Florida, Orange County, New York

Florida is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 2,833 at the 2010 census estimates. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area. The village is located in the town of Warwick. Florida is at the convergence of Routes 17A, 25, and94.

Florida has its own school district consisting of Golden Hill Elementary School and S.S. Seward Institute. The mascot for S.S. Seward Instituteis a Spartan.

History

Culver Randel House and Mill along NY 94on the North side of Florida

 

The area had been occupied by indigenous peoples for thousands of years.

The village was founded by Anglo-European colonists in 1760. It was incorporated in 1946.

Florida is in a farming area known for the vast onion fields (it calls itself the Onion Capital of the World) in the nearby Black Dirt Region.

WTBQ, Orange County's only independent radio station, was located in Florida from 1984 to 2007; the station's new studios in the Town of Warwick opened in November 2007.

Florida Homes for Sale

Florida Real Estate

Geography

The village is west of Glenmere lake and east of Warwick, New York.

Florida is located at 41°19′52″N 74°21′33″W (41.331217, -74.359167).^[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all of it land.

During the 19th century, the community was settled by a wave of Polish immigrants. They followed earlier settlers who were mostly Yankee migrants from New England, arriving after the Native American population had declined. Today the village is predominantly Polish-American.

Notable residents

• William Henry Seward, Sr.(May 16, 1801 – October 10, 1872), born in Florida, was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator, and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.
• Jimmy Sturr, "Polka King," resident.
• "Black Plague," rising black metal band.

Pop culture

• The town of Florida was featured in the hit TV show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in the 2007 episode entitled "Florida."
• The Jerky Boys, in their album Jerky Boys 3 feature a Florida resident who responds to a false ad.