Newberry, Florida

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Historic Newberry City Hall

Phosphate was discovered in the vicinity of Newberry in 1889. In 1893, the tracks of the Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad were extended south from High Springs to service the mines in the area and the settlement that became Newberry began. The first post office was established in 1894 and by 1896, there were 14 phosphate mines operating in the area. Of course, that required boarding houses, saloons and hotels to serve the town's very transient and often rowdy population and Newberry grew to accommodate that. Then came World War I and with Germany being the primary buyer of Newberry's phosphate, the prosperity died overnight.

Today, Newberry is best known for the quality of the watermelons produced there. The Watermelon Festival began in 1946 and continues to happen every year to this day.

Fast Facts about Newberry, Florida

Newberry, Alachua County, Florida 32669
Founded: 1894
Elevation: 75'
Latitude: 29.6396°N
Longitude: 82.6087°W
Resident Racial Breakdown:
White Non-Hispanic: 67.7%
Hispanic: 18.9%
African-American: 11.5%
Asian: 0.1%
Two or More Races: 1.9%
Education:
High School or Higher: 79.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher: 13.4%
Graduate or Professional Degree: 4.4%

2009 Estimates:
Population: 4,368
Males: 2,089
Females: 2,279
Median Resident Age: 35.1 Years
Estimated Median Household Income: $49,900
Estimated Median Home Value: $172,700
Population Density: 97 People per Square Mile
2011 Cost of Living Index for Newberry: 83.7
Major Industries:
Construction, Government, Retail Services, Health Care, Social Services, Light Manufacturing, Educational Services, Government, Real Estate Services
Unemployed: 7.4%

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