of those 65 or over.
Ocala is the headquarters of Emergency One, a worldwide designer and manufacturer of fire-rescue vehicles.

Top employers

According to the City's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:

#	Employer	Type of business	Number of employees	Percentage
1	Marion County Public Schools	Education	7,000	4.70%
2	Ocala Health	Health care	2,712	1.82%
3	AdventHealth Ocala	Health care	2,648	1.78%
4	State of Florida	Government	2,600	1.74%
5	Walmart	Retail	2,583	1.73%
6	Lockheed Martin	Aerospace	1,600	1.07%
7	FedEx	E-Commerce	1,500	1.01%
8	Publix	Retail grocery	1,488	1.00%
9	Marion County Board of Commissioners	Government	1,368	0.92%
10	E-One, Inc.	Manufacturer	1,200	0.81%
—	Total	—	24,699	16.57%

Culture

Horses have a prominent role in Ocala's cultural makeup. The first Thoroughbred horse farm in Florida was developed in Marion County in 1943 by Carl G. Rose. Other farms were developed, making Ocala the center of a horse-breeding area. Local horses have won individual races of the Triple Crown series; in 1978, Affirmed, bred and trained in Marion County, won all three races, boosting interest in the industry there.
Ocala is one of only five cities permitted under Chamber of Commerce guidelines to use the title, "Horse Capital of the World", based on annual revenue produced by the horse industry. About 44,000 jobs are sustained by breeding, training, and related support of the equine industry, which generates over $2.2 billion in annual revenue. Postime Farms and Ocala serve as host to one of the largest horse shows in the country: H.I.T.S or "Horses in the Sun", a dressage/jumper event lasting about two months. It generates some $6 to 7 million for the local economy each year. The show features classes for over 100 different breeds, including Tennessee Walker, Paso Fino, Morgan, Saddlebred, and American Quarter Horse, as well as some draft breeds. Other equine events in the area include mounted shooting by the Florida Outlaws, as well as endurance rides, barrel races, extreme cowboy events, jumper shows, trick shows, parades, draft pulls, and rodeo events. In 2022, Ocala was the site of the inaugural point-to-point Florida Steeplechase at the Florida Horse Park.