Wikimapia is a multilingual open-content collaborative map, where anyone can create place tags and share their knowledge.

Gainesville, Florida

USA / Florida / Gainesville /
 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.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   29°41'22"N   82°19'16"W

Comments

  • pinotchy
    Gator fans, keep this region alive so the world can see it.
  • Swamp Technology (guest)
    Gainesville Rocks! Go Gators!
  • serk1 (guest)
    But the Gator Nation is everywhere
  • Bobby (guest)
    Was just here this past weekend. It was a great place, lol and this is coming from a Buckeye. Beautiful part of the country.
  • BS Telecom '91 Gator (guest)
    It's great... to be... A FLORIDA GATOR!
  • gvlresident (guest)
    believe it or not, there is much more to gainesville than just the university of florida and the gators! in fact, it's a great place without the university even being here. it's a wonderful nature-filled area of florida, there's a great music scene, it's very community-oriented and friendly as well!
  • ankur (guest)
    Gainesville=Awesome, UF rocks.. Go Gators
  • succedaneum (guest)
    Gainesville is a wonderful city in Florida.
  • Show all comments