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Florida State...
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Florida Counties
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Florida Counties
In 1821, there were only two counties in Florida: Escambia to the west and St. Johns to the
east. From these two counties were formed 67 today. In 1968, the electors
of Florida granted local voters the power to adopt charters to govern their counties. Charters are formal
written documents that confer powers, duties, or privileges on the county.
To date, there are 19 charter counties in Florida. Collectively these
counties are home to more than 75 percent of Florida's residents.
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Charlotte County, Florida
Charlotte County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Punta Gorda
Year Organized: 1921
Square Miles: 694 |
Court House: 18500 Murdock Circle
County Courthouse
Port Charlotte, FL 33948-1094
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
It was named for the Bay of Charlotte Harbor. "Charlotte" came from "Carlos" (English) or "Calos" (Calusa
Indian).
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
Charlotte County was established April 23, 1921. It was named for the Bay of Charlotte Harbor. "Charlotte" came from
"Carlos" (English) or "Calos" (Calusa Indian). In 1565, the Spanish named "Carlos Bay," followed by the English in 1775
who named the area Charlotte Harbor in tribute to the Queen Charlotte Sophia, wife of King George III. Punta Gorda is
the only incorporated city in Charlotte County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 859 square miles (2,225 kmē), of which, 694
square miles (1,796 kmē) of it is land and 166 square miles (429 kmē) of it (19.27%) is water. Charlotte Harbor
Estuary is an important natual preserve and one of the most productive in Florida.
Neighboring Counties:
- North: Sarasota County; DeSoto County
- Northeast: Highlands County
- East: Glades County
- Southeast: Hendry County
- South: Lee County
- West: Gulf of Mexico
Cities and Towns:
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- Punta Gorda
(County
Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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County Resource Guide
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The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic
features of our country!"
But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.
Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally,
act locally." |
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