MARATHON, FLORIDA

'Marathon' is a city on Boot Key, Key Vaca, Fat Deer Key, Long Point Key, Crawl Key and Grassy Key islands in the middle Florida Keys, in Monroe County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 10,255. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,626 ^[1].

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Languages

History

Notable former residents

See also

External links

Geography

Marathon is located at (24.726310, -81.040327).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.0 km² (9.6 mi²). 22.4 km² (8.6 mi²) of it is land and 2.6 km² (1.0 mi²) of it (10.37%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,255 people, 4,597 households, and 2,735 families residing in the city. The population density was 457.7/km² (1,186.1/mi²). There were 6,791 housing units at an average density of 303.1/km² (785.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.09% White, 4.65% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.00% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.43% of the population.
There were 4,597 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.5% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.68.
In the city the population was spread out with 17.3% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 32.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 110.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,010, and the median income for a family was $46,361. Males had a median income of $27,057 versus $24,592 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,894. About 9.4% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 13.5% of those age 65 or over.
'Population History'

Year	Population	Notes
1820	14
1830	28
1840	140
1850	280
1860	410
1870	480
1880	497
1890	568
1900	648
1910	990	Florida East Coast Railway arrives in 1907.
1920	1,024
1930	1,105
1940	984	Pop. loss due to Labor Day Hurricane of 1935
1950	1,527
1960	2,024
1970	4,497
1980	6,857
1990	8,857	Town incorporated in 1999.
2000	10,255
2005	10,626

Languages

As of 2000, English as a first language accounted for 78.10%, while Spanish as a mother tongue made up 20.95% of the population.^[1]

History

Though the area has been settled for some time, Marathon is a relatively new city, incorporated in 1999. The city set its boundaries "from the east end of the Seven Mile Bridge to the west end of Tom's Harbor Bridge".
Among the islands found within the city limits Marathon include Boot Key, Knight Key, Hog Key, Vaca Key, Stirrup Key, Crawl Key, Little Crawl Key, East and West Sister’s Island, Deer Key, Fat Deer Key, Long Point Key, and Grassy Key.
The name Marathon dates back to the origin of the Florida East Coast Railroad. The name came about by the railroad workers who were working night and day to complete the railway – due to the unrelenting pace and struggle to complete the project, many of the workers complained that “this [the project] is getting to be a real Marathon”, and was later used to name the local station along the railroad.

Notable former residents

★ Gary Burghoff (Radar from the TV series MASH)

★ Nick Carter (Backstreet Boys member)

See also

★ Florida Keys Marathon Airport

★ Florida Keys Keynoter

★ Crane point

★ George Adderley House

External links

★ City of Marathon

★ Crane Point Museum & Nature Center

★ History of Marathon