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Sopchoppy, Florida
City of Sopchoppy
Old Sopchoppy High School Gymnasium
Old Sopchoppy High School Gymnasium
Location in Wakulla County and the state of Florida
Location in Wakulla County and the state of Florida
Country  United States
State  Florida
County  Wakulla
Settled 1894
Incorporated 1955
Government
 • Type Mayor-Council
Area
 • Total 1.68 sq mi (4.35 km2)
 • Land 1.68 sq mi (4.35 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
30 ft (9 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 426
 • Density 253.87/sq mi (98.01/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
32358
Area code(s) 448/850
FIPS code 12-66925
GNIS feature ID 0306416

Sopchoppy is a city in Wakulla County, Florida, United States. The City of Sopchoppy is located on the Florida Panhandle in North Florida, with Ochlockonee River State Park located nearby. It is part of the Tallahassee, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 426 at the 2020 census, down from 457 at the 2010 census.

Geography

The exact coordinates for the City of Sopchoppy is located at 30°3′36″N 84°29′28″W / 30.06000°N 84.49111°W / 30.06000; -84.49111 (30.059994, –84.491084).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2.), all land.

Climate

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

History

Sopchoppy FL depot08
Sopchoppy Depot

The city's name is a corruption of "Lockchoppe", derived from the Muskogee lokchapi ("lokcha" meaning "acorn", and "api" meaning "stem"), which was the old name of the nearby river.

Mention of Sopchoppy can be found in 1850, in a runaway slave ad published by Henry Mash in the May 7, 1850 Florida Sentinel newspaper of Tallahassee. This is nearly 50 years earlier than the 1894 claim noted below.

Sopchoppy came into existence in 1894 after the CT&G Railroad Company built a railway through the area. It platted the city on property it already owned in the area, across the river from Greenough. To encourage people to settle the area, the railroad engaged in an advertising campaign, exaggerating the quality of the soil and climate.

The Sopchoppy Depot was built in 1891. Now a museum, it was built for the Carrabelle, Tallahassee & Georgia Railroad (G. F. & A.), and referred to colloquially as the "Gopher, Frog & Alligator, Company", which was absorbed by the Georgia, Florida and Alabama Railroad. The line began in 1893 and closed in 1946. It transported lumber, turpentine and related products, honey, farm produce, soldiers, fish and oysters packed in barrels in ice as well as sturgeon caviar from the Sopchoppy River, frog legs, and catfish.

Although Sopchoppy has existed as a settlement since at least 1894, the city was officially incorporated as a municipality in 1955.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1960 450
1970 460 2.2%
1980 444 −3.5%
1990 367 −17.3%
2000 426 16.1%
2010 457 7.3%
2020 426 −6.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 and 2020 census

Sopchoppy racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White (NH) 318 314 69.58% 73.71%
Black or African American (NH) 113 76 24.73% 17.84%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 2 4 0.44% 0.94%
Asian (NH) 3 1 0.66% 0.23%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Some other race (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) 11 17 2.41% 3.99%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10 14 2.19% 3.29%
Total 457 426

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 426 people, 220 households, and 119 families residing in the city.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 457 people, 165 households, and 110 families residing in the city.

Notable people

  • B. K. Roberts, Florida Supreme Court Justice, was born in Sopchoppy

Festivals

The city is home to the annual American Worm Gruntin' Festival, a city celebration named in honor of a worm grunting—also known as worm charming—a method for driving worms to the surface of the earth. Worm charmers hammer wooden stakes into the ground, then rub them with metal slabs. The resulting vibrations cause worms to surface, whereupon they are typically gathered and used or sold for fishing bait.

Part of Tim Dorsey's 2017 novel Clownfish Blues is set in Sopchoppy and worm grunting is a plot element.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Sopchoppy para niños

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