Newberry

Newberry is a city located on the southwest side of Alachua County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,950 at the 2010 census.. The University of Florida estimates the city's population at 5,946 as of September 2016. Much of the city borders the neighboring Gilchrist County to the west. The current mayor is Jordan Marlowe.HistoryNewberry developed as a mining town after phosphate was discovered in the western part of Alachua County in 1880s. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railway was extended southward from High Springs making Newberry a railroad town and trading center.. A post office established in March 1894 was named Newton, but changed to Newberry in August of that year. In 1896 there were fourteen mines operating nearby, and the town had hotels, boarding houses and saloons to accommodate the area's transient and sometimes unruly population. The demand for phosphate ended abruptly in 1914 when war was declared against Germany, the principal customer for Newberry's phosphate. The community turned to agriculture and was particularly successful at producing watermelons. The Watermelon Festival, first held in 1946, continues to be an annual event. In 1987 Newberry's Historic District was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.GeographyNewberry is located at.