Columbia County, Florida

Columbia County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 67,531.[2] Its county seat is Lake City.[3]

Columbia County
U.S. county
Columbia County Courthouse in Lake City
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°14′N 82°38′W
Country United States
State Florida
FoundedFebruary 4, 1832
SeatLake City
Largest cityLake City
Area
 • Total801 sq mi (2,070 km2)
 • Land798 sq mi (2,070 km2)
 • Water3.8 sq mi (10 km2)  0.5%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
71,686[1]
 • Density87/sq mi (34/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts2nd, 5th
Websitewww.columbiacountyfla.com

Columbia County comprises the Lake City, FL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gainesville-Lake City, FL Combined Statistical Area. Osceola National Forest is partially in Columbia County.

History

After Florida became a territory of the United States in 1821, pioneer and immigrant settlers from the United States formed their own settlement adjacent to a Seminole village called Alligator Village, and called it Alligator.[4] Following the 1823 Treaty of Moultrie Creek, the residents of Alligator village relocated to the banks of Peace Creek in the newly established Seminole reservation, leaving Alligator Town on its own.

When Columbia County was formed in 1832 from Duval and Alachua counties, Alligator Town was designated as the seat of the county government. It was renamed as Columbia, the poetic form for the United States.[5] The county was developed for agriculture and the timber industry, with products such as turpentine, lumber, and plywood. From 1832 to 1839, the county seat was Newnansville, but that town and area were returned to Alachua County.

In November 1858 a railroad was completed connecting Jacksonville to Alligator, which opened the town to more commerce and passenger traffic. Alligator Town was incorporated and its name changed to Lake City in 1859; M. Whit Smith was elected as the town's first mayor.[6] According to an urban legend, the name was changed because the mayor's wife Martha Jane, who had recently moved to the town, refused to hang her lace curtains in a town named Alligator.[7]

Columbia County Courthouse around 1902.

During the American Civil War, the railroad between Lake City and Jacksonville was used to send beef and salt to Confederate soldiers. In February 1864 Union troops under Truman Seymour advanced west from Jacksonville. His objective was to disrupt Confederate supplies, and obtain African-American recruits and supplies.[8] Confederate General Joseph Finnegan assembled troops and called for reinforcements from P. G. T. Beauregard in response to the Union threat. On February 11, 1864, Finnegan's troops defeated a Union cavalry raid in Lake City.[8] After the Union cavalry was repulsed, Finnegan moved his forces to Olustee Station about ten miles east of Lake City. The Confederate presence at Olustee Station was reinforced to prepare for the Union troops coming from Jacksonville.

Union forces engaged the Confederates at the Battle of Olustee on February 20, 1864 near the Olustee Station. It was the only major battle in Florida during the war. Union casualties were 1,861 men killed, wounded or missing; Confederate casualties were 946 killed, wounded or missing. The Confederate dead were buried in Lake City.[9] In 1928 a memorial for the Battle of Olustee was established in downtown Lake City.

In 1874 Lake City's first newspaper was published in 1874, called the Lake City Reporter. In 1876 the Bigelow Building was completed; it later was adapted for use as the City Hall. The first fire department was established in 1883 to complement the police department. In 1891 Lake City became the first city in Florida to have electric lights from a local power and light company.

White violence rose against blacks in the late 19th century in a regionwide effort to establish and maintain white supremacy as Southern states disenfranchised most blacks and imposed Jim Crow. Whites lynched 20 African Americans in Columbia County from 1877-1950, mostly in the decades near the turn of the 20th century. It was tied with Polk County for the second-highest total of lynchings of any county in the state.[10]

Among these murders was the mass lynching on May 21, 1911, of six black men who were taken from the jail by a white mob in Lake City. They were being held on charges of murdering one white sawmill worker and wounding another in Leon County, after whites had attacked them at a private house following an earlier altercation between two men.[11] A group of a dozen white men, reportedly from Tallahassee, tricked the white youth guarding the jail by posing as officials and gained release of the suspects. They took the men outside town and shot them repeatedly to death.[12][11]

