Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola (/ˌpɛnsəˈkoʊlə/ PEN-sə-KOH-lə) is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States.[5] At the 2020 census, the population was 54,312. It is the principal city of the Pensacola metropolitan area, which had 509,905 residents in 2020.
"Pensacola" redirects here. For the nearby beachside community, see Pensacola Beach, Florida. For other uses, see Pensacola (disambiguation).
Pensacola
United States
1559
1667
1822[1]
Casey Jones
Delarian Wiggins,
Jennifer Brahier,
Allison Patton,
Teniadé Broughton,
Charles Bare, and
Council Vice President Jared Moore
Kerrith Fiddler
Ericka Burnett
41.12 sq mi (106.49 km2)
22.76 sq mi (58.95 km2)
18.36 sq mi (47.54 km2)
1,669.30 sq mi (4,323.5 km2)
102 ft (31 m)
54,312
2,386.19/sq mi (921.30/km2)
390,172 (US: 108th)
1,486.2/sq mi (573.8/km2)
509,905 (US: 110th)
1,669.30/sq mi (644.52/km2)
Pensacolian
32511-32514, 32516, 32520-32524, 32526, 32534, 32559,
32573-32576, 32581, 32582, 32589-32598
12-55925[3]
0294117[4]
Pensacola was first settled by the Spanish in 1559, predating the establishment of St. Augustine by six years, but was abandoned due to a hurricane and not re-established until 1698. Pensacola is a seaport on Pensacola Bay, which is protected by the barrier island of Santa Rosa and connects to the Gulf of Mexico. A large United States Naval Air Station, the first in the United States, is located southwest of Pensacola near Warrington; it is the base of the Blue Angels flight demonstration team and the National Naval Aviation Museum. The main campus of the University of West Florida is situated north of the city center.
The area was originally inhabited by Muskogean-speaking peoples. The Pensacola people lived there at the time of European contact, and Creek people frequently visited and traded from present-day southern Alabama and Mississippi and southeast of Louisiana. Spanish explorer Tristán de Luna founded a short-lived settlement in 1559.[6] In 1698 the Spanish established a presidio in the area, from which the modern city gradually developed. The area changed hands several times as European powers competed in North America. During Florida's British rule (1763–1781), fortifications were strengthened.
It is nicknamed "The City of Five Flags", due to the five governments that have ruled it during its history: the flags of Spain (Castile), France, Great Britain, the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America. Other nicknames include "World's Whitest Beaches" (due to the white sand of Florida panhandle beaches), "Cradle of Naval Aviation", "Western Gate to the Sunshine State", "America's First Settlement", "Emerald Coast", and "P-Cola".
Geography[edit]
Topography[edit]
Pensacola is located on the north side of Pensacola Bay. It is 59 mi (95 km) east of Mobile, Alabama, and 196 mi (315 km) west of Tallahassee, the capital of Florida. According to the United States Census Bureau, Pensacola has a total area of 40.7 sq mi (105.4 km2), consisting of 22.5 sq mi (58.4 km2) of land and 18.1 sq mi (47.0 km2), 44.62%, water.[26]
The land is sloped up northward from Pensacola Bay, with most of the city at an elevation above that which a potential hurricane storm surge could affect.[27]
Climate[edit]
Weather statistics since the late 20th century have been recorded at the airport. The city has seen single digit temperatures (below −12 °C) on three occasions: 5 °F (−15 °C) on January 21, 1985; 7 °F (−14 °C) on February 13, 1899; and 8 °F (−13 °C) on January 11, 1982.[28] According to the Köppen climate classification system, Pensacola has a humid subtropical climate,[29] (Köppen Cfa), with short, mild winters and hot, humid summers. Typical summer conditions have highs in the lower 90s °F (32–34 °C) and lows in the mid 70s °F (23–24 °C).[30] Afternoon or evening thunderstorms are common during the summer months. Due partly to the coastal location, temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are relatively rare, and last occurred in June 2011, when two of the first four days of the month recorded highs reaching the century mark.[31]
The highest temperature ever recorded in the city was 106 °F (41 °C) on July 14, 1980.[30]
In the 1991–2020 climate normals, the daily average temperature in January is 53.2 °F (11.8 °C). Freezing temperatures occur an average of 11 days per winter, with the average first and last dates for a freeze being December 12 and February 14, giving Pensacola an average growing season of 301 days. However, the relatively recent winter season of 2018-19 did not record a freeze, the median first and last freeze dates are earlier and later than the averages of December 12 and February 14, and the median number of freezes per season is 11 or fewer.[32]
The mean coldest temperature reached in a given winter season is about 24 °F (−4.4 °C); although the median is slightly higher, at no colder than 25 °F (−3.9 °C) most years, placing Pensacola in USDA zone 9b. Temperatures below 20 °F (−6.7 °C) are very rare, and last occurred on January 8, 2015,[33] when a low of 19 °F (−7.2 °C) was seen.[34] The lowest temperature ever recorded in the city was 5 °F (−15 °C) on January 21, 1985.[30]
Snow is rare in Pensacola, but does occasionally fall. The most recent snowfall event occurred December 9, 2017,[35] and the snow event previous to it occurred on February 12, 2010.[36] The city receives 68.31 in (1,740 mm) of precipitation per year, with a slightly more rainy season in the summer. The rainiest month is July, with 7.89 in (200 mm), with May being the driest month at 3.90 in (99 mm).[30] In June 2012 over one foot (300 mm) of rain fell on Pensacola and adjacent areas, leading to widespread flooding.[37] On April 29, 2014, Pensacola was drenched by at least 20 inches of rain within a 24-hour period, causing the worst flooding in 30 years.[38]
The city suffered a major blow on February 23, 2016, when a large EF3 wedge tornado hit the northwest part of Pensacola, causing major damage and several injuries.[39]
Education[edit]
The main campus of Pensacola State College is in the City of Pensacola. The University of West Florida (UWF) operates a campus in downtown Pensacola. Its main campus, located north of the city, has the largest library in the region, the John C. Pace Library. UWF is the largest post-secondary institution in the area.
Public primary and secondary schools in Pensacola are administered by the Escambia County School District. The district operates two high schools (Booker T. Washington and Pensacola) within the City of Pensacola. District-run high schools near the city include Escambia, J. M. Tate, and Pine Forest. Other public schools in the city include A.K. Suter Elementary, Cordova Park Elementary, J.H. Workman Middle, N.B. Cook Elementary, O.J. Semmes Elementary, and Scenic Heights Elementary. The district also operates one magnet high school (West Florida High School of Advanced Technology) near the city.
Several private schools operate within or near the city: East Hill Academy, East Hill Christian School, Episcopal Day School of Christ Church, Pensacola Catholic High School, Pensacola Christian Academy, Sacred Heart Cathedral School, Saint John the Evangelist Catholic School, Saint Paul Catholic School, Little Flower Catholic School, and Seville Bayside Montessori. The campus of Pensacola Christian College is near the city.
