Belle Glade, Florida
Encyclopedia
Belle Glade is a city in Palm Beach County
, Florida
on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee
. The population was 14,906 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2007, the city had a population of 16,739.
Belle Glade (and the surrounding area) is sometimes referred to as "Muck City" due to the large quantity of muck
, in which sugarcane
grows, found in the area. About half the sugarcane
in the nation is grown in the plains around Belle Glade and nearby Clewiston
. Despite being located in the South Florida region of the state, Belle Glade is culturally more associated with the Florida Heartland
.
For a time during the early to mid-1980s, the city had the highest rate of AIDS
infection per capita (37 cases in a population of roughly 19,000) in the United States. According to the FBI in 2003 the city had the second highest violent crime
rate in the country at 298 per 10,000 residents.
, the acreage to be used for agriculture. The town was built in 1925 and destroyed by a hurricane three years later which killed thousands of people. Since then the town has been rebuilt. The area around Lake Okeechobee is fertile and farming has been an important industry.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²), of which 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²) are land and 0.21% is water.
of 2000, there were 14,906 people, 4,854 households, and 3,431 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,206.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,237.7/km²). There were 5,374 housing units at an average density of 1,155.9 per square mile (446.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 13.8% White (non-Hispanic)
, 50.68% Black or African American
, 27.57% Hispanic or Latino
of any race, 0.17% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 9.70% from other races
, and 8.93% from two or more races.
There were 4,854 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples
living together, 22.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.62.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.5% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,715, and the median income for a family was $26,756. Males had a median income of $26,232 versus $21,410 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $11,159. About 28.5% of families and 32.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.1% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, speakers of English
as a first language
accounted for 61.03% of all residents, while Spanish
as a mother tongue consisted of 26.87%, Haitian Creole comprised 11.00%, and French
made up 1.07% of the population.
As of 2000, Belle Glade had the tenth highest percentage of Haiti
an residents in the United States, at 11.50% of the populace. It also had the sixtieth highest percentage of Cuba
n residents nationally, at 5.98% of the population.
operates the Belle Glade Post Office.
The Florida Department of Corrections
operates the Glades Correctional Institution
in an unincorporated area
in Palm Beach County
near Belle Glade.
of the "Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative" (SCGC) is located at Belle Glade. During the crop season the factory employs 550 people.
The "Glades Correctional Institution" near Belle Glade was founded in 1932, employs about 350 and has a capacity of 918 inmates.
by Jilliane Hoffman
take place in a sugarcane
plantation near Belle Glade.
Palm Beach County, Florida
Palm Beach County is the largest county in the state of Florida in total area, and third in population. As of 2010, the county's estimated population was 1,320,134, making it the twenty-eighth most populous in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee , locally referred to as The Lake or The Big O, is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Florida. It is the seventh largest freshwater lake in the United States and the second largest freshwater lake contained entirely within the lower 48 states...
. The population was 14,906 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2007, the city had a population of 16,739.
Belle Glade (and the surrounding area) is sometimes referred to as "Muck City" due to the large quantity of muck
Muck (soil)
Muck is a soil made up primarily of humus from drained swampland. It is known as black soil in The Fens of eastern England, where it was originally mainly fen and bog. It is used there, as in the United States, for growing specialty crops such as onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes...
, in which sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
grows, found in the area. About half the sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
in the nation is grown in the plains around Belle Glade and nearby Clewiston
Clewiston, Florida
Clewiston is a city in Hendry County, Florida. The population was 6,460 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 7,173. Clewiston is home to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and the Clewiston Museum.-History:...
. Despite being located in the South Florida region of the state, Belle Glade is culturally more associated with the Florida Heartland
Florida Heartland
The Florida Heartland is a region of Florida located to the north and west of Lake Okeechobee, composed of six inland, non-metropolitan counties — DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee. In 2000, The US Census Bureau recorded the population of the region at 229,509...
.
For a time during the early to mid-1980s, the city had the highest rate of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
infection per capita (37 cases in a population of roughly 19,000) in the United States. According to the FBI in 2003 the city had the second highest violent crime
Violent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
rate in the country at 298 per 10,000 residents.
History
The existence of Belle Glade is related to the federal project of draining the land around Lake OkeechobeeLake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee , locally referred to as The Lake or The Big O, is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Florida. It is the seventh largest freshwater lake in the United States and the second largest freshwater lake contained entirely within the lower 48 states...
, the acreage to be used for agriculture. The town was built in 1925 and destroyed by a hurricane three years later which killed thousands of people. Since then the town has been rebuilt. The area around Lake Okeechobee is fertile and farming has been an important industry.
