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Titusville is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 40,670 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 44,756. It is the county seat of Brevard County. Called "Space City, USA," Titusville is a popular area situated near the Kennedy Space Center and Canaveral National Seashore.

Titusville is a principal city of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The area was once inhabited by the Ais Indians, who gathered palmetto, cocoplum and seagrape berries. They also fished the Indian River, called the Rio de Ais by Spanish explorers. By 1760, however, the tribe had disappeared due to slave raids, disease and rum. Florida was acquired from Spain in 1821, but the Seminole Wars would delay settlement.

Originally called "Sand Point", a post office was established in 1859, although it closed a few months later. Confederate Colonel Henry T. Titus arrived in 1867 with the intention to build a town on land owned by his wife, Mary Hopkins Titus, daughter of a prominent planter from Darien, Georgia. He laid out roads and in 1870 erected The Titus House, a large one-story hotel next to a saloon. He also donated land for four churches and a courthouse, the latter an effort to get the town designated as county seat. The community was named "Titusville" in 1873. It would be incorporated as a city in 1887, the year construction began on St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church, listed in 1972 on the National Register of Historic Places. At one point, Titusville would be nicknamed "The City of Churches".

The Atlantic Coast, St. Johns & Indian River Railroad arrived in 1885 from Enterprise, which was connected by a spur line to the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West Railroad at Enterprise Junction in present-day DeBary. Henry Flagler would then extend his Florida East Coast Railroad south from Daytona, with the station built in Titusville in 1892. Tourists arrived, and the Indian River area would increasingly become an agricultural and shipping center for pineapple and citrus produce. A wooden bridge was built east to Playalinda Beach in 1922. In the 1950s, the creation of the space center on Merritt Island made the community's economy, population and tourism grow considerably.

Titusville could have been called "Riceville", but Col. Henry T. Titus challenged Capt. Clark Rice to a game of dominoes to decide the name. Col. Henry T. Titus won the game, and Sand Point became Titusville in 1873.
Government

Titusville is run by a Council-Manager government. The elected City Council serves as the city's legislative branch, while the appointed City Manager carries out policies defined by the Council. They govern the city according to its Charter, adopted on June 3, 1963.

Titusville has the highest city tax rate in the county.

In 2007, the city had a taxable real estate base of $2.34 billion.

City Council

Titusville's five City Council members (one of which is the Mayor) are elected at-large to four-year, staggered terms. As the city's legislative body, the Council determines all municipal policies not explicitly covered by the City Charter or state legislation. They also adopt ordinances and resolutions, cote appropriations, approve budgets, determine the tax rate, and appoint citizens to serve on advisory boards and commissions.

The Mayor presides over all City Council meetings and votes as a Council member. The Mayor is the recognized head of city government for ceremonial and military law purposes, but has no regular administrative duties. The Vice Mayor is chosen from among the Council members at their annual organizational meeting and takes the Mayor's place during absence or disability.

City Manager

The City Manager is chosen by the City Council on the basis of training, experience and ability, and serves at the pleasure of the Council for an indefinite period of time. The City Manager is tasked with enforcing all laws and ordinances, appointing and removing department heads and employees, supervising all departments, keeping the council advised on the city's financial situation, keeping the Council and public informed of the city government's operations.

Titusville 2020

Titusville 2020 is a process that is intended to help make decisions for that city's growth through 2010 that will set the stage for a well-run community in the decades ahead. This accepts public input in a process known as "visioning." The plan focuses on revitalizing the old downtown and developing along a 3 miles stretch of river with accompanying major highway, US 1.

Historic sites and Museums

* American Police Hall of Fame & Museum
* North Brevard Historical Museum
* U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame
* U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum
* Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum
* Windover Archaeological Site

Geography

Titusville is located at 28°35'28?N 80°49'12?W? / ?28.59111°N 80.82°W? / 28.59111; -80.82 (28.591210, -80.819911)[11]. Titusville sits on the Indian River in the Northern half of Brevard County, Florida.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 67.1 km² (25.9 mi²). 55.1 km² (21.3 mi²) of it is land and 12.0 km² (4.7 mi²) of it (17.95%) is water. Titusville is located on the Indian River lagoon, part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

Demographics

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 40,670 people, 17,200 households, and 11,094 families residing in the city. The population density was 738.6/km² (1,913.4/mi²). There were 19,178 housing units at an average density of 348.3/km² (902.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.80% White, 12.64% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.52% of the population.

There were 17,200 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.

Economy / Personal income

The median income for a household in the city was $35,607, and the median income for a family was $42,453. Males had a median income of $36,076 versus $23,998 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,901. About 9.3% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.6% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Industry

Many of Titusville's major employers are aerospace companies.

Knight's Armament Company, located here, is believed to be the state's largest manufacturer of small arms.

Workforce

In 2007, the average size of Titusville's labor force was 20,716. Of that group, 19,879 were employed and 837 were unemployed, for an unemployment rate of 4%.

Housing

In 2008, 55 building permits for 64 units were issued. This was down from 195 permits for 657 units in 2007. The city issued 292 permits for 360 units in 2006.

The median home price in 2007 was $158,900.

Infrastructure

The city primarily gets its water supply from the Florida’s Surficial Aquifer. The Surficial Aquifer is a shallow, unconfined aquifer that overlays the larger Floridan Aquifer. In 2005, about 3.8 million gallons per day of raw water were drawn from the City’s two wellfields.

Notable sites

Titusville is a popular vantage point for Space Shuttle launches.

* Astronaut Hall of Fame
* Judge George Robbins House
* Pritchard House
* Spell House
* St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church
* Titusville Commercial District
* Wager House

Medical / Hospital

Parrish Medical Center is the hospital that serves Titusville. It was founded in 1958

Education

It was estimated in 2007 that 88.1% of all Titusville residents 25 years or older are high school graduates, and 23.6% have a Bachelor's Degree or higher.

Primary and secondary public schools are run by the Brevard County School Board:

Elementary schools

* Apollo Elementary School
* Coquina Elementary School
* Imperial Estates Elementary School
* Oak Park Elementary School
* Riverview Elementary School
* South Lake Elementary School

Middle Schools

* Jackson Middle School
* Madison Middle School

High Schools

* Titusville High School
* Astronaut High School
* Space Coast High School

Private Schools

* Park Avenue Christian Academy
* Sculptor Charter School
* St. Teresa Catholic School
* Temple Christian School

College

* Brevard Community College