Putnam County, Florida

Putnam County is a county located in the northern part of the state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, its population was 73,321. Its county seat is Palatka. Putnam County comprises the Palatka, Florida micropolitan statistical area, which is included in the Jacksonville—Kingsland—Palatka, Florida—Georgia combined statistical area. The county is centrally located between Jacksonville, Gainesville, St. Augustine, and Daytona Beach.

History

Putnam County was created in 1849. It was Florida's 28th county created from parts of St. Johns, Alachua, Orange, Duval, and Marion counties. The county was named for Benjamin A. Putnam, who was an officer in the First Seminole War, a lawyer, Florida legislator, and the first president of the Florida Historical Society. The Putnam County Historical Society has determined that Benjamin A. Putnam is the grandson of Israel Putnam, for whom other counties and places in the United States are named. Benjamin A. Putnam died in the county seat of Palatka in 1869.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 827 square miles (2,140 km2), of which 99 sq mi (260 km2) (12.0%) are covered by water.

The county contains various sinkhole lakes, such as Lake Barco and Lake Suggs, where unconsolidated deposits on the surface have slumped into the highly soluble limestone of the upper Floridan aquifer.

Adjacent counties

• Clay County, Florida – north
• St. Johns County, Florida – northeast
• Flagler County, Florida – east
• Volusia County, Florida – southeast
• Marion County, Florida – southwest
• Alachua County, Florida – west
• Bradford County, Florida – northwest

National protected area

• Ocala National Forest (part)

State Park

• Ravine Gardens
• Dunns Creek

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, 73,321 people and 18,179 families were residing in the county; the median age was 46.8 years, with 20.6% of residents under the age of 18 and 24.1% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.1 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 71.4% White, 15.6% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.6% from some other race, and 7.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.7% of the population.

27.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 72.7% lived in rural areas.

There were 29,569 households in the county, of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.0% were married-couple households, 20.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 36,014 housing units, of which 17.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.6% were owner-occupied and 25.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.4%.

Racial and ethnic composition

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census 70,423 people, 27,839 households, and 19,459 familieswere living in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile (38 people/km2). The 33,870 housing units had an average density of 47 per square mile (18/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.91% White, 17.04% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 2.98% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. About 5.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 27,839 households, 28.1% had children under 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were not families. Around 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the age distribution of the population was 24.6% under 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,180, and for a family was $34,499. Males had a median income of $29,975 versus $20,955 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,603. About 15.80% of families and 20.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.60% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.

Ancestry/ethnicity

As of 2017[update] the largest self-reported ethnic/ancestry groups in Putnam County, Florida are:

Education

The county's public primary and secondary schools are operated by the Putnam County School District (Florida). High schools in the county include:

• Crescent City High School
• Interlachen High School
• Palatka High School
• QI Roberts High School

St. Johns River State College has a full service campus with dorms in Palatka.

Libraries

Putnam County is served by the which has five branches:

• Palatka (main)
• Bostwick
• Crescent City
• Interlachen
• Melrose

Communities

Cities

• Crescent City
• Palatka (county seat)

Towns

• Interlachen
• Pomona Park
• Welaka

Census-designated place

• East Palatka

Other unincorporated communities

• Bardin
• Bostwick
• Carraway
• Crossley
• Edgar
• Florahome
• Francis
• Fruitland
• Georgetown
• Grandin
• Hollister
• Huntington
• Johnson Crossroads
• Lake Como
• Mannville
• Melrose
• Orange Mills
• Putnam Hall
• Ridgewood
• Rodman
• San Mateo
• Satsuma
• Springside
• Yelvington

Politics

Up until the Civil Rights Act, Putnam County typically followed the Solid South pattern of voting Democratic, making exceptions for Herbert Hoover in 1928 (though a lot of White Southerners were against Democrat Al Smith due to his Northern Catholic background) and Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1950s. The county also backed Independent segregationist George Wallace in 1968 and Democrat Jimmy Carter in both of his bids. Today a staunchly Republican county, the last Democratic presidential candidate to win Putnam was Bill Clinton, the last to come within single digits of doing so was Al Gore in 2000, and the last to garner 40% of the county vote was John Kerry in 2004.

Voter registration

According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans are a plurality of registered voters in Putnam County.

Sheriff's office

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency of Putnam County. It was established in 1849. The incumbent sheriff is H.D. "Gator" DeLoach III.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office contains a K9 unit (with 4 German Shepherds), the Putnam County Jail, a SWAT unit, a marine unit and Underwater Search and Retrieval team along with a Drug and Vice unit.

According to ODMP, 1 officer of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office has been killed in the line of duty.

Transportation

Airports

• The main airport within the county is the Palatka Municipal Airport. Minor and private air strips also exist.

Highways

• US 17 is the main local road through eastern Putnam County, running south to north.
• SR 15 is the hidden route for US 17 within the county and the vicinity.
• SR 19 is a mostly scenic north and south road that enters the county from Ocala National Forest and terminates with US 17 in Palatka.
• SR 20 runs west to east through the panhandle into Putnam County east from Hawthorne in Alachua County, and joins US 17/SR 100 in Palatka.
• SR 21 runs south to north from SR 20 in McMeekin through Melrose before entering Clay County.
• SR 26 runs west to east through Gilcrhist and Alachua Counties before entering Putnam County in Melrose and terminating at SR 100 in Putnam Hall.
• SR 100 runs northwest to southeast from Clay County southeast of Keystone Heights, passing through Putnam Hall, Florahome, and Palatka where it joins US 17, and later SR 20 in a concurrency into San Mateo where SR 100 (and hidden SR 20) runs southeast towards the Flagler County Line
• SR 207 is a west to east route that runs northeast from US 17/SRs 20/100 through Orange Mills and then the St. Johns County Line.

Rail transport

The historic Old Atlantic Coast Line Union Depot is the current Amtrak station in Palatka for Putnam County along the CSX Sanford Subdivision. Originally the station not only served the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad but also served the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, the Southern Railway, Florida East Coast Railroad, and the Ocklawaha Valley Railroad. Additionally, the Edgar Spur of the CSX Wildwood Subdivision enters the western edge of the county from Alachua County.

Navigable waterways

• St. Johns River

Notable people

• Peter Monroe Hagan (1871–1930), law enforcement officer and served as Putnam County Sheriff.
• A. Philip Randolph (1889–1979), black rights activist. Born in the city of Crescent City in South Putnam.

See also

• Drayton Island
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Putnam County, Florida
• Putnam County, New York

Notes

External links

Government links/Constitutional offices

• official website
• January 5, 2005, at the Wayback Machine

Special districts

Judicial branch

• March 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
• serving Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia counties

Tourism links

29°37′N 81°44′W/29.61°N 81.74°W/ 29.61; -81.74