Baker County, Florida

Baker County
Baker County
County
	Baker County Courthouse in Macclenny
	Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of Florida
	Florida's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 30°19′N 82°16′W / 30.32°N 82.27°W
Country	United States
State	Florida
Founded	February 8, 1861
Named for	James McNair Baker
Seat	Macclenny
Largest city	Macclenny
Area
• Total	588.97 sq mi (1,525.4 km2)
• Land	585.23 sq mi (1,515.7 km2)
• Water	3.74 sq mi (9.7 km2)
Population (2020)
• Total	28,259
• Density	48.29/sq mi (18.64/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.bakercountyfl.org

Baker County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,259.^[1] Its county seat is Macclenny.^[2] The county was founded in 1861 and is named for James McNair Baker, a judge and Confederate Senator.

Baker County is included in the Jacksonville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.

In 1864, the Battle of Olustee, which was the only major American Civil War battle in Florida, was fought near Lake City in Baker County.

History

Baker County was founded in 1861. It was named for James McNair Baker (1821–1892), a judge and Confederate senator.^[3] In 1864 the Battle of Olustee was fought near Lake City in Baker County. This was the only major American Civil War battle in Florida.^[4]

Much of the area was originally covered with pine flatwoods and cypress swamps, as was Columbia County to the west. Parts of both counties are included in Osceola National Forest. A lumber industry developed here, with sawmills constructed along rivers and waterways, where lumber was brought out by water. Turpentine was also produced. These industries employed many African American laborers.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 589 square miles (1,530 km²), of which 585 square miles (1,520 km²) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²) (0.6%) is water.^[5] The extreme northern part of the county lies within the Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected areas.

The St. Mary's River passes through Baker and numerous other counties. The St. Marys River is a remote blackwater river, rising in southeastern Georgia and flowing into northeastern Florida, where it forms the easternmost border between the two states.^[6]^[7]

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Osceola National Forest (part)

Transportation

Major highways

I-10 is the main west-to-east interstate highway in the county, and serves as the unofficial dividing line between northern and southern Baker County. It enters the county from Osceola National Forest and contains five interchanges within the county; the first being US 90 in Olustee (Exits 324), followed by Baker CR 229 south of Sanderson and Baker CR 125 south of Glen St Mary. The last two interchanges are in Macclenny; SR 121 (Exit 335), and SR 228 (Exit 336). Beyond this point I-10 runs through Nassau and Duval Counties into Downtown Jacksonville.
US 90 was the primary west-to-east route through Baker County until it was succeeded by Interstate 10.
SR 2 runs west to east through the northwest portion of the county, beginning at the northeast corner of Columbia County, then passing through John M. Bethea State Forest and becoming Georgia State Route 94 after crossing the bridge over the Saint Mary's River.
SR 121 is a south to north road that runs southwest to northeast from Raiford in Union County to just before the interchange with Interstate 10, and then straight south to north through downtown Macclenny and later towards rural Baker County, until it crosses a series of bridges over the Saint Mary's River where it takes a long journey through Georgia and South Carolina as a tri-state de facto auxiliary route from U.S. Route 21 in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
SR 228 / CR 228 is a short northwest-to-southeast state highway in Macclenny that has two county extensions. The first is a south-to-north extension beginning at US 90 leading to SR 121 north of the town limits. The second is a bi-county extension running southeast of Interstate 10 to US 301 in Duval County near the resumption of a state road which passes through Westside Jacksonville, Downtown Jacksonville and all the way to the Hogan section of Southside Jacksonville.

Railroads

The main railroad line through Baker County is the Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad which acquired the former CSX lines from Pensacola to Baldwin on June 1, 2019. CSX retained trackage rights on that route. No passenger trains stop anywhere in Baker County, but Amtrak's Sunset Limited served the Tallahassee Subdivision until Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast in 2005.

