Gainesville, Florida
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Gainesville /
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/ Gainesville
World / United States / Florida
city, county seat
Gainesville is the largest city in and county seat of Alachua County, Florida. Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, the largest university in the State University System of Florida and the second-largest university in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated a 2009 population of 114,375. The Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Alachua and Gilchrist counties, has a population of 258,555, according to 2009 Census Bureau estimates. The Gainesville MSA was ranked as the #1 place to live in the 2007 edition of "Cities Ranked and Rated".
Gainesville's original inhabitants were the Timucua Indians. Spanish colonists began cattle ranching in the Payne's Prairie area using Timucua labor and the largest ranch became known as LaChua. Though the ranch was eventually destroyed by British raiders, it nevertheless gave its name to the Alachua band of the Seminole tribe who settled in the region in the 1700s under the leadership of the great chief Ahaya the Cowkeeper.
Gainesville was originally formed along the Florida Railroad Company's line stretching from Cedar Key to Fernandina Beach as part of a route eventually carrying cargo from New Orleans to New York. In 1854 Gainesville became the new Alachua County seat (moving from the more populated but inconveniently located Newnansville). The city is named for General Edmund P. Gaines, commander of U.S. Army troops in Florida during the Second Seminole War. Interestingly, even though no railroad lines run through Gainesville any longer, a locomotive is part of the city's official seal.
Gainesville is informally called "Hogtown" by many residents, after Hogtown Creek, which runs through the city and was the original name of a town nearby, which was eventually incorporated into the growing city. "Brick City" and "Gator Nation" are some of the other nicknames for Gainesville.
Gainesville's original inhabitants were the Timucua Indians. Spanish colonists began cattle ranching in the Payne's Prairie area using Timucua labor and the largest ranch became known as LaChua. Though the ranch was eventually destroyed by British raiders, it nevertheless gave its name to the Alachua band of the Seminole tribe who settled in the region in the 1700s under the leadership of the great chief Ahaya the Cowkeeper.
Gainesville was originally formed along the Florida Railroad Company's line stretching from Cedar Key to Fernandina Beach as part of a route eventually carrying cargo from New Orleans to New York. In 1854 Gainesville became the new Alachua County seat (moving from the more populated but inconveniently located Newnansville). The city is named for General Edmund P. Gaines, commander of U.S. Army troops in Florida during the Second Seminole War. Interestingly, even though no railroad lines run through Gainesville any longer, a locomotive is part of the city's official seal.
Gainesville is informally called "Hogtown" by many residents, after Hogtown Creek, which runs through the city and was the original name of a town nearby, which was eventually incorporated into the growing city. "Brick City" and "Gator Nation" are some of the other nicknames for Gainesville.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gainesville,_Florida
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 29°41'22"N 82°19'16"W
- Bunnell, Florida 78 km
- Palm Coast, Florida 92 km
- Jacksonville, Florida 103 km
- Daytona Beach, Florida 117 km
- Orlando, Florida 144 km
- Lakeland, Florida 171 km
- Tampa, Florida 171 km
- St. Petersburg, Florida 202 km
- Tallahassee, Florida 220 km
- Palm Bay, Florida 239 km
- Stephen Foster Neighborhood 1.6 km
- Ironwood Golf Course 2.4 km
- Alachua County, Florida 3.3 km
- Northwood Oaks 4.4 km
- Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) 5.3 km
- Gainesville Raceway 9 km
- Deerhaven Power Generation Plant 11 km
- San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park 13 km
- University of Florida Poultry Unit 13 km
- Bradford County, Florida 28 km
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