Opa-locka, Florida

Opa-locka, Florida

*Opa-tisha-wocka-locka* (Seminole)
Opa-locka, Florida Opa-tisha-wocka-locka (Seminole)
City
	City of Opa-locka
	Opa-locka City Hall
	Seal
	Location in Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida
	U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits
	Coordinates: 25°54′06″N 80°15′03″W / 25.90167°N 80.25083°W
Country	United States of America
State	Florida
County	Miami-Dade
Incorporated	May 14, 1926
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
• Mayor	John H. Taylor, Jr.
• Vice Mayor	Natasha L. Ervin
• Commissioners	Dr. Sherelean Bass; Joseph L. Kelley; Veronica J. Williams;
• City Manager	Darvin Williams
• City Clerk	Joanna Flores
Area
• Total	4.48 sq mi (11.61 km2)
• Land	4.31 sq mi (11.16 km2)
• Water	0.17 sq mi (0.45 km2) 3.13%
Elevation	7 ft (2 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	16,463
• Density	3,821.49/sq mi (1,475.60/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	33054, 33014 (Hialeah)
Area code(s)	305, 786, 645
FIPS code	12-51650
Website	www.opalockafl.gov

Opa-locka (/ˈoʊpəˌlɒkə/) is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Spanning roughly 4.1 square miles, it is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 16,463,^[2] up from 15,219 in 2010.^[3]

Opa-locka was founded in 1926 by American aviator and industrialist Glenn Curtiss, who was inspired by the Middle Eastern folk tales of the One Thousand and One Nights. As such, the city has the largest collection of Moorish Revival architecture in the Western Hemisphere,^[4] and many of its roads bear names such as Sharazad Boulevard, Sinbad Avenue, Sabur Lane, Sultan Avenue, Ali Baba Avenue, Perviz Avenue, and Sesame Street.^[4]

The name Opa-locka is an abbreviation of a Seminole place name, Opa-tisha-wocka-locka,^[5] meaning "wooded hummock", "high, dry hummock", or "a big island covered with many trees and swamps".^[6]^[7]

^ "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "P1. Race – Opa-locka city, Florida: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
^ "UNITED STATES QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". Quickfacts.census.gov. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
^ ^a ^b "History of Opa-locka Architecture". Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. Retrieved May 13, 2007.
^ Also rendered Opatishawockalocka.
^ Hailey, Arthur (November 1, 1990). The evening news. Corgi Books. ISBN 9780552137133 – via Google Books.
^ Miller, Mark; Raterman, David (2008). National Geographic Traveler: Miami & the Keys. National Geographic Books. p. 66. Nijman, Jan (2010). Miami: mistress of the Americas. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-0812207026.

[CenPopGazetteer2022-1] "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.

[Census_2020-2] "P1. Race – Opa-locka city, Florida: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.

[3] "UNITED STATES QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". Quickfacts.census.gov. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2016.

[opa-4] "History of Opa-locka Architecture". Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. Retrieved May 13, 2007.

[5] Also rendered Opatishawockalocka.

[6] Hailey, Arthur (November 1, 1990). The evening news. Corgi Books. ISBN 9780552137133 – via Google Books.

[7] Miller, Mark; Raterman, David (2008). National Geographic Traveler: Miami & the Keys. National Geographic Books. p. 66. Nijman, Jan (2010). Miami: mistress of the Americas. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-0812207026.

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