Florida County History
There are 67 Counties in Florida but originally there were only two! If you’re interested in the history of the sunshine state, we have some fascinating history tips for you. Back in 1821, Florida was basically divided in half at the Suwannee River. Escambia was the only county to the west of the Suwannee River whereas St Johns County was the only county to the right of the river. Florida finally became the 27th state in the United States in 1845 and additional areas were being established.
Florida counties were thought of very carefully and many were named after their cultural heritage. Some are named for Confederate political leaders and the Spanish explorers and saints, marking the influence of Spanish sovereignty, while others were named for political leaders of the United States. Not every area was named after influential people tho, we also have areas named after the natural features of the the sunshine state. Rivers and lakes are also commonly used for county names.
The Population of Florida has changed quite a bit since the mid 1800’s. Back in 1830 the population was only 34,730 – which was a pretty fair amount of people considering the day and age. According the the United States Census, we have over 20 million Florida residents now. Over 20 million people live in Florida! Can you imagine how many people are here on any given day when accounting for tourists, etc?
Miami-Dade is the most populated county in Florida whereas Liberty County has the least amount of residents residing within the area. The Sunshine State is unique in many ways and has something to offer everyone. Whether you enjoy the Florida beaches and entertainment galore or your prefer the quiet, laid back country life, we have it all! The total area in Florida consists of 65,795 square miles and almost 12,000 square miles of the sunshine state is water. Between rivers, lakes, ponds and inter-coastal waterways, water activities are in abundance. Palm Beach County is actually the largest with over 2,034 square miles whereas Union County is the smallest with only 240 square miles! Union county is home to just over 15,000 residents and is the third-lowest-income county in the United States by per capita income.
- Alachua County – Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County and home of the University of Florida ( UF ) and commoningly known for the Florida Gators. Interesting stuff; University of Florida is the oldest and largest university in the sunshine state. When the campus first opened in 1906 there were only 106 students enrolled. The Gators took on the nickname in 1911 but only after being referred to as the Alligators. The first Coach was James Forsythe and racked up three winning seasons.
- Gainesville was orginally called Hogtown.
- Thomas Earl Petty, was born on October 20, 1950 in Gainesville, Florida. Tom Petty was an amazing American musician and actor who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He had many hit records before his death on October 2, 2017. Petty died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 66, one week after the end of the Heartbreakers’ 40th Anniversary Tour in 2017.
- The movie, The Devil’s Advocate (1997) was filmed in Gainesville.
- Daniel Harold Rolling (May 26, 1954 – October 25, 2006), known as the Gainesville Ripper, was an American serial killer who murdered five students in Gainesville, Florida over four days in August 1990. Rolling, dubbed the Gainesville Ripper, was behind the murders of five college students over the course of three days in August 1990, as well the killing of a family of three in Louisiana in November of that year. Rolling’s killing spree was so gruesome, he became the inspiration behind the movie franchise “Scream.”
- Alachua County, created in 1824, stretched from the Georgia border to the Gulf of Mexico as far south as Port Charlotte. Early settlers established towns such as Hogtown, Micanopy, Newnansville and Gainesville. The 1850s saw the arrival of now wellknown settler families such as the Baileys, Hailes, Chesnuts, Thomases and Mathesons.
-