Punta Gorda, Florida
13 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1956 and the latest in 1981. It stands in the Punta Gorda census division. It lies in ZIP code area 33950. The Survey maps it on the Punta Gorda quadrangle. 19,471 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 6,099 feet above sea level.
Then and now
1956 to 1981The same ground, surveyed 25 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.


On record in Punta Gorda
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 10 records
Clarence L. Babcock Houselisted 2009
Charlotte High Schoollisted 1990
First National Bank of Punta Gorda, Oldlisted 1991
A. C. Freeman Houselisted 1987
Punta Gorda Atlantic Coast Line Depotlisted 1990
Punta Gorda Ice Plantlisted 1990
Punta Gorda Residential Districtlisted 1991
Punta Gorda Woman's Clublisted 1991
H. W. Smith Buildinglisted 1991
Villa Biancalisted 1990
Population over time
2 figuresPunta Gorda grew from 16,641 to 19,471 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 16,641 | |
| 2020 | 19,471 | +2,830 (+17%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
7 surveys from 13 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1956 USGS Charlotte Harbor quadrangle1:250000
- 1956 USGS Tampa quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1957 USGS Punta Gorda quadrangle1:24000, 5 printings
- 1959 USGS Tampa quadrangle1:250000
- 1960 USGS Tampa quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1972 USGS Tampa quadrangle1:250000
- 1981 USGS Charlotte Harbor quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
282 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 282 fires within 5 miles of Punta Gorda between 1992 and 2020, burning about 1,616 acres in total. 61 started naturally. 15 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Natural | 61 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 45 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 36 |
| Debris and open burning | 35 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 32 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 32 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 16 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 15 |
| Smoking | 4 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 4 |
| Fireworks | 2 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 September 1998 | Equipment and vehicle use | 1.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 6 September 1996 | Natural | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 2 September 2005 | Natural | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | 08-FARNHAM FIRE-0419 |
| 18 September 1996 | Railroad operations and maintenance | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 11 September 1998 | Misuse of fire by a minor | 4.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 1 September 2020 | Recreation and ceremony | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | PHEASANT BLVD (08) |
| 7 August 2002 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 7 August 1993 | Equipment and vehicle use | 1.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
6 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Punta Gorda: 6 producers. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Calcium, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand, Limestone, General. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apac-Florida - Viercocken Pit | Sand | Producer | ||
| Sunland Paving Co. - Sunland Pelican Pit | Limestone, General | Producer | Limestone | |
| Hendrickson Seashell Pit | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Pit 31 | Calcium | Producer | ||
| Rigby Airport Pit | Calcium | Producer | ||
| Route 31 Pit | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer |
Storms near this place
49 since 1995Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Punta Gorda in 49 storm reports between 1995 and 2013: 13 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail, 7 tornado, 5 lightning. The reports record 4 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1996 | Lightning | Punta Gorda | 3 hurt | no account filed |
| July 1997 | Lightning | Punta Gorda | 1 hurt | A 53 year old male and his dog were struck by a sideflash of lightning while walking within six feet of a wood power pole. The lightning first struck the power pole while the sideflash knocked the man and his dog to the ground. No injuries were reported to the dog. |
| June 2003 | Flash Flood | Punta Gorda | $3,300,000 | Heavy rain flooded 40 homes with 6-12 inches of water in the residential areas of Punta Gorda. Also, 10,000 feet of a sea wall worth $2 million collapsed in Punta Gorda Isles and roads erosion closed two areas along County Road 74 near Westminster Road and Grove Blvd. Rainfall totals over the past three days totalled 9.49 inches in Point Lonesome and 8.35 inches 8 miles southeast of Punta Gorda. |
| July 1998 | Lightning | Punta Gorda | $110,000 | Lightning struck and ignited a home on the 2900 block of Valolla Street in Punta Gorda. |
| September 2000 | Flash Flood | Punta Gorda | $50,000 | no account filed |
| September 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $25,000 | A 250 foot communications antenna was toppled by thunderstorm winds near County Road 765 near the community of Burnt Store. |
| August 2002 | Lightning | Punta Gorda | $20,000 | Lightning struck the Punta Gorda Herald building damaging computers and the telephone system. |
| September 2001 | Tornado (F0) | Punta Gorda | $20,000 | A weak F0 tornado sporadically touched down near the intersection of State Road 765 and 768, south southeast of Punta Gorda. The tornado continued north where it sporadically touched down and toppled trees, power lines and a few sheds before it crossed into DeSoto county, six miles east northeast of Murdock. |
| December 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $20,000 | no account filed |
| September 2001 | Tornado (F0) | Punta Gorda | $15,000 | A weak F0 tornado sporadically touched down along a narrow path, west of State Road 765, near the Lee - Charlotte county line in rural southwest Charlotte county, to one mile west southwest of Punta Gorda. The weak tornado downed a few large trees, several large branches, rolled a few small sheds and toppled a few power lines before it lifted and dissipated. |
| December 1996 | Tornado (F0) | Punta Gorda | $15,000 | no account filed |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $10,000 | Thunderstorm winds caused minor damage to a few homes and downed several large branches on Riverside Drive in the River Forrest mobile home park in Punta Gorda. |
