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Zephyrhills, Florida
City
City of Zephyrhills
5th Avenue in the Zephyrhills Downtown Historic District
Nickname: "Z-hills"
Motto: "Jump Right In"
Location in Pasco County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 28°14′14″N 82°10′46″W / 28.23722°N 82.17944°W / 28.23722; -82.17944
Country	United States of America
State	Florida
County	Pasco
Settled	April 18, 1888
Incorporated (town)	1910
Incorporated (city)	1914
Government
• Mayor	Melonie Monson
• City Manager	Billy Poe
• City Clerk	Ricardo Quinones
Area
• Total	9.61 sq mi (24.88 km)
• Land	9.55 sq mi (24.74 km)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.14 km)
Elevation	95 ft (29 m)
Population
• Total	17,194
• Estimate	18,154
• Density	1,799.85/sq mi (694.91/km)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	33539–33544 33599 (original code)
Area code	813
FIPS code	12-79225
GNIS feature ID	0293620
Website	www.ci.zephyrhills.fl.us

Zephyrhills is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. The population was counted at 17,194 in the 2020 census. The city is the headquarters of the Zephyrhills bottled water company. The current mayor is Melonie Monson.

History

Zephyrhills began as the town of Abbott on April 18, 1888, and consisted of 280.74 acres. It was briefly renamed Hegman from 1890 to 1892 until its name was reverted back to Abbott. A voting district was established in 1893 followed by a post office in 1896. In 1909, Captain Howard B. Jeffries, a Civil War Union veteran from Pennsylvania, purchased 35,000 acres and created the Zephyrhills Colony Company with a plan to create a community for Civil War veterans. In 1910 the town voted to change its name to Zephyrhills; it was incorporated in 1914.

In 1941, one resident reported that Zephyrhills had a sundown town policy forbidding Black people from living within the city limits.

The city created a historic district in 1999; in 2001 the Zephyrhills Historic District was nominated for and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A Founders Day celebration is held annually in March.

Geography

Zephyrhills is known for its rolling topography, hence the name.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and warm, generally dry winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Zephyrhills has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 17,194 people, 7,178 households, and 4,174 families residing in the city.

Of the total population in 2020, 4.4% were under 5 years old, 18.1% were under 18 years old, and 35.7% were 65 years and over. 54.9% of the population were female. There were 1,548 veterans living in the city and 8.0% were foreign born persons.

In 2020, 89.8% of households had a computer and 81.6% of households had a broadband internet subscription.

In 2020, 18.1% of the population under the age of 65 lived with a disability and 20.1% of that same population did not have health insurance.

In 2020, the median household income was $36,799 and the per capita income was $21,848. 17.8% of the population lived below the poverty threshold.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 13,288 people, 5,977 households, and 3,643 families residing in the city.

Arts and culture

The Zephyrhills Public Library was founded in 1912. According to the city's website, "The Library provides open and equal access to the resources and services of the library. The Library seeks to encourage reading and the use of technology for life-long learning and the enhancement of the community's quality of life."

Library personnel also staff the city's Depot Museum. The library is managed by a Library Advisory Board and is a member of the Pasco County Library Cooperative. A new library was built in 2014 just north of the old library.

The Zephyrhills Depot Museum originated with the 1989 purchase of the 1927 Atlantic Coast Line Depot from CSX Railroad by the City of Zephyrhills. The original depot was relocated 200 feet (61 m) west of its original location. Restoration of the 2,700 square feet (250 m) building began in 1997 with a Grant from the State Department of Transportation. The Historical Preservation Committee and the Zephyrhills Historical Association worked together to complete the restoration. The Zephyrhills Depot Museum opened on October 20, 1998.

Infrastructure

Transport

Major roads

• US 301 (Fort King Highway/Gall Boulevard) is the main road through Zephyrhills running north and south through the city.
• SR 39 (Paul S. Buchman Highway/Gall Boulevard) runs northwest and southeast from Plant City into US 301 in Zephyrhills, and joins US 301 as a "hidden state road".
• CR 41 (Fort King Highway/Fort King Road) is an extension of SR 41, which is a hidden state road along US 301 from the Hillsborough County Line.
• SR 54 (Fifth Avenue) is the main east–west road that runs through southern Pasco County, from US 19 near Holiday to US 301 in Zephyrhills. A County extension (CR 54/Eiland Boulevard) from the intersection of SR 54 and CR 579 to U.S. Route 98 in Branchborough also exists, and a western extension to CR 577 in Wesley Chapel is planned for construction.
• SR 56 (State Road 56) is a 2002-built road between SR 54 and runs to US 301 south of Zephyrhills.
• County Road 579 (Morris Bridge Road/Eiland Boulevard/Handcart Road) is a bi-county extension of State Road 579 that runs from northern Tampa, through the western edge of the city, to west of Dade City. County Road 54 overlaps CR 579 north of SR 54 until it branches off to the east.
• County Road 535 (Chancey Road/Old Lakeland Highway) runs along the southern and eastern edge of the city and north into County Road 35 Alternate in Vitis.

