Franklin County, Florida

History

Franklin County was founded in 1832. It was named for Benjamin Franklin.

The second largest town in Franklin County is Carrabelle, 25 miles east of Apalachicola on the Carrabelle River.

Camp Gordon Johnston

Main article: Camp Gordon Johnston

During World War II most of Franklin County was used by the U.S. Army for amphibious and jungle training, for which the beaches and islands were ideal. When the war ended and the military left, Lanark Village was established from the remaining officer's quarters.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1026 sqmi, of which 535 sqmi is land and 492 sqmi (47.9%) is water.

Franklin County includes part of Tate's Hell State Forest. Bald Point State Park is nearby. The county's river's include the Carrabelle River and its tributaries the New River (Florida Panhandle) and Crooked River (Florida), visited by paddlers. The extreme eastern tip of the county is bordered by the Ochlockonee River.

Adjacent counties

• Liberty County, Florida – north
• Wakulla County, Florida – northeast
• Gulf County, Florida – west (northern part of the county observes CDT/CST time)

National protected areas

• Apalachicola National Forest (part)
• St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Barrier islands

• Cape St. George Island
• Dog Island
• St. George Island
• St. Vincent Island

Also, St. James Island, while part of the mainland, is technically an island, being separated from the rest of Franklin County by rivers and an estuary.

Historic sites

• Crooked River Light
• Prospect Bluff Historic Sites

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2015 2019

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 12,451 people, 4,947 households, and 2,926 families residing in the county, and the median age was 50.7 years.

Children under the age of 18 comprised 15.2% of residents and 27.2% were 65 years of age or older; for every 100 females there were 120.1 males and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 121.4 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 80.3% White, 11.4% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian,

Less than 0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 4,947 households in the county, of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.6% were married-couple households, 19.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 8,347 housing units, of which 40.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.8% were owner-occupied and 23.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 20.9%.

Racial and ethnic composition

Non-Hispanic White

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,057 people, 4,096 households, and 2,727 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 /mi2. There were 7,180 housing units at an average density of 13 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 81.24% White, 16.32% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. 2.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,096 households, out of which 24.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% were married couples living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 18.00% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 30.80% from 25 to 44, 27.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 129.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 135.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,756, and the median income for a family was $31,157. Males had a median income of $25,101 versus $20,494 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,140. About 11.80% of families and 17.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.20% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Franklin County residents are within the Franklin County School District. All Students K-12 attend the Franklin County School at Eastpoint, except those attending the Apalachicola Bay Charter School or other private schools.

Gulf Coast State College operates the Gulf/Franklin Campus in Port St. Joe in Gulf County.

The Franklin County Public Library works with the Wilderness Coast Public Libraries. The FCPL has two library branches.

• Carrabelle
• Eastpoint In addition, Franklin County has the Apalachicola Margaret Key Library, an independent library with a history of providing services for over 100 years. It is not a member of Wilderness Coast, but is recognized by the state.

Politics

Voter registration

Statewide elections

Communities

Towns

• Apalachicola
• Carrabelle

Census-designated places

• Eastpoint
• St. George Island

Unincorporated communities

• Alligator Point
• Bald Point
• Lanark Village
• St. Teresa

Transportation

Airports

• Apalachicola Regional Airport
• Carrabelle-Thompson Airport
• St. George Island Airport

Roads

Main article: List of county roads in Franklin County, Florida

Notes

References

References

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2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. (1908). "Publications of the Florida Historical Society". Florida Historical Society.
4. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
5. (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
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7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
10. "QuickFacts. Florida counties".
11. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau.
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
14. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
15. https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific. (August 2022)
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17. "Explore Census Data".
18. "Explore Census Data".
19. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
20. Geography Division. (December 23, 2020). "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Franklin County, FL". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
21. "Gulf/Franklin Campus". [[Gulf Coast State College]].
22. "Home". Franklin County Library.
23. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".