Fort White, Florida
Encyclopedia
Fort White is a town in Columbia County
, Florida
, United States
named after a military fort built in the 1830s. It is the closest town to the Ichetucknee Springs State Park
. The Fort White Public School Historic District
is located within the town's borders. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 567.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), all of it land.
Most of the land is family farms and/or forests.
of 2010, there were 567 people, 151 households, and 104 families residing in the town. The population density
was 176.8 people per square mile (68.4/km²). There were 184 housing units at an average density of 79.5 per square mile (30.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 50.61% White, 46.70% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.42% of the population.
There were 151 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples
living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 76.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,250, and the median income for a family was $28,000. Males had a median income of $26,477 versus $26,667 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $10,578. About 24.1% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 42.0% of those age 65 or over.
in 1836 to protect the Cow Creek settlement. Supplies were brought in by steamboat on the Santa Fe River and distributed to other area forts. Due to sickness, flooding along the river and rumors of the railroad coming to the area, the settlement was moved four miles east to its present location.
The town was incorporated in 1884 and grew steadily following the arrival of the railroad in 1888. Phosphate
mining, turpentine and agriculture (cotton and oranges) were the foundation of the economy and the population grew to nearly 2,000. Sadly, the boom turned to bust as severe freezes in the winters of 1896 & 1897 destroyed the local citrus industry. By 1910, the largest phosphate deposits were depleted and mining ceased. The boll weevil
ended cotton farming before World War I
and the population shrank to a few hundred people, primarily farmers, ranchers and foresters. The town's population in 1979 was 365.
The last high school class to graduate was in 1969, about the same time desegregation
and integration
forced the closing of the black schools in the area. At that time, there weren't enough children to justify a high school in Fort White; students in grades 9-12 were bused 20 miles (32.2 km) to Columbia High School
in Lake City
for over 30 years. After the Ichetucknee Springs State Park opened in 1971, the population in the south end of the county steadily grew to the point where the need for a local facility was substantiated. A $25 million high school was completed in December, 2000 for grades 6-12, having opened in August, 2000 in temporary buildings because of construction delays. The school had been scheduled for completion in August, 2000. Fort White High School graduated the first class in a generation in 2001. A new Fort White Middle School for grade 6 was completed prior to the 2008-2009 school year. The rest of the middle school (for grades 7 and 8) has recently been finished and is in use, though the middle and high school are still joined.
The Fort White Sports Complex was constructed in 2005 on 25-acres abutting the High School. Facilities include six baseball fields, two basketball courts and two tennis courts. A community center
was built on the site in 2008. A Senior citizen
meal program operates at the center on weekdays.
and Springs. However, before 1970, the existence and location of this natural wonder were something of a secret. The road to the spring was not paved, nor was it marked because the spring was on private property. In 1970, the state of Florida purchased the Ichetucknee spring and river property from the Loncala Phosphate Corporation. Columbia County built a paved road, number 238, providing easier access to the springs. In 1972, the head spring of the river was declared a National Natural Landmark
by the U.S. Department of the Interior
, and word got out: drive to Fort White and float down the Ichetucknee on an inner tube. The main tributary from Ichetucknee Springs became one of the most popular tubing destinations in the world, attracting up to 5,000 visitors each day during the summer. Others came to the river to swim, picnic, snorkel, scuba dive, and explore the nearby forests. A gas station in Fort White had rented truck inner tubes as a small side business for many years; now, local residents in town and all along the route to the springs opened businesses catering to the tourists. The real estate market became active again and tourist dollars stimulated the economy like the town had not seen in decades.
Columbia County, Florida
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 56,513. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 64,040 . Its county seat is Lake City, Florida....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
named after a military fort built in the 1830s. It is the closest town to the Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Ichetucknee Springs State Park is a Florida State Park and National Natural Landmark located four miles northwest of Fort White off State Road 47 and State Road 238. It centers around the six mile long Ichetucknee River, which flows through shaded hammocks and wetlands into the Santa Fe River....
. The Fort White Public School Historic District
Fort White Public School Historic District
The Fort White Public School Historic District is a U.S. historic district located in Fort White, Florida. The district is near the intersection of East Dorch and North Bryant Streets. It contains 3 historic buildings. The original Fort White High School was constructed during 1915 in the masonry...
is located within the town's borders. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 567.
Geography
Fort White is located at 29°55′23"N 82°42′51"W (29.923001, -82.714299).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), all of it land.
Most of the land is family farms and/or forests.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 567 people, 151 households, and 104 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 176.8 people per square mile (68.4/km²). There were 184 housing units at an average density of 79.5 per square mile (30.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 50.61% White, 46.70% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.42% of the population.
There were 151 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 76.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,250, and the median income for a family was $28,000. Males had a median income of $26,477 versus $26,667 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $10,578. About 24.1% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 42.0% of those age 65 or over.