| August 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $10,000 | The Charlotte County Sheriffs Department reported that thunderstorm winds downed several large trees, branches and power lines near the intersection of U.S. Highway 17 and Cleveland Drive in Punta Gorda. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $10,000 | Thunderstorm winds caused minor roof damage to four aged mobile homes and downed several tree limbs in Punta Gorda. |
| July 1998 | Flood | Punta Gorda | $10,000 | Two to four inches of heavy rain fell in less than two hours and caused localized flooding of low lying areas between Interstate 75 and U.S. Highway 41 from Punta Gorda to Port Charlotte. A few vehicles and homes incurred water damage in low lying areas of Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. |
| April 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $10,000 | Thunderstorm winds tore off the roof of a mobile home on Swaying Palm Drive in Punta Gorda. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $6,000 | Thunderstorm winds rolled and demolished a 20-by-12 foot shed approximately 100 yards, downed a fence and uprooted a few small trees. |
| June 2002 | Tornado (F0) | Punta Gorda | $5,000 | Newspaper reported a small tornado at the Charlotte County Speedway, just south of the airport. A tower, fence, billboards, and lightning system were all marred. |
| August 1998 | Flood | Punta Gorda | $5,000 | Heavy rainfall caused localized street flooding in low lying and areas of poor drainage in Cape Coral. |
| May 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees and damaged a roof in Punta Gorda |
| July 1997 | Tornado (F0) | Punta Gorda | $4,000 | A short-lived tornado uprooted several trees, damaged a glass business sign, shattered windows in a few businesses and toppled a few billboards near the intersection of U.S. Highway 41 and Sibley Road in Charlotte Harbor. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $3,000 | Thunderstorm winds damaged a pool cage and part of a roof. |
| June 2000 | Lightning | Punta Gorda | $2,000 | Charlotte County Emergency Management reported that lightning caused damage to the air conditioning compressor, kitchen microwave, telephone and garage door opener of home that was struck on the 2400 hundred block of Chapman Boulevard near U.S. Highway 41 and Pompano in Punta Gorda. |
| August 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $2,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed several power lines in Punta Gorda. |
| April 1999 | Dust Devil | Punta Gorda | $1,000 | A dust devil caused minor roof shingle damage to a home on Taylor Road near U.S. Highway 41 in Punta Gorda. |
| September 1998 | Tornado (F0) | Punta Gorda | $1,000 | A tornado, associated with an outer band of Hurricane Georges, sporadically touched down and toppled a few large trees along its path before it lifted and dissipated in northern Charlotte county. |
| November 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | $1,000 | Thunderstorm winds damaged pool cages and television antennas of three homes near North Bend Road and Peace Street. |
| September 2013 | Heavy Rain | Punta Gorda | - | Charlotte County Emergency Management reported considerable water across numerous roads and highways in Punta Gorda, and throughout the rest of Charlotte County. |
| August 2008 | Heavy Rain | Punta Gorda | - | A Southwest Florida Water Management District gauge recorded 7.27 inches of rain. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | - | The public estimated a wind gust of 60 MPH in Punta Gorda. |
| May 2007 | Hail | Punta Gorda | - | Penny size hail was reported by the public in the Deep Creek subdivision. |
| July 2007 | Hail | Punta Gorda | - | Marble to penny size hail was reported on North River Drive which is about 12 miles east of Highway 31 and just north of the Charlotte and Lee county line. |
| July 2007 | Hail | Punta Gorda | - | Law enforcement reported quarter size hail at the intersection of Highway 74 and Highway 31. |
| July 2005 | Heavy Rain | Punta Gorda | - | The Punta Gorda airport recorded 4.39 inches of rain as a result of Hurricane Dennis. There were 3 indirect fatalities around 11 PM EDT Sunday the 10th as a Cape Coral family hydroplaned into a deep ditch filled with water near the intersection of Bermont Road and Ronco Road. |
| July 2005 | Tornado (F0) | Punta Gorda | - | An immediate storm survey conducted by the Punta Gorda Police Department noted a slow, general south movement of the waterspout, briefly touching land once, then making a final landfall before dissipating. The spout became a tornado as it moved onshore where it damaged a few trees and quickly diminished. |
| October 2005 | Heavy Rain | Punta Gorda | - | A report of 7.57" of rain was received 8 miles northeast of Punta Gorda. Several other reports between 4 to 5 inches were also received. |
| September 2002 | Funnel Cloud | Punta Gorda | - | Several eyewitnesses viewed the funnel cloud to the west |
| August 2001 | Hail | Punta Gorda | - | Charlotte county emergency management reported golf ball sized hail along Interstate 75 near Airport Road in Punta Gorda. |
| August 2000 | Waterspout | Punta Gorda | - | A Skywarn Spotter and mariners reported that waterspout drifted south across Charlotte Harbor to near Bokeelia in Lee county. |
| May 1999 | Hail | Punta Gorda | - | Nickel sized hail was reported by the public through the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office. |
| April 1999 | Wildfire | Punta Gorda | - | A wildfire, ignited by a passing train, burned 68 acres of brush along Oil Well Road between Interstate 75 and U.S. Highway 41 in southern Charlotte county. The wildfire forced closure of Interstate 75 for over two hours near the Oil Well Road overpass. |
| April 1999 | Wildfire | Punta Gorda | - | A wildfire consumed nearly 100 acres of woods and brush along and near Carmalita Street and Education Avenue in Punta Gorda. |
| August 1995 | Hail | Punta Gorda | - | Golf ball-size hail fell was reported in Punta Gorda. |
| October 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Punta Gorda | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Hail | Punta Gorda | - | no account filed |
| March 2003 | Hail | Punta Gorda | - | no account filed |
| November 2002 | Flash Flood | Punta Gorda | - | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Punta Gorda | - | no account filed |
| September 1996 | Waterspout | Punta Gorda | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishermens Village | 0.9 miles | 13 | |
| Charlotte Park | 1.4 miles | 13 | |
| Solana | 1.6 miles | 13 | |
| Aqui Esta | 1.6 miles | 13 | |
| Punta Gorda Isles | 1.9 miles | 13 | |
| Charlotte Harbor | 2.3 miles | 13 | |
| Tee and Green Estates | 2.5 miles | 13 | |
| Harbor View | 2.7 miles | 13 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Punta Gorda | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q953543 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 289380. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.