Geography
Belle Glade is located at 26.685264°N 80.671275°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²), of which 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²) are land and 0.21% is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,906 people, 4,854 households, and 3,431 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,206.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,237.7/km²). There were 5,374 housing units at an average density of 1,155.9 per square mile (446.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 13.8% White (non-Hispanic)
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 50.68% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 27.57% Hispanic or Latino
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race, 0.17% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 9.70% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 8.93% from two or more races.
There were 4,854 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 22.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.62.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.5% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,715, and the median income for a family was $26,756. Males had a median income of $26,232 versus $21,410 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $11,159. About 28.5% of families and 32.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.1% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, speakers of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as a first language
First language
A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...
accounted for 61.03% of all residents, while Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as a mother tongue consisted of 26.87%, Haitian Creole comprised 11.00%, and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
made up 1.07% of the population.
As of 2000, Belle Glade had the tenth highest percentage of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an residents in the United States, at 11.50% of the populace. It also had the sixtieth highest percentage of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n residents nationally, at 5.98% of the population.
Government and infrastructure
The United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Belle Glade Post Office.
The Florida Department of Corrections
Florida Department of Corrections
The Florida Department of Corrections, established in 1821, operates state prisons in Florida. It has its headquarters in Tallahassee.The Florida Department of Corrections operates the third largest state prison system in the United States...
operates the Glades Correctional Institution
Glades Correctional Institution
The Glades Correctional Institution is a Florida Department of Corrections state prison for men in unincorporated Palm Beach County, Florida, near Belle Glade....
in an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County, Florida
Palm Beach County is the largest county in the state of Florida in total area, and third in population. As of 2010, the county's estimated population was 1,320,134, making it the twenty-eighth most populous in the United States...
near Belle Glade.
Elementary schools
- Gove Elementary
- Belle Glade Elementary
- Glade View Elementary
- Pioneer Park Elementary
Economy
The cane sugar millCane sugar mill
A cane sugar mill is a factory that processes sugar cane to produce raw or white sugar.- Processing :Traditionally, sugarcane processing requires two stages. Mills extract raw sugar from freshly harvested cane, and sometimes bleach it to make "mill white" sugar for local consumption...
of the "Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative" (SCGC) is located at Belle Glade. During the crop season the factory employs 550 people.
The "Glades Correctional Institution" near Belle Glade was founded in 1932, employs about 350 and has a capacity of 918 inmates.
Notable residents
- Reidel AnthonyReidel AnthonyReidel Clarence Anthony is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for five seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s...
, former NFL wide receiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... - Brad BanksBrad BanksBrad Banks is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the Washington Redskins...
, CFLCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, Winnipeg Blue BombersWinnipeg Blue BombersThe Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
; 20022002 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season ended the season with what most consider an exciting double overtime national championship game. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the Hurricanes 31–24, ending Miami's 34 game winning...
Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
first runner-up for the University of IowaUniversity of IowaThe University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees... - Jessie HesterJessie HesterJessie Lee Hester is a former professional American football wide receiver who played 11 years in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Raiders, the Atlanta Falcons, the Indianapolis Colts, and the St. Louis Rams from 1985 to 1995...
, former NFL wide receiver, Los Angeles Raiders, Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, and St. Louis RamsSt. Louis RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... - Santonio HolmesSantonio HolmesSantonio Holmes Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Ohio State...
, NFL wide receiver, New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - James LeeJames Lee (offensive lineman)James Lee is an American football offensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at South Carolina State.-External links:*...
, NFL offensive lineman, Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... - Louis OliverLouis OliverLouis Oliver, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League for eight seasons during the 1980s and 1990s...
, former NFL safety, Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... - Fred TaylorFred Taylor (football player)Frederick Antwon Taylor is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League for thirteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as a first-team All-American...
, NFL running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... - Andre WatersAndre WatersAndre Waters was an NFL defensive back who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals from 1984 to 1995. Waters was regarded as one of the NFL's hardest-hitting defenders, serving as an integral part of one of the league's top defenses...
, former NFL safety, Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Arizona CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
Belle Glade in popular culture
The final scenes of the crime novel Pretty Little ThingsPretty Little Things
Pretty Little Things is a 2010 novel by Jilliane Hoffman. It was released in the USA on September 7th, 2010, and deals with the topics of internet crime and missing and exploited children and is set in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale area...
by Jilliane Hoffman
Jilliane Hoffman
Jilliane Hoffman is an American writer of legal thrillers. She was born on Long Island and attended both undergraduate and law school at St. John's University in Queens, New York.-Career:...
take place in a sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
plantation near Belle Glade.
External links
- City of Belle Glade
- Official History
- Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce
- Palm Beach County Health Department, C.L. Brumback Health Center
- The Sun newspaper available in full-text with images in Florida Digital Newspaper Library