History
Fort White (the actual military fort) was constructed during the Second Seminole WarSecond Seminole War
The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between various groups of Native Americans collectively known as Seminoles and the United States, part of a series of conflicts called the Seminole Wars...
in 1836 to protect the Cow Creek settlement. Supplies were brought in by steamboat on the Santa Fe River and distributed to other area forts. Due to sickness, flooding along the river and rumors of the railroad coming to the area, the settlement was moved four miles east to its present location.
The town was incorporated in 1884 and grew steadily following the arrival of the railroad in 1888. Phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
mining, turpentine and agriculture (cotton and oranges) were the foundation of the economy and the population grew to nearly 2,000. Sadly, the boom turned to bust as severe freezes in the winters of 1896 & 1897 destroyed the local citrus industry. By 1910, the largest phosphate deposits were depleted and mining ceased. The boll weevil
Boll weevil
The boll weevil is a beetle measuring an average length of six millimeters, which feeds on cotton buds and flowers. Thought to be native to Central America, it migrated into the United States from Mexico in the late 19th century and had infested all U.S. cotton-growing areas by the 1920s,...
ended cotton farming before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the population shrank to a few hundred people, primarily farmers, ranchers and foresters. The town's population in 1979 was 365.
Schools
The original Fort White High School was constructed during 1915 and an auditorium was added in 1936. Separate elementary school classrooms were completed in 1938.The last high school class to graduate was in 1969, about the same time desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
and integration
Racial integration
Racial integration, or simply integration includes desegregation . In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws on diverse traditions, rather than merely...
forced the closing of the black schools in the area. At that time, there weren't enough children to justify a high school in Fort White; students in grades 9-12 were bused 20 miles (32.2 km) to Columbia High School
Columbia High School (Lake City, Florida)
Columbia High School is a four-year public high school located in Lake City, Florida. The school's mascot is the Fighting Tigers and the colors are purple and gold...
in Lake City
Lake City, Florida
Lake City is the county seat of Columbia County, Florida, in the United States. In 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 12,614. In addition, it is the Principal City of the Lake City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is composed of Columbia County, and had an...
for over 30 years. After the Ichetucknee Springs State Park opened in 1971, the population in the south end of the county steadily grew to the point where the need for a local facility was substantiated. A $25 million high school was completed in December, 2000 for grades 6-12, having opened in August, 2000 in temporary buildings because of construction delays. The school had been scheduled for completion in August, 2000. Fort White High School graduated the first class in a generation in 2001. A new Fort White Middle School for grade 6 was completed prior to the 2008-2009 school year. The rest of the middle school (for grades 7 and 8) has recently been finished and is in use, though the middle and high school are still joined.
Government services
The town elects a mayor and four town council members who meet once each month. Water is provided through the city but all residents utilize a septic tank system for sewerage. Law enforcement is provided by the Columbia County Sheriff's Department who utilize a sub-station within the city limits. Fire protection is an all-volunteer department. Garbage collection is subcontracted to a private company. A branch of the Columbia County Public Library is located next door to the Town Hall. The county health clinic has a satellite office in Ft. White which is open one day each week, but the nearest hospital facility is in Lake City.The Fort White Sports Complex was constructed in 2005 on 25-acres abutting the High School. Facilities include six baseball fields, two basketball courts and two tennis courts. A community center
Community centre
Community centres or community centers or jumping recreation centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialised group within...
was built on the site in 2008. A Senior citizen
Senior citizen
Senior citizen is a common polite designation for an elderly person in both UK and US English, and it implies or means that the person is retired. This in turn implies or in fact means that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include pensioner in UK...
meal program operates at the center on weekdays.
The Ichetucknee River
The locals have always known of and enjoyed the crystal clear Ichetucknee RiverIchetucknee River
The Ichetucknee River is a spring-fed, pristine river in North Central Florida. The entire of the river average wide, deep and most of the 6 miles lie within the boundaries of the Ichetucknee Springs State Park while the rest is to the south of US Highway 27...
and Springs. However, before 1970, the existence and location of this natural wonder were something of a secret. The road to the spring was not paved, nor was it marked because the spring was on private property. In 1970, the state of Florida purchased the Ichetucknee spring and river property from the Loncala Phosphate Corporation. Columbia County built a paved road, number 238, providing easier access to the springs. In 1972, the head spring of the river was declared a National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
by the U.S. Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
, and word got out: drive to Fort White and float down the Ichetucknee on an inner tube. The main tributary from Ichetucknee Springs became one of the most popular tubing destinations in the world, attracting up to 5,000 visitors each day during the summer. Others came to the river to swim, picnic, snorkel, scuba dive, and explore the nearby forests. A gas station in Fort White had rented truck inner tubes as a small side business for many years; now, local residents in town and all along the route to the springs opened businesses catering to the tourists. The real estate market became active again and tourist dollars stimulated the economy like the town had not seen in decades.
External links
- Town of Fort White official site