Hampton, Florida Explained

Hampton, Florida
Official Name:City of Hampton
Settlement Type:City
Mapsize:250x200px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:County
Government Type:Mayor-Council
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Dale Wiseman
Leader Title1:Council Chair
Leader Name1:William “Bill” Goodge
Leader Title2:Council Members
Leader Name2:Frank Bryant,
Lillian Sams,
Dorothy Shealey,
and Vice-Chair
Douglas Williamson
Leader Title3:City Clerk and
City Administrator
Leader Name3:Mary Lou Hildreth
Leader Title4:City Attorney
Leader Name4:Will Sexton
Established Title:Settled
Established Date:1859[1]
Established Title2:Incorporated
Established Date2:1870[2]
Established Title3:Reincorporated
Established Date3:1925
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[3]
Area Total Km2:2.73
Area Land Km2:2.73
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Total Sq Mi:1.05
Area Land Sq Mi:1.05
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:432
Population Density Km2:158.32
Population Density Sq Mi:409.87
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:−5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:−4
Coordinates:29.8642°N -82.1367°W
Elevation M:46
Elevation Ft:151
Postal Code Type:ZIP Code
Postal Code:32044
Area Code:352
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:12-28575[4]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:0283671[5]

Hampton is a city in Bradford County, Florida, United States. It is located in North Florida. The population was 432 at the 2020 census.

History

Early history

Hampton was first settled in 1859, officially incorporated as the "Town of Hampton" in 1870, and officially reincorporated as the "City of Hampton" in 1925.[1] [2] At the time, it was at the junction of the Georgia Southern and Florida Railway and the Seaboard Air Line Railroad with stations for both.[6]

In the mid-1990s, Hampton annexed a short stretch of U.S. Highway 301 west of the city in order to obtain revenue from traffic tickets issued to motorists driving on that highway. At the peak of this time before the dismantling of the police department, it had 1 officer per 25 residents.[7]

2013–2014 controversies

In November 2013, the city's mayor Barry Layne Moore was arrested for selling Oxycodone.[7]

On February 10, 2014, auditors from the Florida Joint Legislative Auditing Committee presented 31 violations of state law, city charter and federal tax requirements to state legislators.[8] The city made $211,328 ticketing people driving its 1260feet of U.S. Highway 301 during 2012,[9] giving the city an unenviable reputation as a "speed trap".[10] The committee asked State Attorney Bill Cervone to investigate any potential criminal activity and a number of state representatives and senators pursued the dissolution of Hampton.[11] In the wake of the controversy, many city officials resigned.[12] State legislators visited Hampton on March 28, 2014, to see if the issues had been solved.[13] They agreed to let Hampton stay incorporated, because the city retracted the annexation of U.S. Highway 301 and decommissioned its police force. Hampton also accounted for budget shortfalls, and reformed its city council proceedings.[14] In May 2022, the justification for the speed trap was deemed invalid from its inception by Reason magazine, which reported that, "Many speed-trap towns defend their aggressive traffic enforcement on ostensible public safety grounds. But Hampton could not even make that sort of claim, since the highway was a mile away."[15]

Geography

The approximate coordinates for the City of Hampton is located in southern Bradford County at 29.8642°N -82.1367°W (29.864261, –82.136761).[16]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.12sqmi, all land.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, the City of Hampton has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).

Demographics

2010 and 2020 census

Hampton racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
!Race!Pop 2010[17] !Pop 2020[18] !% 2010!% 2020
White (NH)43438086.80%87.96%
Black or African American (NH)45259.00%5.79%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)000.00%0.00%
Asian (NH)010.00%0.23%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)000.00%0.00%
Some other race (NH)320.60%0.46%
Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)981.80%1.85%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)9161.80%3.70%
Total500432

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 432 people, 220 households, and 128 families residing in the city.[19]

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 500 people, 182 households, and 118 families residing in the city.[20]

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 431 people, 160 households, and 110 families residing in the city. The population density was 417sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 190 housing units at an average density of 183.8/mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 87.01% White, 11.14% African American, 0.23% Native American, and 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.16% of the population.

In 2000, there were 160 households, out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.07.

In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $24,091, and the median income for a family was $29,375. Males had a median income of $23,250 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,620. About 20.4% of families and 26.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.8% of those under age 18 and 38.3% of those age 65 or over.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About Hampton. hamptonfl.com.
  2. Web site: FLORIDA CITIES BY INCORPORATION YEAR WITH INCORPORATION & DISSOLUTION INFO. www.flcities.com.
  3. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. October 31, 2021.
  4. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2008-01-31.
  5. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. 2008-01-31. United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25.
  6. Official Guide of the Railways, June 1921, p. 1308
  7. Web site: Berman. Mike. Welcome to Hampton, the small Florida town that could get erased. Washington Post. March 13, 2014. March 11, 2014.
  8. Web site: Deslatte. Aaron. Lawmakers want tiny town of Hampton abolished over 'cash register justice'. Orlando Sentinel. March 9, 2014. February 10, 2014.
  9. Web site: Alvarez. Lizette. A Dot on the Map, After Scandal, Could Be Wiped Off. New York Times. March 13, 2014. March 10, 2014.
  10. Web site: O'Neill. Ann. Speed trap city accused of corruption, threatened with extinction. CNN.com. March 9, 2014. March 9, 2014.
  11. Web site: Dixon. Matt. Gestapo in Hampton. Florida Times-Union. March 9, 2014. February 10, 2014. October 6, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006082519/http://members.jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-dixon/2014-02-10/gestapo-hampton. dead.
  12. Web site: O'Neil. Ann. Barry Layne Moore, mayor of corrupt Hampton, Florida, resigns  - from jail. CNN.com. March 14, 2014. March 11, 2014.
  13. Web site: O'Neil. Ann. Has Hampton been scared straight?. CNN.com. March 28, 2014. March 28, 2014.
  14. Web site: O'Neil. Ann. City too corrupt for Florida is spared. CNN.com. March 29, 2014. March 29, 2014.
  15. Web site: CIARAMELLA . C.J. . 11 Insanely Corrupt Speed-Trap Towns . reason.com . Reason . 10 May 2022.
  16. Web site: US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United States Census Bureau. 2011-04-23. 2011-02-12.
  17. Web site: P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Hampton city, Florida. United States Census Bureau.
  18. Web site: P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Hampton city, Florida. United States Census Bureau.
  19. Web site: S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Hampton city, Florida. United States Census Bureau.
  20. Web site: S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Hampton city, Florida. United States Census Bureau.