The other major railroad line in the county is Norfolk Southern Railway's Valdosta District, which spans northwest to southeast from the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge at the Georgia State Line, north of the Columbia-Baker County Line, through Baxter at a bridge over the Saint Mary's River which cuts through the "Georgia Bend" and eventually leads to the Jacksonville Terminal.

Additionally, the Jacksonville and Southwestern Railroad was a former Atlantic Coast Line Railroad line running through the southeast portion of the county that was abandoned by CSX in 1992. The line has been converted to a rail trail between Baldwin and Jacksonville in Duval County, and in Raiford in Union County, but no known plans exist to connect the two segments.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	1,325		—
1880	2,303		73.8%
1890	3,333		44.7%
1900	4,516		35.5%
1910	4,805		6.4%
1920	5,622		17.0%
1930	6,273		11.6%
1940	6,510		3.8%
1950	6,313		−3.0%
1960	7,363		16.6%
1970	9,242		25.5%
1980	15,289		65.4%
1990	18,486		20.9%
2000	22,259		20.4%
2010	27,115		21.8%
2020	28,259		4.2%
2023 (est.)	28,368	^[8]	0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census^[9] 1790–1960^[10] 1900–1990^[11] 1990–2000^[12] 2010–2020^[1]

**Baker County racial composition as of 2020**
(NH = Non-Hispanic)^[a]
Race	Pop 2010^[15]	Pop 2020^[16]	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	22,353	22,185	82.44%	78.51%
Black or African American (NH)	3,651	3,825	13.46%	13.54%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	72	109	0.27%	0.39%
Asian (NH)	129	157	0.48%	0.56%
Pacific Islander (NH)	5	14	0.02%	0.05%
Some Other Race (NH)	13	84	0.05%	0.3%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	372	912	1.37%	3.23%
Hispanic or Latino	520	973	1.92%	3.44%
Total	27,115	28,259

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 28,259 people, 8,828 households, and 6,448 families residing in the county.

As of the census^[17] of 2000, there were 22,259 people, 7,043 households, and 5,599 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 inhabitants per square mile (15/km²). There were 7,592 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5.0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.04% White, 13.92% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.5% were of American, 9.9% Irish, 8.6% English and 6.6% German ancestry according to Census 2000. Those claiming "American" ancestry are of predominantly English ancestry but most people in Baker County who are Anglo-European tend to identify simply as American.^[18]^[19]^[20]^[21] 97.2% spoke English and 2.5% Spanish as their first language.

There were 7,043 households, out of which 41.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.50% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.50% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 9.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 119.79 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,035, and the median income for a family was $43,503. Males had a median income of $30,240 versus $21,279 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,164. About 11.40% of families and 14.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.20% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Baker County School District serves public school students in the county.

The main library serving Baker County is the Emily Taber Public Library. The building used to be the Old Baker County Courthouse, built in 1908. The library director is April Teel.^[22]

Government

Law enforcement

The Baker County Sheriff's Office is headquartered in Macclenny, Florida. Sheriff Scotty Rhoden was first elected in 2016.^[23]

Politics

Voter registration

As of September 1, 2020, Baker County has a Republican majority, with a Democratic minority.^[24]

Name		Number of voters	%
	Democratic	4,446	27.2%
	Republican	9,910	60.7%
	Others	1,963	12.1%
Total		16,319

