Baker County, Florida

Baker County, Florida

Baker County Courthouse in Macclenny

Seal
Map of Florida highlighting Baker County
Location in the state of Florida
Map of the United States highlighting Florida
Florida's location in the U.S.
Founded February 8, 1861
Named for James McNair Baker
Seat Macclenny
Largest city Macclenny
Area
 • Total 589 sq mi (1,526 km2)
 • Land 585 sq mi (1,515 km2)
 • Water 3.7 sq mi (10 km2), 0.6%
Population (est.)
 • (2015) 27,420
 • Density 46/sq mi (18/km²)
Congressional district 4th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.bakercountyfl.org

Baker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 27,115.[1] Its county seat is Macclenny, Florida.[2] The county was founded in 1861 and is named for James McNair Baker, a judge and Confederate Senator.

Baker County is included in the Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

In 1864 the Battle of Olustee, which was the only major American Civil War battle in Florida, was fought near Lake City, Florida in Baker County. In 2013, Baker County is working to develop a zipline park on 108 acres across from Northeast Florida State Hospital.[3]

History

Baker County was founded in 1861. It was named for James McNair Baker, a judge and Confederate senator.[4] In 1864 the Battle of Olustee, which was the only major American Civil War battle in Florida, was fought near Lake City, Florida in Baker County.[5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 589 square miles (1,530 km2), of which 585 square miles (1,520 km2) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2) (0.6%) is water.[6] The extreme northern part of the county lies within the Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected areas. Baker County is just one of the many counties that is home to the St. Mary's River. The St. Marys River is a remote blackwater stream, located in southeastern Georgia and northeastern Florida, forming the easternmost border between the two states.[7][8]

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18701,325—
18802,30373.8%
18903,33344.7%
19004,51635.5%
19104,8056.4%
19205,62217.0%
19306,27311.6%
19406,5103.8%
19506,313−3.0%
19607,36316.6%
19709,24225.5%
198015,28965.4%
199018,48620.9%
200022,25920.4%
201027,11521.8%
Est. 201527,420[9]1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2015[1]

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 22,259 people, 7,043 households, and 5,599 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15/km²). There were 7,592 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.04% White, 13.92% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.5% were of American, 9.9% Irish, 8.6% English and 6.6% German ancestry according to Census 2000. Those claiming "American" ancestry are of predominantly English ancestry but most people in Baker County who are of English stock have a tendency to identify simply as Americans.[15][16][17][18] 97.2% spoke English and 2.5% Spanish as their first language.

There were 7,043 households out of which 41.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.50% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the county the population was spread out with 27.50% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 9.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 110.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,035, and the median income for a family was $43,503. Males had a median income of $30,240 versus $21,279 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,164. About 11.40% of families and 14.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.20% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Voter registration

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

Baker County Voter Registration & Party Enrollment as of September 30, 2015[19]
Political Party Total Voters Percentage
  Democratic 6,416 45.63%
  Republican 6,170 43.88%
  Independent 1,267 9.01%
  Third Parties 207 1.47%
Total 14,060 100%

Statewide elections

Previous Presidential Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2012 78.80% 8,975 20.29% 2,311 0.91% 104
2008 78.22% 8,672 20.99% 2,327 0.79% 88
2004 77.73% 7,738 21.90% 2,180 0.37% 37
2000 68.80% 5,611 29.33% 2,392 1.87% 152
1996 55.53% 3,684 34.26% 2,273 10.21% 677
1992 50.60% 3,417 29.23% 1,974 20.17% 1,362
Previous Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2014 70.54% 5,956 24.87% 2,100 4.59% 388
2010 62.34% 4,940 34.46% 2,731 3.20% 253
2006 69.39% 4,335 27.82% 1,738 2.79% 174
2002 69.22% 4,515 30.06% 1,961 0.72% 47
1998 71.14% 3,268 28.86% 1,326 0.00% 0
1994 68.52% 3,600 31.48% 1,654 0.00% 0

Library

The main library serving Baker County is the Emily Taber Public Library. The building used to be the Old Baker County Courthouse, built in 1908. The current library director is April Teel.[20]

Communities

City

Town

Unincorporated communities

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Business Briefs, Baker County Florida Treand magazine October 2013
  4. ↑ Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 30.
  5. ↑ National Park Service "American Battlefield Protection Program Battle Summary" Check |url= value (help). National Park Service. Retrieved 2007-12-31. |section= ignored (help)
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. ↑ "Florida's Water". http://floridaswater.com/stmarysriverguide/. Retrieved 2015-03-05. External link in |website= (help)
  8. ↑ "Baker County Geography". http://stmaryriverbaker.weebly.com. Thomas. Retrieved 5 March 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  9. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  14. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  15. ↑ Sharing the Dream: White Males in a Multicultural America By Dominic J. Pulera.
  16. ↑ Reynolds Farley, 'The New Census Question about Ancestry: What Did It Tell Us?', Demography, Vol. 28, No. 3 (August 1991), pp. 414, 421.
  17. ↑ Stanley Lieberson and Lawrence Santi, 'The Use of Nativity Data to Estimate Ethnic Characteristics and Patterns', Social Science Research, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1985), pp. 44-6.
  18. ↑ Stanley Lieberson and Mary C. Waters, 'Ethnic Groups in Flux: The Changing Ethnic Responses of American Whites', Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 487, No. 79 (September 1986), pp. 82-86.
  19. ↑ http://dos.myflorida.com/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-monthly-reports/voter-registration-current-by-county/
  20. ↑ "New River Public Library Cooperative".

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Baker County (Florida).
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baker County, Florida.

Government links/Constitutional offices

Special districts

Judicial branch

Community Web Pages

Federal

Museum and Library Resources

 Clinch County, Georgia Charlton County, Georgia and Ware County, Georgia Nassau County
Columbia County Duval County
   Baker County, Florida  
Bradford County and Union County Clay County

Coordinates: 30°19′N 82°16′W / 30.32°N 82.27°W / 30.32; -82.27

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