Clay County, Florida
Encyclopedia
Clay County is a county
located in the U.S. state
of Florida
. As of 2010, the population was 190,895. Its county seat
is Green Cove Springs, Florida
. Clay County is part of the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan
area.
, a famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate
from Kentucky
, and United States Secretary of State
in the 19th century.
Clay County was once a popular destination for tourists visiting from the northern states. The therapeutic, warm springs and mild climate were major draws for visitors. Steamboats brought them to various hotels in Green Cove Springs - the St. Elmo, Clarendon and the Oakland. President Grover Cleveland was the most prominent of such tourists; he had spring water shipped to the White House. Clay County's popularity among tourists peaked during the last three decades of the 19th century. It was later eclipsed by Henry Flagler's extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to points south such as Palm Beach and Miami.
The military has also played an important role in Clay County history. In 1939, Camp Blanding
opened on Kingsley Lake
in central Clay County. The Florida National Guard developed this 28000 acres (113.3 km²) complex. During World War II
, it trained over 90,000 troops and became the fourth largest 'city' in the state. In Green Cove Springs, Lee Field was a flight training center. After World War II, Lee Field became a base for the mothball fleet. Although Lee Field closed in the early 1960s, Camp Blanding continues to operate today. Clay County is also a popular choice of residence for military personnel who are stationed on bases in nearby Duval County (NAS Jacksonville, NS Mayport).
of 2010, there were 190,865 people, 65,356 households, and 39,390 families residing in the county. The population density
was 234 people per square mile (90/km²). There were 73,208 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile (35/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.8% White
, 9.9% Black
or African American
, 0.5% Native American
, 2.9% Asian
, 0.1% Pacific Islander
, 1.1% from other races
, and 2.9% from two or more races. 7.7% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
, with Puerto Ricans being the majority of the population.
There were 50,243 households out of which 39.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.80% were married couples
living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.60% were non-families. 16.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.00% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $48,854, and the median income for a family was $53,814. Males had a median income of $36,683 versus $25,488 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $20,868. About 5.10% of families and 6.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.90% of those under age 18 and 7.40% of those age 65 or over.
According to the Florida Times-Union, in October 2004, there were 106,114 registered voters in Clay County.
, although it often supports Conservative Democrat
s for local and state offices.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. As of 2010, the population was 190,895. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Green Cove Springs, Florida
Green Cove Springs, Florida
Green Cove Springs is a city in Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,378 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,908. It is the county seat of Clay County....
. Clay County is part of the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan
Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan
The Jacksonville metropolitan area is the metropolitan area centered on the principal city of Jacksonville, Florida and including the First Coast of North Florida.The U.S...
area.
History
Clay County was created on December 31, 1858, from a section of Duval County. Its name is in honor of Henry ClayHenry Clay
Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
, a famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
in the 19th century.
Clay County was once a popular destination for tourists visiting from the northern states. The therapeutic, warm springs and mild climate were major draws for visitors. Steamboats brought them to various hotels in Green Cove Springs - the St. Elmo, Clarendon and the Oakland. President Grover Cleveland was the most prominent of such tourists; he had spring water shipped to the White House. Clay County's popularity among tourists peaked during the last three decades of the 19th century. It was later eclipsed by Henry Flagler's extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to points south such as Palm Beach and Miami.
The military has also played an important role in Clay County history. In 1939, Camp Blanding
Camp Blanding
Camp Blanding Joint Training Center is the primary military reservation and training base for the Florida National Guard, both the Florida Army National Guard and certain non-flying activities of the Florida Air National Guard. The installation is located in Clay County, Florida near the city of...
opened on Kingsley Lake
Kingsley lake
Kingsley Lake is an almost circular lake of about in North Central Florida, about six miles east of Starke, Florida. According to some sources, it is the oldest and highest lake in Florida, located on the edge of the Trail Ridge formation. The lake is a very stable lake with a sandy bottom. Its...
in central Clay County. The Florida National Guard developed this 28000 acres (113.3 km²) complex. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it trained over 90,000 troops and became the fourth largest 'city' in the state. In Green Cove Springs, Lee Field was a flight training center. After World War II, Lee Field became a base for the mothball fleet. Although Lee Field closed in the early 1960s, Camp Blanding continues to operate today. Clay County is also a popular choice of residence for military personnel who are stationed on bases in nearby Duval County (NAS Jacksonville, NS Mayport).
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 643.69 square miles (1,667.1 km²), of which 601.11 square miles (1,556.9 km²) (or 93.39%) is land and 42.59 square miles (110.3 km²) (or 6.62%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Duval County, FloridaDuval County, FloridaDuval County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2010, the population was 864,263. Its county seat is Jacksonville, with which the Duval County government has been consolidated since 1968...
- north - St. Johns County, FloridaSt. Johns County, FloridaSt. Johns County is a county located in northeastern Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 190,039. The county seat is St. Augustine. Due to the inclusion of Ponte Vedra Beach, it is one of the highest-income counties in the United States....
- east - Putnam County, FloridaPutnam County, FloridaPutnam County is a county located in the state of Florida. The entire county makes up the Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 70,423. The U.S. Census Bureau 2009 estimate for the county was 72,893 . Its county seat is Palatka, Florida. The county is centrally...
