Immokalee, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Immokalee, Florida
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Immokalee Zocalo Public Plaza
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| Etymology: Mikasuki: Immokalee (your home) | |
Location in Collier County and the state of Florida
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| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Collier |
| Area | |
| • Total | 23.29 sq mi (60.32 km2) |
| • Land | 22.72 sq mi (58.85 km2) |
| • Water | 0.57 sq mi (1.48 km2) 2.5% |
| Elevation | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 24,557 |
| • Density | 1,080.81/sq mi (417.30/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
34142–34143
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| Area code(s) | 239 |
| FIPS code | 12-33250 |
| GNIS feature ID | 284474 |
Immokalee (/ɪˈmɒk(ə)li/ IH-mok-(Ə)-lee) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Collier County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,557 at the 2020 census, up from 24,154 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Naples–Marco Island metropolitan area.
Contents
History
The region was settled by the Calusa people. It was inhabited by the Seminole centuries later, after they moved down from northern Florida. Initially the settlement was known as Gopher Ridge by the Seminole and Miccosukee nations. Immokalee means "your home" in the Mikasuki language.
When the swamps were drained in the region, agriculture became the dominant industry. European-American hunters, trappers, Native American traders, cowmen, and missionaries moved in before permanent villages developed. The first permanent settlement was founded in 1872. In 1921, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad extended its Haines City Branch south to Immokalee. The railroad was removed in 1989.
The Immokalee area is heavily agricultural. It is one of the nation's major centers of tomato growing. In 1960, CBS News anchor Edward R. Murrow reported on the region's farms' working conditions for his Harvest of Shame report for CBS Reports, which described the harsh lives of migrant workers.
Geography
Immokalee is in northern Collier County along Florida State Road 29. LaBelle is 24 miles (39 km) north, and Interstate 75 (Alligator Alley) is 20 miles (32 km) south.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has an area of 23.3 square miles (60.3 km2), of which 22.7 square miles (58.8 km2) is land and 0.58 square miles (1.5 km2), or 2.42%, is water.
Climate
The climate in Immokalee is right on the border between a humid subtropical climate and a tropical climate, with the mean temperature in the coldest month, January, at 63.90 °F (17.72 °C) which is 0.54 °F (0.30 °C) below the 64.40 °F (18.00 °C) threshold for a tropical climate.
| Climate data for Immokalee, Florida, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1970–2016 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 89 (32) |
90 (32) |
99 (37) |
96 (36) |
100 (38) |
102 (39) |
98 (37) |
100 (38) |
98 (37) |
95 (35) |
95 (35) |
89 (32) |
102 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 84.8 (29.3) |
86.5 (30.3) |
89.2 (31.8) |
91.3 (32.9) |
94.9 (34.9) |
96.2 (35.7) |
95.5 (35.3) |
95.9 (35.5) |
94.5 (34.7) |
91.9 (33.3) |
88.6 (31.4) |
85.6 (29.8) |
97.3 (36.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 75.5 (24.2) |
78.1 (25.6) |
81.2 (27.3) |
85.4 (29.7) |
89.5 (31.9) |
91.3 (32.9) |
92.3 (33.5) |
92.0 (33.3) |
90.3 (32.4) |
86.9 (30.5) |
81.3 (27.4) |
77.6 (25.3) |
85.1 (29.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 63.9 (17.7) |
66.4 (19.1) |
69.2 (20.7) |
73.5 (23.1) |
78.1 (25.6) |
81.8 (27.7) |
83.1 (28.4) |
83.2 (28.4) |
82.2 (27.9) |
77.7 (25.4) |
70.8 (21.6) |
66.5 (19.2) |
74.7 (23.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 52.2 (11.2) |
54.6 (12.6) |
57.2 (14.0) |
61.6 (16.4) |
66.7 (19.3) |
72.3 (22.4) |
73.9 (23.3) |
74.5 (23.6) |
74.0 (23.3) |
68.5 (20.3) |
60.2 (15.7) |
55.3 (12.9) |
64.2 (17.9) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 32.1 (0.1) |
34.5 (1.4) |
40.5 (4.7) |
46.4 (8.0) |
56.3 (13.5) |
65.1 (18.4) |
68.8 (20.4) |
69.9 (21.1) |
67.4 (19.7) |
54.0 (12.2) |
45.1 (7.3) |
35.8 (2.1) |
29.7 (−1.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 20 (−7) |
25 (−4) |
30 (−1) |
38 (3) |
49 (9) |
54 (12) |
63 (17) |
64 (18) |
64 (18) |
41 (5) |
27 (−3) |
24 (−4) |
20 (−7) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.72 (69) |
1.90 (48) |
2.17 (55) |
2.56 (65) |
4.16 (106) |
7.87 (200) |
6.77 (172) |
7.40 (188) |
5.98 (152) |
3.18 (81) |
1.53 (39) |
1.77 (45) |
48.01 (1,219) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6.4 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 6.7 | 7.5 | 15.3 | 16.4 | 17.7 | 15.2 | 8.9 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 116.3 |
| Source: NOAA (mean maxima/minima 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 3,224 | — | |
| 1970 | 3,764 | 16.7% | |
| 1980 | 11,038 | 193.3% | |
| 1990 | 14,120 | 27.9% | |
| 2000 | 19,763 | 40.0% | |
| 2010 | 24,154 | 22.2% | |
| 2020 | 24,557 | 1.7% | |
| source: | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 709 | 2.89% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 4,875 | 19.85% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 70 | 0.29% |
| Asian (NH) | 37 | 0.15% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 3 | 0.01% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 75 | 0.31% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 239 | 0.97% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18,549 | 75.53% |
| Total | 24,557 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 24,557 people, 5,985 households, and 4,517 families residing in the CDP.
