Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Fun Activities and Historic Landmarks of Sebastian, Florida

Sebastian, Florida is a city full of exciting adventures, entertaining activities and cultural attractions.  For those who love boating and the water, the River Queen Cruises at 1606 Indian River Drive in Sebastian is a thrilling experience.  The excursions take place on a 42-foot long, 49 passenger tour boat, and the focus of the daily tours is ecology and protection of the fragile ecosystems found in Sebastian and throughout the state of Florida.

Private charters are also available for groups at River Queen Cruises, and make a great adventure for weddings, corporate events, family reunions, and other parties.  All tours feature fascinating narration by knowledgeable guides.  Many times, passengers are delighted by sightings of manatee, alligator and dolphins that make their homes in the Sebastian area and along the Atlantic Coast.  There are also opportunities to see thousands of native bird species at Pelican Island Refuge.

For history enthusiasts, there is the Sebastian Area Historical Society Museum, located at 1235 Main Street in the Sebastian City Hall Complex and 1927 Historic Sebastian Public School.  The museum features numerous exhibits on the Ais Indian tribe who inhabited the Sebastian and Indian River County region before Spanish settlers arrived.  There are also exhibits on Pelican Island, the clothing and quilts created by early Sebastian families.  Visitors can also enjoy displays and information on the fishing, agricultural, military, and transportation history of the region.

Sebastian, Florida Real Estate Market

The real estate market in Sebastian, Florida closely corresponds with all of Indian River County.  During April 2011, existing-home sales slowed slightly according to a recent report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).  Included in the assessment were existing-homes sales such as recently purchased single family, town homes, condominiums, and co-ops.  These transactions fell by 0.8 percent as compared to a national annual rate with is adjusted on a seasonal basis.

The future is looking better for the Sebastian real estate market, however.  There is evidence of increasing affordability conditions, job creation in the Sebastian area and pent-up demand.  Despite the existence of credit restraints in the market and a steady level of low appraisals that result in contract cancellations, home sales are predicted to trend up through the remainder of 2011 and into 2012.

Americans remain confident in homeownership investment, according to a national survey that reflects a strong confidence in the Sebastian housing market and future outlook.  According to the survey results, 81 percent of adults believe homeownership is the best long-term investment a person can make, and it remains the top long-term financial goal.

According to the U.S. 2012 Census, Indian River County gained 18,444 housing units in the past 10 years, moving from 57,902 units in 2000 to 76,346 units last year.  On the other hand, there are also 16,170 vacant units now compared with 8,765 in 2000, reflecting a significant increase.  This means that over 21 percent of the Sebastian area housing units are currently vacant compared with just 15 percent in 2000.  These figures come despite the fact that between 2000 and 2010, Indian River County’s population grew by 25,081 people, from 112,947 to 138,028 in 2010 — a 22.2 percent increase, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Top Sebastian, Florida Restaurants

Sebastian, Florida, along the Atlantic Coast, offers countless restaurants, grills and taverns along State Road A1A, many of which are able to cook up the day’s catch fresh off the boat.  Capt Hiram's is one such establishment, a fun and relaxed waterfront restaurant.  The adjoining Bahamian-style SandBar entertains crowds with live entertainment seven nights a week, including the Capt Hiram's Concert Series.  The menu includes the freshest seafood around, including daily and weekly specials based on what fish were biting that day.  There is also a wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, salads and soups.  Extra special appetizers include raw or steamed oysters, nachos and other dishes to share.

Another fantastic dining option is Aunt Louise’s in Sebastian.  This Italian-style eatery offers casual dining in a warm and friendly atmosphere, with generous portions of pizza, calzones and strombolis.  All food is made to order, and the sub rolls and garlic knots are made fresh daily.  Authentic Italian entrees are made in house with fresh, quality ingredients based on seasonal bounty.  Aunt Louise’s also creates amazing specialty salads with homemade, no preservatives added dressings, as well as broaster, crispy, pressure fried chicken, wings and Italian desserts.

City of Sebastian, Florida: General Information

Sebastian, Florida is a city in Indian River County, in the Treasure Coast region along the Atlantic Ocean.  According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 16,181, and as of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is estimated to be 18,671.  Sebastian is one of the principal cities within the Sebastian–Vero Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area for U.S. Census purposes.  The MSA includes all of Indian River County.

The 2000 U.S. Census also recorded that there were 6,844 households, and 5,044 families residing in Sebastian.  The population density, or number of inhabitants per square mile was 1,282.2.  The 2010  U.S. Census Bureau recorded the population of Sebastian at 22,371 inhabitants.  Also calculated in the 2010 U.S. Census is that there were 7,287 housing units at an average density of 577.4 per square mile, an increase over 2000 figures.

