Clay County, Florida

Clay County is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2019, the population was 219,252.[1] Its county seat is Green Cove Springs.[2] It is included in the Jacksonville metropolitan statistical area.

Clay County
U.S. county
Clay County Courthouse
Flag
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°59′N 81°52′W
Country United States
State Florida
FoundedDecember 31, 1858
Named forHenry Clay
SeatGreen Cove Springs
Largest communityLakeside
Area
 • Total644 sq mi (1,670 km2)
 • Land604 sq mi (1,560 km2)
 • Water39 sq mi (100 km2)  6.1%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
219,252[1]
 • Density352/sq mi (136/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.claycountygov.com

History

Clay County was created on December 31, 1858, from a section of Duval County. It is named in honor of Henry Clay, a famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky, and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century.[3][4]

Clay County was once a popular destination for tourists because of its hot springs and mild climate. Steamboats brought them to various hotels in Green Cove Springs, such as the St. Elmo, Clarendon, and Oakland. President Grover Cleveland was the most prominent of such tourists and had spring water shipped to the White House.[5] Clay County's popularity among tourists peaked during the last three decades of the 19th century. Tourism later waned because of Henry Flagler's extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to other destinations 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 southwest Clay County. The Florida National Guard developed this 28,000-acre (110 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 as a base for military training. Clay County is also a popular choice of residence for military personnel stationed on bases in nearby Duval County (NAS Jacksonville, NS Mayport, and, before it closed, NAS Cecil Field).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 644 square miles (1,670 km2), of which 604 square miles (1,560 km2) are land and 39 square miles (100 km2) (6.1%) are covered by water.[6]

Adjacent counties

Transportation

Airports

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18601,914—
18702,0989.6%
18802,83835.3%
18905,15481.6%
19005,6359.3%
19106,1168.5%
19205,621−8.1%
19306,85922.0%
19406,468−5.7%
195014,323121.4%
196019,53536.4%
197032,05964.1%
198067,052109.2%
1990105,98658.1%
2000140,81432.9%
2010190,86535.5%
2019 (est.)219,252[7]14.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2019[1]
Largest ancestries (2000)[12]Percent
English 43.5%
Irish 5.5%
German 6.9%
Scottish 4.0%
"American" 3.8%

At the 2010 census, 190,865 people, 65,356 households, and 39,390 families resided in the county. The majority of Clay County's population was located in the northeastern region, where large suburban communities have been built. Orange Park, Middleburg, and the surrounding area specifically have the majority of the population. Green Cove Springs area has the lower population spread west and south, along with the small city of Keystone Heights, which lies at the southwestern end of the county. Although the population of Clay County is relatively high, the majority of the county is still rural and consists of many farms connected by county roads. The population density was 234 people per square mile (90/km2). The 73,208 housing units averaged 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. About 7.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino, with Puerto Ricans being the majority of the Hispanic population.[13] There were 50,243 households, 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 not families. Around 16.90% of households were one person and 5.50% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.77, and the average family size was 3.11.

The age distribution was 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% 65 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 was $48,854 and 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, as of October 2004, 106,114 voters were registered in Clay County.

Politics

Voter registration

According to the Florida Department of State, Republicans account for a majority of registered voters in Clay County.

Clay County Voter Registration & Party Enrollment as of August 31, 2019[14]
Political Party Total Voters Percentage
Republican 81,890 53.31%
Democratic 34,526 22.47%
Independent 35,576 23.16%
Third Parties 1,630 1.06%
Total 153,622 100%

Statewide elections

For its population size, Clay County is one of the most reliably Republican counties in the state during presidential elections outside of the Panhandle, although it does support conservative Democrats for local and state offices.