Geography
Osceola National Forest

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 801 square miles (2,070 km2), of which 798 square miles (2,070 km2) is land and 3.8 square miles (9.8 km2) (0.5%) is water.[13] Osceola National Forest is partially within the county.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18402,102—
18504,808128.7%
18604,646−3.4%
18707,33557.9%
18809,58930.7%
189012,87734.3%
190017,09432.7%
191017,6893.5%
192014,290−19.2%
193014,6382.4%
194016,85915.2%
195018,2168.0%
196020,07710.2%
197025,25025.8%
198035,39940.2%
199042,61320.4%
200056,51332.6%
201067,53119.5%
Est. 201971,686[14]6.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1790-1960[16] 1900-1990[17]
1990-2000[18] 2010-2015[2]

As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 56,513 people, 20,925 households, and 14,919 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile (27/km²). There were 23,579 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.72% White, 17.03% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 2.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 20,925 households out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.70% were married couples living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 23.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.40% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 102.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,881, and the median income for a family was $35,927. Males had a median income of $27,353 versus $21,738 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,598. About 11.40% of families and 15.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.10% of those under age 18 and 13.60% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Voter registration

According to the Secretary of State's office, Democrats maintain a narrow plurality among registered voters in Columbia County.

Columbia County Voter Registration & Party Enrollment as of September 30, 2015[20]
Political Party Total Voters Percentage
Democratic 15,157 42.04%
Republican 14,412 39.97%
Independent 5,530 15.34%
Third Parties 959 2.66%
Total 36,058 100%

Statewide elections
Presidential elections results
Previous presidential elections results[21]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 70.57% 20,368 26.33% 7,601 3.10% 895
2012 67.69% 18,429 31.08% 8,462 1.23% 336
2008 66.17% 18,670 32.50% 9,171 1.33% 374
2004 67.06% 16,758 32.14% 8,031 0.81% 202
2000 59.24% 10,968 38.07% 7,049 2.68% 497
1996 46.48% 7,588 40.98% 6,691 12.54% 2,047
1992 43.41% 6,492 36.97% 5,528 19.62% 2,934
1988 65.13% 7,761 34.18% 4,073 0.69% 82
1984 67.41% 8,814 32.59% 4,261
1980 48.45% 5,643 48.76% 5,680 2.79% 325
1976 36.66% 3,947 62.08% 6,683 1.26% 136
1972 80.16% 6,723 19.84% 1,664
1968 21.13% 1,553 23.81% 1,750 55.06% 4,046
1964 56.06% 4,145 43.94% 3,249
1960 36.17% 2,094 63.83% 3,695
1956 36.19% 1,841 63.81% 3,246
1952 38.73% 2,041 61.27% 3,229
1948 16.60% 553 53.93% 1,797 29.47% 982
1944 17.88% 537 82.12% 2,467
1940 13.30% 443 86.70% 2,888
1936 6.58% 196 93.42% 2,783
1932 6.51% 174 93.49% 2,497
1928 24.36% 418 74.36% 1,276 1.28% 22
1924 8.94% 85 81.60% 776 9.46% 90
1920 10.50% 162 80.88% 1,248 8.62% 133
1916 19.06% 226 72.60% 861 8.35% 99
1912 9.85% 66 77.61% 520 12.53% 84
1908 31.28% 279 52.13% 465 16.59% 148
1904 32.09% 317 60.22% 595 7.69% 76
Previous gubernatorial elections results
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2014 63.15% 11,604 31.63% 5,812 5.22% 958
2010 58.66% 11,089 37.39% 7,068 3.95% 748
2006 59.74% 9,313 36.97% 5,763 3.29% 514
2002 58.50% 9,554 40.43% 6,603 1.07% 174
1998 61.27% 7,698 38.71% 4,863 0.02% 3
1994 58.35% 7,408 41.65% 5,288

Education

The Columbia County School District operates public schools.

Library

The Columbia County Public Library consists of 3 branches.

  • Main Branch
  • West Branch
  • Fort White Branch

Transportation

Airports

Columbia County's main airport is Lake City Municipal Airport. Private airports also exist throughout the county.

