Lafayette County, Florida
Encyclopedia
Lafayette County is a county
located in the state
of Florida
. As of 2000, the population was 7,022. It is the second least populated county in the state, having one more resident, according to the 2000 census, than Liberty County, Florida
. The U.S. Census Bureau
2005 estimate for the county is 7,773. Its county seat
is Mayo, Florida
. Lafayette County is a prohibition or entirely dry county
. . Lafayette is pronounced locally as "la fay et" or "la fet", not laf ee et.
. The famed Suwannee River forms the entire eastern boundary. The county courts first met at the home of Ariel Jones near Fayetteville. The county seat was New Troy until the court house there burned down in 1892. It was then moved to Mayo in 1893, and Mayo is currently Lafayette's only incorporated town. New Troy is now a ghost town
. In 1921 the lower part of the county was carved off to create Dixie County.
of 2000, there were 7,022 people, 2,142 households, and 1,591 families residing in the county. The population density
was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 2,660 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.27% White
, 14.37% Black
or African American
, 0.71% Native American
, 0.13% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 4.30% from other races
, and 1.21% from two or more races. 9.14% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 2,142 households out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples
living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 22.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county the population was spread out with 21.70% under the age of 18, 10.70% from 18 to 24, 34.00% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 148.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 157.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,651, and the median income for a family was $35,020. Males had a median income of $25,030 versus $22,007 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $13,087. About 12.90% of families and 17.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 17.30% of those age 65 or over.
and Troy Springs State Park
, both accessible to the Suwannee River
.
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 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 2000, the population was 7,022. It is the second least populated county in the state, having one more resident, according to the 2000 census, than Liberty County, Florida
Liberty County, Florida
Liberty County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its population was estimated in 2005 as 7,733. Its most populous incorporated area and county seat is Bristol....
. The U.S. 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...
2005 estimate for the county is 7,773. 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 Mayo, Florida
Mayo, Florida
Mayo is a town and the only municipality in Lafayette County, Florida, United States. The population was 988 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,009...
. Lafayette County is a prohibition or entirely dry county
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
. . Lafayette is pronounced locally as "la fay et" or "la fet", not laf ee et.
History
Lafayette County was created December 23, 1856 from part of Madison County, and included at the time what is now both Lafayette and Dixie Counties. Lafayette County was named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, the French citizen who rendered assistance to the colonies during the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. The famed Suwannee River forms the entire eastern boundary. The county courts first met at the home of Ariel Jones near Fayetteville. The county seat was New Troy until the court house there burned down in 1892. It was then moved to Mayo in 1893, and Mayo is currently Lafayette's only incorporated town. New Troy is now a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
. In 1921 the lower part of the county was carved off to create Dixie County.
Historic sites
Historic sites in Lafayette County include:- The Hal W. Adams BridgeHal W. Adams BridgeThe Hal W. Adams Bridge, built in 1947, is an historic bridge that carries Florida State Road 51 across the Suwannee River between Lafayette and Suwannee counties, Florida. Located 3 miles north of Mayo, it was the first suspension bridge built in Florida, and the only one to carry highway traffic....
built in 1947 across the Suwannee River 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Mayo. It was Florida's first suspension bridgeSuspension bridgeA suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
. - The (second) Old Lafayette County CourthouseOld Lafayette County CourthouseThe Old Lafayette County Courthouse, built 1893-1894, is an historic former courthouse building located on State Road 51 at 136 Fletcher Avenue, North, corner of Bloxham Street in Mayo, Florida, It was Lafayette County's second courthouse, the first at New Troy having burned down New Year's Eve 1892...
, built in 1893-1894, now an inn. - The current Lafayette County CourthouseLafayette County Courthouse (Florida)The Lafayette County Courthouse, built in 1908, is an historic courthouse building located in Mayo, Florida, It was designed by Atlanta-based architect Edward Columbus Hosford in the Classical Revival style, who designed other courthouses in Florida and other states. It was built of Indiana...
built in 1908.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 547.92 square miles (1,419.1 km²), of which 542.84 square miles (1,405.9 km²) (or 99.07%) is land and 5.08 square miles (13.2 km²) (or 0.93%) is water.Adjacent Counties
- Suwannee County, FloridaSuwannee County, FloridaSuwannee County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 34,844. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 38,624 . Its county seat is Live Oak, Florida. Suwannee County was a dry county until August, 2011.....