Presidential elections results
Previous presidential elections results[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 67.8% 84,480 30.7% 38,317 1.5% 1,863
2016 69.9% 74,963 25.9% 27,822 4.2% 4,532
2012 72.3% 70,022 26.6% 25,759 1.1% 1,024
2008 71.0% 67,203 28.2% 26,697 0.9% 823
2004 76.2% 62,078 23.3% 18,971 0.6% 446
2000 72.8% 41,903 25.5% 14,668 1.7% 988
1996 64.5% 30,370 28.2% 13,259 7.4% 3,463
1992 58.0% 26,360 23.3% 10,610 18.7% 8,515
1988 76.7% 25,942 23.0% 7,773 0.4% 122
1984 79.7% 21,571 20.3% 5,489
1980 64.9% 15,643 31.6% 7,630 3.5% 849
1976 49.4% 8,468 49.0% 8,410 1.6% 270
1972 85.5% 10,467 14.3% 1,748 0.2% 23
1968 35.1% 3,251 21.1% 1,954 43.7% 4,046
1964 55.0% 3,805 45.0% 3,114
1960 48.0% 2,515 52.0% 2,728
1956 53.7% 2,372 46.3% 2,048
1952 49.1% 2,116 50.9% 2,196
1948 26.3% 722 56.3% 1,544 17.4% 476
1944 29.4% 520 70.6% 1,251
1940 25.1% 498 74.9% 1,488
1936 31.0% 562 69.0% 1,251
1932 30.2% 556 69.8% 1,285
1928 72.1% 1,088 26.1% 394 1.9% 28
1924 28.8% 171 57.2% 339 14.0% 83
1920 43.3% 486 49.7% 558 7.0% 79
1916 14.3% 79 68.7% 380 17.0% 94
1912 6.7% 26 71.5% 279 21.8% 85
1908 21.9% 122 63.6% 355 14.5% 81
1904 15.4% 50 76.0% 247 8.6% 28
1900 21.0% 91 71.1% 308 7.9% 34
1896 37.6% 230 58.1% 355 4.3% 26
1892 85.4% 404 14.6% 69
Previous gubernatorial elections results
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2018 68.89% 64,401 30.11% 28,150 0.99% 931
2014 72.40% 49,330 23.41% 15,948 4.19% 2,861
2010 69.97% 44,547 27.09% 17,246 2.94% 1,874
2006 73.00% 37,632 24.46% 12,610 2.54% 1,309
2002 77.38% 39,347 22.09% 11,233 0.53% 272
1998 76.29% 26,585 23.71% 8,261 0.00% 2
1994 70.86% 24,290 29.13% 9,986 0.00% 1

Museums
  • Clay County Historical and Railroad Museum, Green Cove Springs
  • Middleburg Historical Museum, Middleburg
  • Black Heritage Museum, Middleburg
  • Camp Blanding Museum, Camp Blanding

Education

The Clay County School District operates 42 public schools, with currently 28 elementary schools, five junior high schools, six high schools, and one junior/senior high school.

Libraries

The Clay County Public Library System consists of five branches:

  • Green Cove Springs Library
  • Headquarters Library (Fleming Island)
  • Keystone Heights Library
  • Middleburg-Clay Hill Library
  • Orange Park Library

The first public library in Clay County was made up of a small collection established by the Village Improvement Association within the county.[16] Other small libraries were established by other organizations within Clay County. In 1961, representatives from different women's organizations in the county started a movement to establish a library system within the county, and resulted in the Clay County Board of County Commissioners beginning to set aside funds to create the county library system.[16] Due to their efforts, the first public library in Clay County was opened in 1961 in Green Cove Springs.[16] The Green Cove Springs Library purchased a bookmobile in 1962 and began to provide outreach services to different areas within Clay County that same year.[16] In 1962 two more public libraries opened in Clay County, the Keystone Heights Library and the Orange Park Library.[16] A fire destroyed the Keystone Heights Library in February 1962.[16] The Keystone Heights Library was relocated to a new building in Theme Park in 1964.[16] The Headquarters Library in Green Cove Springs became open to the public in 1970 after a population boom caused the need for a new library.[16] In 1976, the Orange Park Library moved to a larger location within the town of Orange Park.[16] The population growth experienced in the county during the late 1970s necessitated the development of the Middleburg-Clay Hill Library, which first opened in a storefront in the late 1970s.[16] The permanent facility for this library was completed and opened to the public in 1986.[16]

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 30.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 83.
  5. Florida; a Guide to the Southern-Most State. US History Publishers. 1939. p. 352. ISBN 978-1-62376-009-0. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  10. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  11. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  12. "U.S. Census Annual Population Estimates 2007". Factfinder.census.gov. Archived from the original on May 16, 2013. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  14. "Florida DOS Voter Registration Statistics". Archived from the original on 2019-04-06. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
  16. "Clay County Public Library System". Retrieved 16 November 2017.

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