Bradenton (pronounced "BRAY-den-ton") is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833. It is the county seat.
History
Originally discovered by Hernando De Soto at Shaw's Point in 1539, the city took the name of Dr. Joseph Braden, whose nearby fortlike house was a refuge for early settlers during Indian attacks. The current city of Bradenton was formed in 1943, when the Florida legislature merged the cities of Manatee (incorporated in 1888) and Bradentown (incorporated in 1903).
Geography
Bradenton is located at 27°29′18″N 82°34′40″W / 27.488217°N 82.577743°W / 27.488217; -82.577743 . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.44 square miles (37.4 km 2 ). 12.11 square miles (31.4 km 2 ) of it is land and 2.33 square miles (6.0 km 2 ) of it (16.14%) is water.
Bradenton is located on US 41 between Tampa and Sarasota. The area is surrounded by waterways, both fresh and saltwater. Along the Gulf of Mexico and into Tampa Bay are over 20 miles of Florida beaches - many which are shaded by Australian pines. Bordered on the north by the Manatee River, Bradenton is located on the mainland and is separated from the outer barrier islands of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key by the Intracoastal Waterway. Anna Maria Bayfront Park located on the north end of Anna Maria island is a park overlooking Tampa Bay. The business district and community of Bradenton Beach on the southern end of Anna Maria island is oriented toward vacationers who come to enjoy the surrounding beaches. Longboat Key, the next barrier island south, is popular with shell hunters along its beaches.
Downtown Bradenton is located on the west side of the city. Home to many of Bradenton's offices and government buildings, it is a lively place with new buildings currently under construction. The tallest is the Bradenton Financial Center, 12 stories high, with its trademark blue-green windows. It is currently owned by BFC Joint Ventures. Employee Leasing Solutions lease office space and the sign on top of the building. Next tallest is the brand new Manatee County Judicial Center with eight floors, located next to the historic courthouse.
The Eastern side of Bradenton is growing at a rapid rate. Initially starting as the popular subdivision Lakewood Ranch, it is now becoming a heavily populated part of town. Most of the buildings are newer than that of West Bradenton.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,504 people, 21,379 households, and 12,720 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,578.3/km 2 (4,088.5/mi 2 ). There were 24,887 housing units at an average density of 793.5/km 2 (2,055.4/mi 2 ). The racial makeup of the city was 78.14% White, 15.11% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.91% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.26% of the population. There were 21,379 households out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.5% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 25.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,902, and the median income for a family was $42,366. Males had a median income of $28,262 versus $23,292 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,133. About 9.7% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Tropicana Products is one of the world's largest producers and marketers of orange juice. Founded in 1947 by Anthony T. Rossi, an Italian immigrant, it has grown to over 8,000 employees in 2004, and has markets its products throughout the United States. It has been owned by PepsiCo, Inc. since 1998. Tropicana has entered a business deal with CSX to haul their famous juice trains, a relationship in effect since 1971. In 2003, Tropicana's corporate headquarters were relocated to Chicago when PepsiCo consolidated their beverage business after the acquisition of Gatorade, but their juice production still remains in Bradenton. Champs Sports, a nationwide sports-apparel chain, is headquartered in Bradenton, as is department store chain Bealls. Bradenton has been hit considerably hard by the United States housing market correction, as reported by CNN, projecting a 24.8% loss in median home values by the third quarter of 2008.
Education
Colleges near Bradenton include State College of Florida(formerly Manatee Community College), New College of Florida, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), Gordon University and Manatee Technical Institute. Some of the middle schools are Martha B. King Middle School, W. D. Sugg Middle School, Louise R. Johnson Middle School, Braden River Middle School, Sara Scott Harllee Middle School, Electa Lee Middle School, St. Joseph's Catholic Schoool, and Carlos E. Haile Middle School. High schools include Manatee School for the Arts, Southeast High School, Bayshore High School, Palmetto High School (Florida), Manatee High School, Braden River High School, Lakewood Ranch High School, Community Christian School ,Bradenton Christian School, the oldest private Christian school in the county, the Out of Door Academy, and Saint Stephen's Episcopal School. The University of South Florida also maintains a Sarasota-Manatee branch which serves college students in the area. International Theological Seminary is headquartered in Bradenton. The world-renowned tennis academy, run by Nick Bollettieri, bears a Bradenton address. The academy is managed by IMG and is also the home of the David Leadbetter junior golf academy. IMG also runs the IMG Soccer Academy for the United States Soccer Federation's (USSF) full-time residency program for the US Under 17 Men's National Team. The Bradenton facilities graduates include U.S. international soccer stars, Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley and Freddy Adu.
This middle school also taught three of the newest pop-punk stars, now members of "We the Kings".
Transportation
Bradenton is served by Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in nearby Sarasota, Florida and is connected to St. Petersburg, Florida by the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The Sunshine Skyway is a 5.5-mile (8.9 km) cross-bay bridge that rises 250 feet (76 m) above the bay at its highest point. Remnants of the old Skyway bridge have been converted into a fishing pier extending into Tampa Bay from both sides of the bay.
Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) buses serve Bradenton, with transfers to Sarasota and Palmetto. Trolleys run north-south on Anna Maria Island. Amtrak charter buses run through downtown Bradenton outside the courthouse to Tampa Union Station and Venice.
Media
Newspaper
- The Bradenton Herald is Manatee County's local newspaper, published daily.
- A local Spanish weekly, El Mensaje Latino , is also available.
- Daily editions of the Sarasota Herald Tribune and the St. Petersburg Times are also available throughout the area.
Radio Stations
Bradenton is located in the Sarasota-Bradenton radio market. It also receives many stations from the nearby Tampa-St. Petersburg market.
The stations listed below are located and/or licensed in Bradenton or Manatee County:
- WBRD - 1420 AM
- WWPR - 1490AM
- WJIS - 88.1
- WLLD - 94.1 FM (Formerly 98.7FM) (studios and transmitter in Pinellas County)
- WHPT - 102.5FM (Sarasota; transmitter in Manatee County; studios in St. Petersburg)
- WCTQ - 106.5FM "Bradenton's Country"
Television stations
Bradenton and Manatee County are located in the Tampa Bay television market. WWSB channel 7, the local ABC affiliate, is based in Sarasota, but has a transmitter in Parrish, northeast of Bradenton. WXPX channel 66, the local Ion Television affiliate, is licensed in Bradenton, with analog facilities in Manatee County (at WHPT's site), and digital facilities in Riverview, in Hillsborough County.and 100.7 MIX
Culture
Bradenton's Riverfront Theatre has a three-year record of first-place wins within the Florida Theatre Conference and the Southe
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