Jackson County, Florida

Jackson County, Florida

Jackson County Courthouse

Seal
Map of Florida highlighting Jackson County
Location in the state of Florida
Map of the United States highlighting Florida
Florida's location in the U.S.
Founded August 12, 1822
Named for Andrew Jackson
Seat Marianna
Largest city Marianna
Area
 • Total 955 sq mi (2,473 km2)
 • Land 918 sq mi (2,378 km2)
 • Water 37 sq mi (96 km2), 3.9%
Population (est.)
 • (2015) 48,599
 • Density 54/sq mi (21/km²)
Congressional district 2nd
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.jacksoncountyfl.com

Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 49,746.[1] Its county seat is Marianna.[2]

History

Jackson County was created by the Florida Territorial Council in 1822 out of Escambia County, along with Duval County out of St. Johns County, making them the third and fourth counties in the Territory. The county was named for Andrew Jackson, who had served as Florida's first military governor for six months in 1821.[3] Jackson County originally extended from the Choctawhatchee River on the west to the Suwannee River on the east. The county had been reduced close to its present boundaries by 1840 through the creation of new counties from its original territory. Minor adjustments to the county boundaries continued through most of the 19th century, however.[4][5][6]

There were no towns in Jackson County when it was formed. The first county court met at what was called "Robinson's Big Spring" (later called Blue Springs) in 1822 and then at the "Big Spring of the Choctawhatchee" in 1823. The following year the county court met at "Chipola Settlement" which is also known as Waddell's Mill Pond.

Marianna became the county seat, but not without controversy. It was founded by Robert Beveridge, a native of Scotland, in September 1827. The first town established in Jackson County was Webbville in January 1827. Webbville, a community of land squatters, was located 9 miles (14 km) northwest of present-day Marianna and was designated as the county seat. Webbville thrived until 1828 when Beveridge and other Marianna settlers went to Tallahassee and enticed the Florida Legislature with free land, construction of a courthouse, a public square and $500 to purchase a quarter section of land to be sold at public auction as a way to finance the new government, if the county seat was moved to Marianna.

Beveridge and his supporters succeeded and Marianna became the county seat of the county justice and civil authority, even though it was never officially proclaimed the county seat. Marianna began to grow and prosper when the county government moved into the new courthouse in 1829. Webbville's prominent citizens moved to Marianna and the L&N Railroad decided to bypass the town. Webbville does not exist today.

From 1869-71, Jackson County was the center of a low-level guerrilla war known as the Jackson County War. Members of the Ku Klux Klan consisting of Confederate Army veterans assassinated over 150 Republican Party officials and prominent African-Americans as part of a successful campaign to retain white Democratic power.[7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 955 square miles (2,470 km2), of which 918 square miles (2,380 km2) is land and 37 square miles (96 km2) (3.9%) is water.[8] Jackson County is the only county in Florida that borders both Georgia and Alabama. Jackson County is in the Central Standard Time Zone. Its eastern border with Gadsden County forms the boundary in this area between the Central Standard and Eastern Standard Time Zones.

Adjacent Counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18404,681—
18506,63941.8%
186010,20953.8%
18709,528−6.7%
188014,37250.8%
189017,54422.1%
190023,37733.2%
191029,82127.6%
192031,2244.7%
193031,9692.4%
194034,4287.7%
195034,6450.6%
196036,2084.5%
197034,434−4.9%
198039,15413.7%
199041,3755.7%
200046,75513.0%
201049,7466.4%
Est. 201548,599[9]−2.3%
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 46,755 people, 16,620 households, and 11,600 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile (20/km²). There were 19,490 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 72.18% White, 24.56% Black or African American, 0.77% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.61% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. 2.91% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 16,620 households out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.50% were married couples living together, 14.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 29.60% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 110.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,744, and the median income for a family was $36,404. Males had a median income of $27,138 versus $21,180 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,905. About 12.80% of families and 17.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 21.00% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Presidential elections results
Year Republican Democratic Other
2012 64.1% 35.1% 0.8%
2008 63.5% 35.5% 1.0%
2004 61.2% 38.1% 0.7%
2000 56.1% 42.1% 1.8%

Education

The Jackson County School Board operates public schools.

Libraries

The Jackson County Public Library System has two branches. Jackson County is also a part of the Panhandle Public Library Cooperative System. The PPLC also includes Holmes, Calhoun, and Washington counties.

Government and infrastructure

The Florida Department of Corrections operates Region I - Correctional Facility Office in an unincorporated area in Jackson County.[15]

The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Dozier School for Boys was located in Marianna. Sheriff Louis Roberts is the Sheriff of Jackson County and serves a population in over 955 square miles of area.

Jackson County Fire Rescue provides EMS and Fire Services with over 30 to 35 personnel.

Transportation

Airports

Jackson County's main airport is Marianna Municipal Airport, originally known as the Graham Air Base. Local and private airports also exist throughout the county.

Major highways

Railroads

Jackson County has at least two existing railroad lines. The primary one is the CSX P&A Subdivision, a line formerly owned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad that served Amtrak's Sunset Limited until it was truncated to New Orleans in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. Another one is the Bay Line Railroad, a line that was originally the Atlanta and St. Andrews Bay Railway main line, and runs along US 231 from Panama City through Campbellton. The lines contain a junction with each other in Cottondale. Other lines within the county were abandoned.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 32.
  4. ↑ Jackson County Information - accessed February 10, 2008
  5. ↑ Encyclopedia Americana - Jackson, Andrew - accessed February 10, 2008
  6. ↑ Fernald, Edward A. (1981) Atlas of Florida. The Florida State University Foundation, Inc. ISBN 0-9606708-0-7
  7. ↑ Weitz, Seth. "Defending the Old South: The Myth of the Lost Cause and Political Immorality in Florida, 1885-1968." In The Historian, Vol. 71, No. 1 (Spring 2009), pg. 83.
  8. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  9. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  14. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  15. ↑ "Region I - Correctional Facility Office." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on January 8, 2010.

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jackson County, Florida.

Government links/Constitutional offices

Special districts

Judicial branch

Tourism links

 Geneva County, Alabama Houston County, Alabama
Holmes County Seminole County, Georgia
   Jackson County, Florida  
Bay County and Washington County Calhoun County Gadsden County and Liberty County

Coordinates: 30°48′N 85°13′W / 30.80°N 85.21°W / 30.80; -85.21

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