Statewide elections

United States presidential election results for Baker County, Florida^[25]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	11,911	84.58%	2,037	14.47%	134	0.95%
2016	10,294	81.02%	2,112	16.62%	299	2.35%
2012	8,975	78.80%	2,311	20.29%	104	0.91%
2008	8,672	78.22%	2,327	20.99%	88	0.79%
2004	7,738	77.73%	2,180	21.90%	37	0.37%
2000	5,611	68.80%	2,392	29.33%	152	1.86%
1996	3,686	55.54%	2,273	34.25%	678	10.22%
1992	3,418	50.59%	1,976	29.25%	1,362	20.16%
1988	3,418	71.49%	1,355	28.34%	8	0.17%
1984	3,485	71.62%	1,381	28.38%	0	0.00%
1980	2,283	45.88%	2,611	52.47%	82	1.65%
1976	1,058	25.22%	2,985	71.16%	152	3.62%
1972	1,943	83.64%	379	16.32%	1	0.04%
1968	294	10.72%	487	17.75%	1,962	71.53%
1964	1,121	49.65%	1,137	50.35%	0	0.00%
1960	398	21.32%	1,469	78.68%	0	0.00%
1956	366	20.23%	1,443	79.77%	0	0.00%
1952	419	22.04%	1,482	77.96%	0	0.00%
1948	112	9.52%	849	72.19%	215	18.28%
1944	127	10.05%	1,137	89.95%	0	0.00%
1940	114	7.78%	1,352	92.22%	0	0.00%
1936	116	6.94%	1,555	93.06%	0	0.00%
1932	87	6.37%	1,278	93.63%	0	0.00%
1928	676	72.38%	242	25.91%	16	1.71%
1924	124	32.72%	215	56.73%	40	10.55%
1920	115	22.64%	346	68.11%	47	9.25%
1916	52	9.25%	439	78.11%	71	12.63%
1912	37	11.18%	168	50.76%	126	38.07%
1908	104	30.95%	152	45.24%	80	23.81%
1904	120	35.40%	207	61.06%	12	3.54%

Previous gubernatorial elections results
Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2022	89.45% 9,594	10.18% 1,092	0.37% 41
2018	82.37% 8,687	16.69% 1,760	0.94% 99
2014	70.54% 5,956	24.87% 2,100	4.59% 388
2010	62.34% 4,940	34.46% 2,731	3.20% 253
2006	69.39% 4,335	27.82% 1,738	2.79% 174
2002	69.22% 4,515	30.06% 1,961	0.72% 47
1998	71.14% 3,268	28.86% 1,326
1994	68.52% 3,600	31.48% 1,654

Industry

Baker County is home to a Walmart distribution center,^[26]^[27] several small manufacturing businesses, and Acreage Holdings, a cannabis cultivation facility. There are also several local,^[28] regional, state (the Baker Correctional Institution),^[29] and federal^[30] prisons in the western part of the county, bordering several more such facilities^[31] in Columbia County.

Communities

City

Macclenny

Town

Unincorporated communities

^[32]

Notes

^ Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.^[13]^[14]

References

^ ^a ^b "QuickFacts: Baker County, Florida". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 30.
^ "American Battlefield Protection Program Battle Summary". National Park Service. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
^ "Florida's Water". floridaswater.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
^ "Baker County Geography". stmaryriverbaker.weebly.com. Thomas. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
^ "Census.gov". Census.gov.
^ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
^ Sharing the Dream: White Males in a Multicultural America By Dominic J. Pulera.
^ Reynolds Farley, 'The New Census Question about Ancestry: What Did It Tell Us?', Demography, Vol. 28, No. 3 (August 1991), pp. 414, 421.
^ Stanley Lieberson and Lawrence Santi, 'The Use of Nativity Data to Estimate Ethnic Characteristics and Patterns', Social Science Research, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1985), pp. 44-6.
^ Stanley Lieberson and Mary C. Waters, 'Ethnic Groups in Flux: The Changing Ethnic Responses of American Whites', Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 487, No. 79 (September 1986), pp. 82-86.
^ "Emily Taber Public Library (Baker County) | New River Public Library Cooperative". March 4, 2016. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
^ "Rhoden wins race". Jacksonville.com. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
^ "Baker County Supervisor of Elections > Voter Information > Statistic Reports".
^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
^ "Neighbors irked by Walmart DC, Who knew?". Baker County Press. April 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
^ "Wal-Mart D.C. #6099 - Macclenny, FL". Retrieved March 10, 2021.
^ "Corrections Department". Baker County Sheriff's Office. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
^ "Baker Re-Entry Center". Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
^ "Baker County Facility". U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
^ "Columbia Correctional Institution". Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
^ "Google Maps". Google Maps.