Major roads
See also: List of county roads in Columbia County, Florida
Driving north on Interstate 75 in Columbia County approaching Interstate 10.
  • Interstate 10 is the main west-to-east interstate highway in the county, and serves as the unofficial dividing line between northern and southern Columbia County. It contains three interchanges within the county; the first being I-75 in Springville (Exits 296 A-B), and the other two in Five Points, north of Lake City, US 41 (Exit 301), and US 441(Exit 303). Beyond this point I-10 runs through Osceola National Forest.
  • Interstate 75 is the southeast-to-northwest interstate highway in the county, which enters from Alachua County at bridges over the Santa Fe River. It has four interchanges in the county with US 41/441 in Ellisville (Exit 414), SR 47 (Exit 423), US 90 in Lake City (Exit 427) and I-10 in Springville (Exits 435 A-B).
  • US 27 is another southeast-to-northwest road in southwestern Columbia County, that enters from a bridge over the Santa Fe River, runs through Fort White, and leaves at another bridge over the Ichetucknee River at Ichetucknee Springs State Park.
  • US 41 runs north from High Springs in a concurrency with US 441 until just before it reaches Lake City, Then the two routes run parallel to each other until US 41 branches off to the northwest on its way to Hamilton County, Valdosta, Georgia, and points north.
  • US 90 was the main west-to-east highway in the county, until it was surpassed by I-10. It enters the county from Wellborn in Suwannee County, and directly enters Lake City. East of the city, it runs along the southern edge of Osceola National Forest and serves as the address of two major prisons before crossing the Baker County Line and entering a portion of the forest itself.
  • US 441 runs north from High Springs in a concurrency with US 41 until just before it reaches Lake City, Then the two routes run parallel to each other, but unlike US 41, US 441 stays in Columbia County and runs straight north and south until it crosses the Georgia State Line.
  • State Road 2 is located on the far northeast corner of the county, and has no intersections whatsoever.
  • State Road 47 is a northeast-to-southwest road that spans from Trenton in Gilchrist County to US 41 in Lake City. North of there it becomes a hidden state road along US 41 until it reaches US Truck Route 90, then turns east, only to turn north again onto US 441 where it remains for the duration until it crosses the Florida-Georgia State Line.
  • State Road 100
  • State Road 238
  • State Road 247 is a northeast to southwest road that spans from Branford in Suwannee County, and terminates at US 90 in western Lake City, just east of US 90's interchange with I-75.

Railroads

Columbia County has at least three existing railroad lines. The primary one is a Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad line formerly owned by CSX, Seaboard System Railroad, Seaboard Coastline Industries and Seaboard Air Line Railroad that served Amtrak's Sunset Limited until it was truncated to New Orleans in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. Lake City (Amtrak station) was Columbia County's only active railroad station until that point. Another one is owned by the Georgia Southern and Florida Railway, and runs along US 41 from Lake City through Hamilton County. A third line runs along SR 100 into Union County.

Communities

City

Town

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities
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See also

References
  1. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/columbiacountyflorida/PST045217
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 6, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. "Alligator Town Marker". Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  5. Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 30.
  6. "Lake City Florida. Celebrating 150 Years. A Guide to the Sesquicentennial Celebration." Lake City, FL, 2009, pg. 21.
  7. Williams, Morris (March 8, 2008). "Lake City's 150th birthday — time for a celebration". Lake City Reporter. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2008.
  8. "Events Leading up to the Battle of Olustee". battleofolustee.org. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  9. "Olustee Battlefield". Florida Public Archaeology Network. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  10. Lynching in America/ Supplement: Lynchings by County, 3rd Edition, 2017, p. 3
  11. Bill Bond, "[NAACP] Report On Lynchings Details Hideous Chapter In History", Orlando Sentinel, 25 January 1987; accessed 20 March 2018
  12. "Mob Fury Upon Six Negroes", The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee), 22 May 1911; accessed 20 March 2018
  13. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  14. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  15. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  16. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  17. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  18. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  19. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  20. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2016-10-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.

Government links/Constitutional offices

Special districts

Judicial branch

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