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This article is about the inland city of Pensacola. For the nearby beachside community, see Pensacola Beach, Florida. For other Pensacolas and Pensacola-related articles, see Pensacola (disambiguation). Pensacola is a city in Escambia County, Florida. It is the county seat of Escambia County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 54,055. However, the Pensacola metropolitan area, comprised of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, had a population of 439,877. Pensacola is a sea port on Pensacola Bay, which connects to the Gulf of Mexico. A large United States Navy airbase, the first in the United States, is located southwest of Pensacola (near the community of Warrington) and is home to the Blue Angels flight demonstration team and the National Museum of Naval Aviation. Pensacola is nicknamed "The City of Five Flags" due to the five flags that have flown over it during its history: the flags of Spain (Castile), France, Great Britain, the Confederate States of America, and the United States. Other nicknames include "World's Whitest Beaches" (due to the white sand prevalent along beaches in the Florida panhandle), "Cradle of Naval Aviation" (the National Museum of Naval Aviation is located at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, home of the legendary Blue Angels), "Western Gate to the Sunshine State," "America's First Settlement," "Redneck Riviera", and "Red Snapper Capital of the World."
History Pensacola, Florida has had a rich and colorful history, being the first settlement in the continental United States. Pensacola has been under the possession of the Spanish, French, British, United States, Confederate States, and has remained a part of the United States since the end of the American Civil War. Geography and climate Pensacola is located at (30.436988, -87.209277). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 102.7 km² (39.7 mi²). 58.8 km² (22.7 mi²) of it is land and 43.9 km² (17.0 mi²) of it (42.77%) is water. The climate of Pensacola is subtropical, with mild winters and hot, humid summers. Summer temperatures are characterized by highs in the low 90s and lows in the mid 70s. The average high in July is 91 °F (32.8 °C), with 59 days per year reaching at least 90 °F (32.2 °C). Hurricanes
Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 56,255 people, 24,524 households, and 14,665 families residing in the city, and 402,000 people in the Pensacola MSA. The population density was 956.8/km² (2,478.7/mi²). There were 26,995 housing units at an average density of 459.2/km² (1,189.4/mi²). There were 24,524 households out of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.7% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.92. In addition to the Christian majority, Pensacola is home to a small but significant Jewish community, whose roots stretch back to the mid to late 1800s. The first Florida chapter of B'nai Brith was founded downtown in 1874, as well as the first temple, Beth-El, in 1876. Paula Ackerman, the first woman who performed rabbinical functions in the United States, was a Pensacola native and led services at Beth-El. Apart from the Reform Beth-El, Pensacola is also served by the Conservative B'nai Israel Synagogue. The median income for a household in the city was $34,779, and the median income for a family was $42,868. Males had a median income of $32,258 versus $23,582 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,438. About 12.7% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over. Politics Like other parts of the South, Pensacola was solidly Democratic for more than a century after the Civil War. Until the 1970's, most local elections were determined by the Democratic primary. However, since the 1960's, the staunchly conservative military and Bible Belt city has become dependably Republican. While Democrats still outnumber Republicans among registered votes, the region now supports Republicans for national, state, and local offices. In the 2004 presidential election, 65% of Escambia County residents voted for George W. Bush over John Kerry. The Pensacola area has not supported a Democrat for President since John Kennedy in 1960. In 1968, Pensacola and the rest of North Florida supported American Independent Party candidate George Wallace.* City Officials The current mayor of Pensacola is John Fogg. Regional Representatives Pensacola is currently represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Jeff Miller (R), in the U.S. Senate by Bill Nelson (D) and Mel Martinez (R), in the state senate by Charlie Clary (R) and Durell Peaden (R), and in the state house by Holly Benson (R), Dave Murzin (R), and Greg Evers (R). Upcoming elections Jeff Miller (R) and Joe Roberts (D) are fighting for Miller's house seat. Bill Nelson (D) and Katherine Harris (R) are fighting for Nelson's senate seat, although Harris is widely unpopular due to her involvement in the 2000 presidential election. Transportation Pensacola is served by Interstate 10 and the Interstate 110 spur connecting I-10 with downtown Pensacola. Major air traffic in the Pensacola and greater northwest Florida area is handled by Pensacola Regional Airport. Airlines currently serving Pensacola Regional Airport are American Airlines, Delta, Air Tran, ASA, COMAIR, US Air, Sky West, Continental, and Continental Express. Amtrak train service * and Greyhound bus service * are also available. The local bus service is the Escambia County Area Transit, or the ECAT. Festivals and holidays Major holidays in Pensacola include Mardi Gras and the Fiesta of Five Flags. Celebrations of note in Pensacola are the Greater Gulf Coast Arts Festival, the Seafood Festival, The King Mackerel and Cobia Tournament, Florida Springfest, Gracefest (a Christian music festival), Lobsterfest, University of West Florida Festival On The Green, the Bushwhacker Festival and the Bill Fishing Tournament. City media The largest daily newspaper in the area is the Pensacola News Journal. Pensacola is also home to WEAR-TV, the ABC affiliate for Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, and Mobile, Alabama, and WSRE-TV, the local PBS member station, which is operated by Pensacola Junior College. Pensacola Magazine, the city's monthly glossy magazine, and Northwest Florida's Business Climate, the only business magazine devoted to the region, are published locally. City schools and libraries Public primary and secondary education schools in Pensacola are administered by the Escambia County School District. The University of West Florida, which resides north of the city, is the primary tertiary school in the area. UWF also has the largest library in the region, the John C. Pace Library. Universities and colleges High schools in the City of Pensacola Libraries Local hospitals Sports teams Pensacola is home to several semiprofessional sports teams: Sister cities According to Sister City International, Pensacola has the following sister cities: See also: List of sister cities in the United States Politics, Law and Military Sports Religion Music and Media Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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