- east - Gilchrist County, FloridaGilchrist County, FloridaGilchrist County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 14,437. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 16,402. Gilchrist County has only one traffic light in the entire county and has no road with more than one lane of traffic...
- southeast - Dixie County, FloridaDixie County, FloridaDixie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 13,827. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 14,647 . Its county seat is Cross City, Florida.- History :...
- south - Taylor County, FloridaTaylor County, FloridaTaylor County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 19,256. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 19,622 . Its county seat is Perry, Florida.- History :Taylor County was created in 1856...
- west - Madison County, FloridaMadison County, FloridaMadison County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 18,733. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 19,902. Its county seat is Madison, Florida. Madison County is one of Florida's five dry counties....
- 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 2000, there were 7,022 people, 2,142 households, and 1,591 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 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 2,660 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.27% 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...
, 14.37% 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...
, 0.71% 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...
, 0.13% 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...
, 0.01% 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...
, 4.30% 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 1.21% from two or more races. 9.14% 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...
of any race.
There were 2,142 households out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% 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, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 22.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county the population was spread out with 21.70% under the age of 18, 10.70% from 18 to 24, 34.00% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 148.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 157.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,651, and the median income for a family was $35,020. Males had a median income of $25,030 versus $22,007 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 $13,087. About 12.90% of families and 17.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 17.30% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
| 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 | 79.3% | 19.0% | 1.7% |
| 2004 | 74.0% | 25.4% | 0.6% |
| 2000 | 66.7% | 31.5% | 1.8% |
Parks
Parks in the county include Lafayette Blue Springs State ParkLafayette Blue Springs State Park
Lafayette Blue Springs State Park is a Florida State Park, located on the west side of the Suwannee River, seven miles northwest of Mayo, off US 27. It contains one of the state's 33 first magnitude springs, with a daily discharge of up to 168 million gallons....
and Troy Springs State Park
Troy Springs State Park
Troy Springs State Park is a Florida State Park, located approximately six miles north of Branford, off US 27. It contains one of the state's 33 first magnitude springs.-External links:* at * at * at...
, both accessible to the Suwannee River
Suwannee River
The Suwannee River is a major river of southern Georgia and northern Florida in the United States. It is a wild blackwater river, about long. The Suwannee River is the site of the prehistoric Suwannee Straits which separated peninsular Florida from the panhandle.-Geography:The river rises in the...
.
Government links/Constitutional offices
- Lafayette County Board of County Commissioners
- Lafayette County Supervisor of Elections
- Lafayette County Property Appraiser
- Lafayette County Sheriff's Office
- Lafayette County Tax Collector
Special districts
Judicial branch
- Lafayette County Clerk of Courts
- Public Defender, 3rd Judicial Circuit of Florida serving ColumbiaColumbia County, FloridaColumbia 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....
, DixieDixie County, FloridaDixie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 13,827. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 14,647 . Its county seat is Cross City, Florida.- History :...
, HamiltonHamilton County, FloridaHamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 13,327. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 13,983 . Its county seat is Jasper, Florida.- History :...
, Lafayette, MadisonMadison County, FloridaMadison County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 18,733. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 19,902. Its county seat is Madison, Florida. Madison County is one of Florida's five dry counties....
, SuwanneeSuwannee County, FloridaSuwannee County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 34,844. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 38,624 . Its county seat is Live Oak, Florida. Suwannee County was a dry county until August, 2011.....
, and TaylorTaylor County, FloridaTaylor County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 19,256. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 19,622 . Its county seat is Perry, Florida.- History :Taylor County was created in 1856...
Counties - Office of the State Attorney, 3rd Judicial Circuit of Florida
- Circuit and County Court for the 3rd Judicial Circuit of Florida