- south - Bradford County, FloridaBradford County, FloridaBradford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 26,088. The 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimate for the county was 28,118 . Its county seat is Starke, Florida. Bradford County is the home of the Florida State Prison as well as several other state...
- west - Baker County, FloridaBaker County, FloridaBaker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 22,259. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county is 26,164 . Its county seat is Macclenny, Florida. While primarily rural, the county is included in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area.-...
- northwest
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 190,865 people, 65,356 households, and 39,390 families residing in the county. 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 234 people per square mile (90/km²). There were 73,208 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile (35/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.8% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 9.9% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.5% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.9% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.1% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.1% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.9% from two or more races. 7.7% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, with Puerto Ricans being the majority of the population.
There were 50,243 households out of which 39.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.80% 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, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.60% were non-families. 16.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.00% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $48,854, and the median income for a family was $53,814. Males had a median income of $36,683 versus $25,488 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 county was $20,868. About 5.10% of families and 6.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.90% of those under age 18 and 7.40% of those age 65 or over.
According to the Florida Times-Union, in October 2004, there were 106,114 registered voters in Clay County.
Incorporated municipalities
- City of Green Cove SpringsGreen Cove Springs, FloridaGreen Cove Springs is a city in Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,378 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,908. It is the county seat of Clay County....
- Town of Keystone HeightsKeystone Heights, FloridaKeystone Heights is a town located in both Bradford County and Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,349 at the 2000 census, all of it in the Clay County section, although over 40 percent of the city's area lies in Bradford County. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...
- Town of Orange ParkOrange Park, FloridaOrange Park is a town in Clay County, Florida, USA, and a suburb of Jacksonville. The population was 8,412 at the 2010 census. The name "Orange Park" is additionally applied to a wider area of northern Clay County outside the town limits, covering such communities as Fleming Island, Lakeside, and...
- Town of Penney FarmsPenney Farms, FloridaPenney Farms is a town in Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 580 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 617.- History :...
Unincorporated Communities
- Lake Asbury
- Bellair-Meadowbrook TerraceBellair-Meadowbrook Terrace, FloridaBellair-Meadowbrook Terrace is a census-designated place in Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 16,539 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace is located at ....
- Belmore
- Clay HillClay Hill, FloridaClay Hill is an unincorporated community in Clay County, Florida, United States. It is located in the northwest corner of Clay County, Florida, and lies along County Road 218. It is a rural community that serves as both a bedroom community for the surrounding areas, and as home to several working...
- Doctors InletDoctors Inlet, FloridaDoctors Inlet is an unincorporated community in Clay County, Florida, United States. It is located near the intersection of County Road 220 and County Road 224...
- Fleming IslandFleming Island, FloridaFleming Island is an unincorporated community in Clay County, Florida, United States. It is located 15 miles southwest of Jacksonville, on the western side of the St. Johns River, off US 17. Fleming Island's zip code became 32003 in 2004 separating it from Orange Park.It is primarily a bedroom...
- HiberniaHibernia, FloridaHibernia is an unincorporated community in Clay County, Florida, United States. It is located off US 17, on the western bank of the St. Johns River. It is the home of historic St. Margaret's Episcopal Church and Cemetery.-Post Office:A U.S...
- Lake Geneva
- LakesideLakeside, FloridaLakeside is a census-designated place in Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 30,927 at the 2000 census.Lakeside is an unincorporated census area in greater Orange Park and consists of the separate community of Doctor's Inlet .-Geography:Lakeside is located at .According to the...
- McRaeMcRae, FloridaMcRae is an unincorporated community in Clay County, Florida, United States....
- MiddleburgMiddleburg, FloridaMiddleburg is a census-designated place in Clay County, Florida, United States, located 29 miles southwest of downtown Jacksonville, Florida, 16 miles northwest of Green Cove Springs, Florida, and home to Middleburg High School...
- Oakleaf
- Virginia VillageVirginia Village, FloridaVirginia Village is an unincorporated community in Clay County, Florida, United States....
Politics
Clay County is one of the most reliably Republican counties in the state during presidential elections outside of the PanhandleFlorida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
, although it often supports Conservative Democrat
Conservative Democrat
In American politics, a conservative Democrat is a Democratic Party member with conservative political views, or with views relatively conservative with respect to those of the national party...
s for local and state offices.
| Year | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Other Third party (United States) The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 70.9% | 28.2% | 0.9% |
| 2004 | 76.2% | 23.3% | 0.5% |
| 2000 | 72.8% | 25.5% | 1.7% |
| 1996 | 64.5% | 28.2% | 7.4% |
| 1992 | 58.0% | 23.3% | 18.7% |
| 1988 | 76.7% | 23.0% | 0.3% |
Museums
- Clay County Historical and Railroad Museum, Green Cove Springs.
- Middleburg Historical Museum, Middleburg.
- Black Heritage Museum, Middleburg.
- Camp Blanding Museum, Camp Blanding.
External links
- Relocate in Clay Clay County Economic Development
- The Clay Today and The Clay County Crescent newspapers for Clay County, Florida are available in full-text with images in Florida Digital Newspaper Library
- Camp Blanding Museum
- Clay County Historical Society
- Clay County Government