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Florida Counties

Click Image to Enlarge   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.

Clay County, Florida

Clay County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Its name is in honor of Henry Clay, famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Clay County, Florida, rich in natural beauty and history, is a water wonderland, where lakes and rivers are in abundance. With its entire eastern boundary defined by the north-flowing St. Johns River it is no wonder that the scenery is captivating. Once a part of Duval County (Jacksonville), Clay County was carved out on December 31, 1858. The county consists of our incorporated municipalities: Orange Park, Green Cove Springs, Penney Farms, and Keystone Heights, as well as one unincorporated municipality, Middleburg.

Both regional and national wars greatly impacted life in Clay County. When fighting erupted with the Seminoles in December 1835, Garey's Ferry (the site of present-day Middleburg) was chosen as a supply depot for the U.S. Army on Florida's east coast. In 1836, Ft. Heileman was established and Gary's Ferry was one of the few Florida frontier towns not abandoned during the 2nd Seminole War. As the Civil War was nearing its end, Clay County saw its first battle. In mid-1864, Union forces established a fort at Magnolia Springs on the St. Johns River where they could send troops to apply pressure to Confederate forces located within the county. While Union troops were returning from a successful raid on Middleburg, Confederate forces under the command of Capt. J.J. Dickinson engaged the Union troops and inflicted heavy casualties. The battle lasted 45 minutes with no casualties among the Confederate troops.

After the Civil War, tourism became a vital part of Clay County life. Northerners were drawn to natural springs that promised healing and warm winter climates that offered respite from frigid northern winters. The tourists were delighted by the exotic wildlife and vegetation found along the banks of the creeks and rivers. Dozens of hotels were built to accommodate the visitors who came by steamboat. Hotels such as the St. Elmo, Magonlia Springs, Clarendon, and the Oakland Hotels invited tourists to rest and relax in the sunny climate of Florida. Families along the St. Johns River, such as the Flemings, opened their plantation homes to northern visitors. Among the visitors to Clay County were such famous people as Ulysses S. Grant, President Grover Cleveland (who had spring water shipped to the White House), Buffalo Bill, and Sitting Bull. The height of tourism in Clay County spanned three decades, from the 1870's to the early 1900's. Tourism in Clay County went into decline when Henry Flagler's railroad reached Miami, and south Florida was easily accessible.
 

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 644 square miles (1,667 km²), of which, 601 square miles (1,557 km²) of it is land and 43 square miles (110 km²) of it (6.62%) is water.
 

Neighboring Counties:

• Northeast: Duval County
• East: St. Johns County
• Southeast: Putnam County
• Southwest: Alachua County
• West: Bradford County
• Northwest: Baker County

Cities and Towns:

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here
 

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