Florida East
The Humble Origins of Flagler Country, Florida
Nestled between Daytona Beach to the south and Jacksonville to the north, on Florida's eastern coast, Flagler County �- for the last few years one of the quickest growing areas in the country -- was founded way back in 1917. It was named for Henry Morrison Flagler, a wealthy railroad builder who built the Florida East Coast Railway.
By far, Flagler county's largest city is Palm Coast. The number of residents there was 32,732 at the 2000 national census, but as of 2004 that count had jumped to 44,427 and has continued to grow at a terrific rate, due to both new residents and annexation.
According to a March 16, 2006 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, Flagler County was the quickest-growing county for the second consecutive year with a 10.7 percent residency increase from July 1, 2004, to July 1, 2005. With 76,410 residents, the county also led the nation with a 53 percent population bulge since the 2000 census.
The Flagler County area has a storied history; one which extends back over 200 years. During the late 1800's (1861-1875), in the period of colonization by European powers, hostilities between Spanish forces based in St. Augustine and French based further north escalated, Flagler Beach saw a dramatic but inconclusive naval battle that was waged off shore. The fight took a strange turn as a violent storm slammed into the French ships, pushing them south and wrecking them on the beach in the vicinity of what is currently know as Ponce de Leon Inlet. The legend of the subsequent brutal massacre of the surviving French troops is still harked back to at Fort Matanzas National Park attraction.
Taking a big leap forward to the 1860's and the period of the Civil War and Reconstruction, Flagler County was on the Confederate side and helped that cause through military service and the supply of timber, beef, citrus cotton and salt. In particular, salt was in short supply and much valued as meat preservative. At the Mala Compra Plantation, the salt works were an important source, but Union patrols caused the area to be viewed as insecure and the works process was moved eastward to the coast. There the huge iron vats from a local plantation were used to boil sea water in the production of salt.
In modern times, the post WWII 'boom' arrived later in Flagler County than in other areas of the country. It came in the form of a highway now known as I-95 and the ITT Corporation. Plans made public in 1969, which created the city of Palm Coast, encompassed 48,000 home sites on about 42,000 acres of the 68,000 acres controlled by ITT.
About the Author
Matthew Paolini is a freelance writer with Citybook.com for the Chicago, IL business Yellow Pages division.
Florida East
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Where is a good place to move on East Coast Florida, cheap, close to the b beach, nearby colelges, ect.?
I live in Michigan and I'm planning on moving to Florida. Every time I go down there I always surf so I want to move somewhere with pretty nice waves. Also I want to attend a college/university and need the city to be close enough to take classes. Hopefully a good place for employment, not high in crime, and apartment prices not through the roof.
Thanks for the help.
Better waves in Florida are between Daytona Beach southward to Sebastian. But to meet your criteria, I'd look closer to Daytona because it's the biggest city on the central east coast of FL, so job opportunities are better. Palmer College, Bethune-Cookman, Daytona State, and UCF are around Daytona, too. Crime is everywhere.