Homestead was incorporated in 1913 and is the second oldest city in Miami-Dade County next to the City of Miami. It is located approximately 35 miles southwest of the city of Miami, and 25 miles northeast of Key Largo. The name originates from when theFlorida East Coast Railway extension to Key West was being built. The rail line was passing through an area recently opened up forhomesteading, and as the construction camp at the end of the line did not have a particular name, construction materials and supplies for the workers were consigned to "Homestead Country", shortened to "Homestead" by the engineers who mapped the area. As of the 2000 census the city population was 31,909. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,767, which made it the fastest growing city in the US for cities with populations 50,000+ with a 20.8% increase from 2005-2006.
The city of Homestead is located near the southern terminus of the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike where it ends at its junction with U.S. 1. Homestead is immediately north and east of Florida City, and these two cities comprise the greater Homestead-Florida City area. Some of the notable unincorporated communities in the area are Redland, Leisure City, Naranja, andPrinceton.
Homestead is located at 25°28'16″N 80°28'5″W (25.471190, -80.468122).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.2 km² (14.4 mi²). 37.0 km² (14.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.63%) is water.
Homestead has a tropical climate similar to that of Miami and the rest of the surrounding South Florida metropolitan area. Summers are hot and humid and high temperatures average between 88° and 92°F (31° to 33°C). Winters are mild, but average cooler than nearby coastal areas. The all-time record high temperature is 100°F (38°C), on 21 July 1942. Lows in summer average between 70° and 75°F (21° to 24°C), with low temperatures in all times of year averaging 5-15 degrees cooler than coastal Miami, mainly because of its inland and rural location. In winter, the area sees cold fronts bring cold weather for short periods from November to March. The lowest temperature ever recorded is 26°F, on 13 December 1934, which was recorded at Homestead Air Force Base, some 10 miles east of the town. In the farm areas west of downtown, frosts and freezes are common 5-10 times per year. High temperatures in winter average between 65° and 80°F(18° to 26°C), and lows average between 47° and 57°F (8° to 14°C). Summer is the season when most of the rain occurs. Homestead has a wet season lasting from mid-May to early October. The dry season sees little if any rain, with most of it coming with the passing of cold fronts. Snowfall has been recorded once at Homestead Air Force Base, on January 20, 1977, and marked the farthest south that snowfall has ever been reported in the lower 48 United States.
Hurricanes pose a threat to the area, and even though it is not located on the immediate coast, Homestead has been affected by hurricanes before. The only recent strong one was Hurricane, in 1992, which devastated the town. It took 5 to 10 years for things to recover. Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma brushed by in 2005, but did not pass directly over Homestead.
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