Public transportation

Zephyrhills is served by Pasco County Public Transportation on routes #30, #33, and #54.

Airport

The city is served by Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. It was also once served by the 1927-built Zephyrhills Depot on the Atlantic Coast Line, which is now the Zephyrhills Depot Museum at a city park near the airport. More than 70,000 skydives are performed annually on the airport at Skydive City, Inc., the largest woman-owned drop zone in the world, founded in 1990 by Joannie Murphy and Susan Perkins Stark.

Railroads

CSX Transportation's Wildwood Subdivision goes through the eastern parts of Zephyrhills.

Public safety

The Zephyrhills Police Department consists of about 35 officers that cover the incorporated City of Zephyrhills. In September 2020, Pasco County Fire Rescue took over all fire and rescue service responsibilities for the City of Zephyrhills.

Notable people

• Domonic Brown, baseball player
• Dave Eiland, former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Bobby Geudert, soccer player (died in Zephyrhills)
• Prince Iaukea, pro wrestler (born Michael Hayner)
• Ramiele Malubay, American Idol finalist (attended Zephyrhills High School until 2002)
• Jessica Meuse, American Idol finalist, briefly lived in Zephyrhills
• Tracy Negoshian, fashion designer
• Stephen Perry, writer for the animated series ThunderCats and SilverHawks
• Ryan Pickett, defensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers, graduated from Zephyrhills High School in 1998
• Buzzie Reutimann, race car driver
• David Reutimann, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver
• Carl Tanzler (aka Carl von Cosel), person who stole and preserved the corpse of Elena Milagro Hoyos

See also

• List of sundown towns in the United States

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. July 1, 2021. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 27, 1996. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Archived from the original on February 2, 2001. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
5. ^ "Census.gov Quick Facts Zephyrhills city, Florida". Census.gov. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
6. "Spina and Monson take election victories - Zephyrhills Free Press". April 11, 2023. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
7. "History of Pasco County, Florida". Fivay.org. Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
8. Blackstone, Lillian (March 23, 1952). "Into Center of State". St. Petersburg Times. p. 19. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
9. ^ "Historic Tour | Zephyrhills, FL". Ci.Zephyrhills.fl.us. City of Zephyrhills. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
10. "Down in Florida". Marengo Republican-News. Marengo, Illinois. January 23, 1941. p. 1. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. 'Believe it or not, we have 'black-outs' here. Negroes are not allowed to live in the city. They must live either in the country or on the R.-R. right-of-way.'
11. "Founder's Day Parade - Zephyrhills". American Folklife Center. Library of Congress. Archived from the original on April 17, 2010.
12. "Zephyrhills, Florida Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
13. "Zipcode 33542". www.plantmaps.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
14. "Zephyrhills, Florida Climate". www.bestplaces.net. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
15. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
16. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Zephyrhills city, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
17. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Zephyrhills city, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
18. "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Zephyrhills city, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
19. "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Zephyrhills city, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
20. ""Library"". Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 24, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
22. JACKSONVILLE DIVISION TIMETABLE NO. 4. CSX Transportation. 2005. pp. 179–183.
23. "Chief of Police | Zephyrhills, FL". ci.zephyrhills.fl.us. City of Zephyrhills. Archived from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
24. "Police Department | Zephyrhills, FL". City of Zephyrhills. Archived from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
25. "Zephyrhills Police Department". City of Zephyrhills. Archived from the original on August 10, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
26. Behrendt, Barbara (May 5, 2020). "Pasco County Agrees to Take Over Fire and Rescue Services for Zephyrhills". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2024.

Further reading

• Harrison, Benjamin (1997). Undying Love - The Shocking True Story of a Passion That Defied Death. St. Martin's. ISBN 0-312-97802-2.
• Trottman, Rosemary W. (1978). The History of Zephyrhills, 1821-1921. Vantage Press. ISBN 0-533-02882-5.
• Wise, Madonna Jervis (2008). Tapestry-Zephyrhills: An Anthology of Its History Through Education. BookSurge Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4196-9640-4.
• Wise, Madonna Jervis (2010). Zephyrhills (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-6676-4.

External links

• City of Zephyrhills official website
• History of Zephyrhills

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v t e Municipalities and communities of Pasco County, Florida, United States
County seat: Dade City
Cities	Dade City New Port Richey Port Richey San Antonio Zephyrhills
Town	St. Leo
CDPs	Aripeka‡ Bayonet Point Beacon Square Connerton Crystal Springs Dade City North Elfers Heritage Pines Holiday Hudson Jasmine Estates Key Vista Lacoochee Land o' Lakes Meadow Oaks Moon Lake New Port Richey East Odessa Pasadena Hills Quail Ridge River Ridge Shady Hills Trilby Trinity Wesley Chapel Zephyrhills North Zephyrhills South Zephyrhills West
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Ghost towns	Earnestville Fivay
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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