Of the 6,844 households, 24.5% had children under the age of 18 as inhabitants, while 61.5% were married couples living together, and 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present.  The remaining 26.3% were comprised of non-traditional families or unrelated individuals.  Other statistics within households showed that 21.6% were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.36 persons and the average family size was 2.72.

In Sebastian, the population was distributed among a range of age groups, with 20.2% being under the age of 18, 4.8% were 18 to 24 years old, 22.4% were aged from 25 to 44 years.  Among the older age groups, 24.7% ranged from 45 to 64, and 27.9% of the population was people who were 65 years of age or older. The median age in Sebastian as calculated by the 201 Census was 47 years. For every 100 females living in Sebastian there were 92.1 males, but for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.

City of Sebastian, Florida: General Information

Sebastian, Florida is a city in Indian River County, in the Treasure Coast region along the Atlantic Ocean.  According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 16,181, and as of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is estimated to be 18,671.  Sebastian is one of the principal cities within the Sebastian–Vero Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area for U.S. Census purposes.  The MSA includes all of Indian River County.

The 2000 U.S. Census also recorded that there were 6,844 households, and 5,044 families residing in Sebastian.  The population density, or number of inhabitants per square mile was 1,282.2.  The 2010  U.S. Census Bureau recorded the population of Sebastian at 22,371 inhabitants.  Also calculated in the 2010 U.S. Census is that there were 7,287 housing units at an average density of 577.4 per square mile, an increase over 2000 figures.

Of the 6,844 households, 24.5% had children under the age of 18 as inhabitants, while 61.5% were married couples living together, and 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present.  The remaining 26.3% were comprised of non-traditional families or unrelated individuals.  Other statistics within households showed that 21.6% were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.36 persons and the average family size was 2.72.

In Sebastian, the population was distributed among a range of age groups, with 20.2% being under the age of 18, 4.8% were 18 to 24 years old, 22.4% were aged from 25 to 44 years.  Among the older age groups, 24.7% ranged from 45 to 64, and 27.9% of the population was people who were 65 years of age or older. The median age in Sebastian as calculated by the 201 Census was 47 years. For every 100 females living in Sebastian there were 92.1 males, but for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.

History of the City of Sebastian, Florida

The history of the city of Sebastian, Florida began about ten thousand years ago, when the Indian River Lagoon formed along the east central coast of Florida, immediately adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean.  The Ais people were a native tribe that occupied the area for thousands of years and they survived by gathering the region’s palmetto, cocoplum and seagrape berries.  The Ais also fished the Indian River for food.

Later, in 1715, Spanish ships loaded with treasure accumulated in the Caribbean encountered a storm off the shores of the Treasure Coast.  Known as the Treasure Ships, all were lost and it is estimated that only a fraction of the valuables has been found.  By 1760, however, the Ais tribe had largely disappeared due to enslavement, diseases brought by the European explorers and rum.  Florida was acquired by the U.S. from Spain in 1821, but the Seminole Wars would delay effective settlement.

The modern history of the town of Sebastian goes back to its beginnings as a fishing village in the 1870s.  The city was officially founded as a municipality in 1882, and was originally named St. Sebastian, after the name of a nearby river.  The “St.” was removed years later from the name of the town, even though the name of the river remains intact.  Sebastian was incorporated as a city in 1923.  In close proximity is Pelican Island  and the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge, the U.S.‘s first such area which was declared in 1903.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Climate and Storm History of Sebastian, Florida

The climate in Sebastian, Florida is what is known as a “Koppen” classification, characterized by especially hot and humid summers and particular year-round distribution of rainfall.  It is similar to the term used to describe subtropical climates, the zones which are immediately north and south of the tropical zones of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.  There is a big difference between rainfall and temperatures during the wet months December through May as compared to the dry season, June through November.

The winter of 2009-2010 was the coldest on record in Sebastian since 1937, the point when weather records first started being officially kept.  Tin fact, December 2010 was the coldest December on record.  That same winter, the planting season which normally starts around February 14 came a full six weeks later.  In a more typical year, residents of Sebastian start planting their gardens with flowers and herbs as early as January.

Florida is a large subtropical state that experiences hurricanes, and Sebastian is no exception.  Still, despite some assumptions and its location along Florida's eastern peninsula, Sebastian is less frequently impacted by direct hurricane landfalls.  In fact, portions of the Panhandle and South Florida are much more likely to experience hurricanes, and they tend to be more severe.  This is due to a couple of factors. First, those tropical systems and hurricane with move westward and up the Atlantic Coast of Florida often weaken near Bermuda by the time they approach latitudes as far north as Sebastian.  Second, those hurricanes that make landfall along the west coast of Florida and the Gulf Coast often weaken considerably.  As such, many are only tropical storms by the time they move into Sebastian.