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Fort White, Florida
Town of Fort White
Top, left to right: Florida State Road 47 in Fort White, Fort White Train Depot, Fort White High School, Town of Fort White Historical Marker, Fort White Public School Historic District, Fort White United Methodist Church
Top, left to right: Florida State Road 47 in Fort White, Fort White Train Depot, Fort White High School, Town of Fort White Historical Marker, Fort White Public School Historic District, Fort White United Methodist Church
Motto(s): 
"Home of the Ichetucknee River"
Location in Columbia County and the state of Florida
Location in Columbia County and the state of Florida
Country  United States
State  Florida
County  Columbia
Incorporated 1884
Government
 • Type Mayor-Council
Area
 • Total 2.41 sq mi (6.25 km2)
 • Land 2.41 sq mi (6.25 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
69 ft (21 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 618
 • Density 256.01/sq mi (98.86/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
32038
Area code(s) 386
FIPS code 12-24500
GNIS feature ID 0282713

Fort White is a town in Columbia County, Florida, United States, named after a military fort built in the 1830s. It is the closest town to Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Fort White High School and the Fort White Public School Historic District are located within the town's borders. The original school building was constructed in 1915. As of the 2020 census, the population of Fort White was 618, up from 567 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lake City, Florida Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

FTWhiteSW
Excerpt from A Map of the Seat of War in Florida showing the fort location of Ft. White in 1839.

Fort White was originally constructed as a military fort during the Second Seminole War in 1836 to protect the Cow Creek settlement. Supplies were brought in by steamboat on the Santa Fe River and distributed to other area forts. Due to sickness, flooding along the river and rumors of the railroad coming to the area, the settlement was moved 4 miles (6 km) east to its present location.

Named after the military fort, in 1884, the Town of Fort White was officially incorporated and grew steadily, following the arrival of the railroad in 1888. Phosphate mining, turpentine and agriculture (cotton and oranges) were the foundation of the economy, and the population grew to nearly 2,000. The boom turned to bust as severe freezes in the winters of 1896 and 1897 destroyed the local citrus industry. By 1910, the largest phosphate deposits were depleted and mining ceased. The boll weevil ended cotton farming before World War I, and the population shrank to a few hundred people, primarily farmers, ranchers and foresters. The town's population in 1979 was 365.

Geography

FTWhiteR27
U.S. Route 27 in Fort White.

The exact coordinates for the Town of Fort White is located in southern Columbia County at 29°55′23″N 82°42′51″W / 29.92306°N 82.71417°W / 29.92306; -82.71417 (29.923001, –82.714299), at the intersection of U.S. Route 27 and Florida State Road 47. SR 47 leads north 20 miles (32 km) to Lake City, the Columbia County seat, and south 23 miles (37 km) to Trenton. US 27 leads southeast 16 miles (26 km) to Alachua and Interstate 75, and west 13 miles (21 km) to Branford.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Fort White has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2), all land. Most of the land surrounding the town is family farms and/or forests.

The Ichetucknee River

The locals have always known of and enjoyed the crystal clear Ichetucknee River and springs, located 4 miles (6 km) northwest of the town. However, before 1970, the existence and location of this natural wonder were not widely known. The road to the spring was not paved, nor was it marked, because the spring was on private property. In 1970, the state of Florida purchased the Ichetucknee spring and river property from the Loncala Phosphate Corporation. Columbia County built a paved road, number 238, providing easier access to the springs. In 1972, the head spring of the river was declared a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The main tributary from Ichetucknee Springs became one of the most popular tubing destinations in the world, attracting up to 5,000 visitors each day during the summer. Others came to the river to swim, picnic, snorkel, scuba dive, and explore the nearby forests.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, the Town of Fort White has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 376
1900 600 59.6%
1910 329 −45.2%
1920 360 9.4%
1930 272 −24.4%
1940 317 16.5%
1950 329 3.8%
1960 425 29.2%
1970 365 −14.1%
1980 386 5.8%
1990 268 −30.6%
2000 409 52.6%
2010 567 38.6%
2020 618 9.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 and 2020 census

Fort White racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White (NH) 334 406 58.91% 65.70%
Black or African American (NH) 171 149 30.16% 24.11%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 4 2 0.71% 0.32%
Asian (NH) 3 5 0.53% 0.81%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) 0 1 0.00% 0.16%
Some other race (NH) 1 2 0.18% 0.32%
Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) 12 12 2.12% 1.94%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 42 41 7.41% 6.63%
Total 567 618

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 618 people, 214 households, and 164 families residing in the town.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 567 people, 311 households, and 169 families residing in the town.

Schools

FortWhiteHighSchool17
Fort White High School

The public schools located within the Town of Fort White are served by the Columbia County School District.

  • Fort White Elementary School
  • Fort White Middle School
  • Fort White High School

The original Fort White High School was constructed during 1915, and an auditorium was added in 1936. Separate elementary school classrooms were completed in 1938.

The last high school class to graduate was in 1969, about the same time desegregation and integration forced the closing of the black schools in the area. At that time, there weren't enough children to justify a high school in Fort White; students in grades 9–12 were bused 20 miles (32 km) to Columbia High School in Lake City for over 30 years. After Ichetucknee Springs State Park opened in 1971, the population in the south end of the county steadily grew to the point where the need for a local facility was substantiated.

A $25 million high school was completed in December 2000 for grades 6–12, having opened in August 2000, in temporary buildings because of construction delays. The school had been scheduled for completion in August 2000. Fort White High School graduated the first class in a generation in 2001. A new Fort White Middle School for grade 6 was completed prior to the 2008–2009 school year. The rest of the middle school (for grades 7 and 8) has recently been finished and is in use, though the middle and high school are still joined.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Fort White para niños

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