Marianna, Florida

Marianna, Florida
—  City  —
Location in Jackson County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 30°46′35″N 85°14′17″W / 30.77639°N 85.23806°W / 30.77639; -85.23806Coordinates: 30°46′35″N 85°14′17″W / 30.77639°N 85.23806°W / 30.77639; -85.23806
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Jackson
Area
– Total	8 sq mi (20.9 km2)
– Land	8 sq mi (20.8 km2)
– Water	0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation	167 ft (51 m)
Population (2000)
– Total	6,230
– Density	778.8/sq mi (298.1/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
– Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	32446-32448
Area code(s)	850
FIPS code	12-43175[1]
GNIS feature ID	0286422[2]
Website	www.cityofmarianna.com

Marianna is a city in Jackson County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,230 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,200 ^[1]. It is the county seat of Jackson County^[3] and is home to Chipola College. The official nickname of Marianna is "The City of Southern Charm."

Geography

Marianna is located at 30°46′35″N 85°14′17″W / 30.77639°N 85.23806°W / 30.77639; -85.23806 (30.776370, -85.238149)^[4].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 8.1 square miles (21 km²). 8.0 square miles (21 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) of it (0.37%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 6,230 people, 2,398 households, and 1,395 families residing in the city. The population density was 776.1 inhabitants per square mile (299.6/km²). There were 2,764 housing units at an average density of 344.3 per square mile (132.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 56.82% White, 40.16% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.87% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.60% of the population.

There were 12,398 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.3% were married couples living together, 20.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,861, and the median income for a family was $29,590. Males had a median income of $28,500 versus $21,530 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,021. About 20.9% of families and 28.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.7% of those under age 18 and 34.6% of those age 65 or over.

History

Marianna was founded in 1828 and named the county seat the following year, supplanting the earlier settlement of Webbville, which soon dissolved and no longer exists.

It is the final resting place of the Confederate governor of Florida, Governor John Milton, and the scene of a minor Civil War battle between a small home guard of about 150 boys, old men, and wounded soldiers, and a contingent of approximately 900 Federal troops.

Governor Milton, who owned the Milton Plantation and hundreds of slaves, was the Governor of Florida during the Civil War years. Governor Milton was vehemently against the Confederate States of America reuniting with the United States of America. He vowed that he would rather die than see the Confederates reunite with America.

In late spring 1865, as Federal Troops were preparing to take control of Tallahassee, Governor Milton received word the Civil War had ended and that Florida would now be part of the United States again. Upon this news, the Governor died of a gunshot wound. Historians tell it that Milton committed suicide because he could not stand the thought of slavery ending and becoming a part of America again.

Marianna was also the site of the 1934 lynching of Claude Neal, an African American man accused of rape and murder. The national publicity generated by the lynching and resulting riot played a significant role in American history by helping to inspire national anti-lynching laws.

On Sunday, June 6, 2010 residents within Marianna city limits, were able to purchase alcoholic beverages on Sunday for the first time. To date there have been no changes to regulations dealing outside of Marianna "city" limits, and the No Beer on Sunday statue is in still effect for those areas.

Education

Marianna has five schools, all of which usually perform in the high C-low B range in the state's FCAT grade scale. Golson for grades K-2, Riverside Elementary for grades 3-5, Marianna Middle School for grades 6-8, and Marianna High School for grades 9-12. Dayspring Christian Academy, a private school, holds grades K-8. Chipola College, home of the Chipola Indians, is the choice for many residents and offers dual-enrollment classes for high school students.Chipola College is a 4-year state college offering Bachelor's Degrees in nine programs. Additionally, students can earn Masters and Doctorate degrees on the Chipola Campus through Troy State University, University of Florida, University of West Florida, and Florida State University.

Transportation

Marianna Municipal Airport, a former World War II Army Air Corps base, is a public-use airport located 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of the central business district. It was the site of a fatal plane crash in April 2000, when a private lear jet carrying three businessmen from Maryland tried to make an emergency landing. Though the pilot was in line with the runway, the plane lost power short of the runway and crashed into nearby woods. Eye witnesses say the plane exploded on impact killing all aboard.

Attractions

Marianna is an official Florida Main Street town. The downtown area has been restored to look as it did many years ago. The downtown area includes the Marianna Historic District, with a number of antebellum homes.

Florida Caverns State Park is located near the town. There is also cave diving in underwater Blue Springs. St. Luke's Episcopal Church's chapel and cemetery are a State Landmark following a principal role in the American Civil War battle of Marianna in 1864. Neal's Landing on the Chattahoochee River is not far from Marianna and is a fishing and camping area. Neal's Landing is where the old Indian village of Ekanchattee once existed. The Chipola River is a source of recreation during the spring, summer, and fall months.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.