2010 census
Immokalee's population was 24,154 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Arts and culture
The federally recognized Seminole Tribe of Florida has one of its six reservations here, Immokalee Reservation, on which it operates one of its gaming casinos.
The Audubon Society's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is nearby.
Education
Immokalee's public schools are operated by the District School Board of Collier County.
Elementary schools in Immokalee and serving Immokalee include Eden Park, Highlands, Lake Trafford, and Village Oaks. Pinecrest Elementary School, outside of and adjacent to the CDP, serves a portion of the CDP. All residents are zoned to Immokalee Middle School and Immokalee High School, both in the CDP.
Media
Immokalee is home to WCIW-LP, a low power community radio station owned and operated by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. The station was built by volunteers from Immokalee and around the country in December 2003 at the fifth Prometheus Radio Project barnraising. WCIW broadcasts music, news, and public affairs to listeners in Spanish, Haitian Creole and several indigenous languages.
WAFZ-FM (92.1 FM) is a full-power FM radio station licensed to Immokalee, Florida. The station plays a variety of hits in the Regional Mexican format. In the 1980s, WAFZ also played Tejano music on its sister station WAFZ-AM. In its beginnings WAFZ was WZOR-AM 1490 and played English-language adult contemporary music and news in the morning and until 3pm. Then it changed its format to Regional Mexican/Tejano. The early DJs who worked there were Gabino Soliz, "EL CHAVO ALEGRE", and Irma Ayala. The station continued on the air until the mid-1990s, when it went silent until what is now WAFZ was bought by Glades Media Company LLC, and transmitted simultaneously what WAFZ-FM was playing (a regional Mexican format). The current format of WAFZ is a young Regional Mexican, playing newer top 40 hits of the genre.
WAFZ's programming is also heard on WAFZ AM 1490 in Immokalee.
Transportation
Collier Area Transit provides local bus service and paratransit. The #5 connects to Naples, the #7 connects to Marco Island (limited trips), and the 8A circulates within the area.
Immokalee used to be served by the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (formerly Atlantic Coast Line), which ran a branchline from Palmdale through Immokalee to Everglades City. The line generated considerable agricultural-related traffic. The line was cut back to Sunniland south of Immokalee in the 1950s and then abandoned to the mainline at Palmdale in the 1980s. This left Immokalee without rail service.
The main road through Immokalee is State Road 29. Other important county roads through the region are CR 29A and CR 846.
Immokalee Airport is a public-use general aviation airport 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of the central business district. The closest airport for commercial service is Southwest Florida International Airport.
Notable people
- D'Ernest Johnson, Jacksonville Jaguars running back
- Mackensie Alexander, cornerback
- Albert Bentley, played football at Immokalee High School and went on to play for the Miami Hurricanes and the Indianapolis Colts
- J. C. Jackson, Los Angeles Chargers cornerback
- Edgerrin James, Hall of Fame running back (Indianapolis Colts)
- Javarris James, Indianapolis Colts running back
- Brian Rolle, former NFL and CFL linebacker
- Ovince Saint Preux, Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor
- Felipe Santos, missing person
- Deadrin Senat, defensive tackle
See also
In Spanish: Immokalee para niños
