Colonel William A. Phillips

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There are 67 counties in the state of Florida. It became a territory of the U.S. in 1821 with two counties complementing the provincial divisions retained as a Spanish territory: Escambia to the west and St. Johns to the east, divided by the Suwannee River. All of the other counties were apportioned from these two original counties. Florida became the 27th U.S. state in 1845, and its last county was created in 1925 with the formation of Gilchrist County from a segment of Alachua County.[1] Each county has a county seat. In Florida, county seats typically have a courthouse at a town square. Of the current 67 counties and one historic county, 31 counties have changed their county seat at least once.

History

When counties were established some counties already had towns, which were soon named county seats. Several counties upon establishment lacked population centers and did not have a county seat for a year or more. Typically during those periods without a definite county seat, county courts and other local government business was held at the residences of community leaders or at churches.

A common cause for a county seat changing is the center of population changing after a new county is created. Railroads bypassing the current county seat is another common cause for a county changing its seat. A hurricane devastating the county seat has led to three counties to change their county seats. The hurricane that made landfall in September 1843 in the Big Bend area devastated Port Leon the county seat of Wakulla County, Florida and St. Joseph the county seat of Calhoun County, Florida. The destruction left in Everglades City by Hurricane Donna in 1960 led to Collier County changing its county seat in 1962. Gulf County is the county to change its seat most recently. In 1965, it changed its county seat from Wewahitchka to Port St. Joe.

Two county seats have lost their status as a county seat and later regained it:

  • Newnansville was the county seat of Alachua County from 1828 to 1832. In 1832, it became the county seat of Columbia County. In 1839, it became once again the county seat of Alachua County.
  • Miami was the county seat of Dade County from 1844 to 1866, and then regained its status as county seat in 1899.

Five county seats have later become the county seats of other counties:

  • Newnansville was the county seat of Alachua County from 1828 to 1832. In 1832, it became the county seat of Columbia County.
  • Susannah at Fort Pierce was the county seat of St. Lucie County (renamed Brevard County in 1855) from 1844 to 1864. When a new county named St. Lucie County was established in 1905, Fort Pierce was named the county seat.
  • Lake Butler was the county seat of Bradford County, Florida from 1860 until a referendum changed the county seat to Starke, Florida on 17 August 1887. Lake Butler later became the county seat of Union County, Florida when it was established in 1921.
  • Pine Level was the county seat of Manatee County from 1866 to 1887. When DeSoto County was created in 1887, it was named the county seat of the newly created county. It remained the county seat of DeSoto County until 1889.
  • Enterprise was the county seat of Orange County from 1843 to 1846. It later became the county seat of Volusia upon its creation in 1854, until it was replaced in 1888.

County seat listing

List of County Seats of Florida[2]
County County Seat Date Notes Coordinates
Alachua
Created 1824
Wanton's 1824 29°30′23″N 82°16′55″W / 29.506389°N 82.281944°W / 29.506389; -82.281944
Newnansville 1828 Transferred to Columbia County in 1832. 29°48′31″N 82°28′36″W / 29.808611°N 82.476667°W / 29.808611; -82.476667
Unknown 1830s
Newnansville 1839 Changed by an act of the state legislature on 10 February 1839 back to Alachua County 29°48′31″N 82°28′36″W / 29.808611°N 82.476667°W / 29.808611; -82.476667
Gainesville 1853 The Florida Railroad bypassed Newnansville and Gainesville was established along the route of the rail line. 29°39′07″N 82°19′30″W / 29.651997°N 82.324992°W / 29.651997; -82.324992
Baker
Created 1861
Sanderson 1861 30°15′08″N 82°16′22″W / 30.252222°N 82.272778°W / 30.252222; -82.272778
Macclenny 1877 Originally called Darbyville. County seat moved from Sanderson after a courthouse fire in 1877. 30°17′00″N 82°07′00″W / 30.283333°N 82.116667°W / 30.283333; -82.116667
Bay
Created 1913
Panama City 1913 Established in 1888 as Park Resort on St. Andrews Bay (Florida). 30°10′28″N 85°39′52″W / 30.174444°N 85.664444°W / 30.174444; -85.664444
Bradford
Created 1858
Lake Butler 1860 30°01′18″N 82°20′27″W / 30.021667°N 82.340833°W / 30.021667; -82.340833
Starke 1887 Changed by referendum on 17 August 1887. 29°56′50″N 82°06′29″W / 29.947222°N 82.108056°W / 29.947222; -82.108056
Brevard
Created 1844
Susannah 1844 Community located outside Fort Pierce. 27°26′20″N 80°20′08″W / 27.438889°N 80.335556°W / 27.438889; -80.335556
Bassville 1864
Eau Gallie 1874 28°07′45″N 80°37′48″W / 28.129167°N 80.63°W / 28.129167; -80.63
Lake View 1875
Titusville 1879 Changed by referendum in 1879. 28°35′28″N 80°49′12″W / 28.591111°N 80.82°W / 28.591111; -80.82
Broward
Created 1915
Fort Lauderdale 1915 Began to grow as a community once the Florida East Coast Railway reached the area in the 1890s. 30°10′28″N 80°08′15″W / 30.174444°N 80.137397°W / 30.174444; -80.137397
Calhoun
Created 1838
St. Joseph 1838 Established 1835 on St. Joseph Bay and soon became the most populous town in the territory of Florida
Suffered a yellow fever outbreak in 1841.
Remains of the abandoned town destroyed by the storm surge of a hurricane that stuck the Gulf Coast in September 1843.
Abe Springs 1850s 30°21′57″N 85°08′51″W / 30.365833°N 85.1475°W / 30.365833; -85.1475
Blountstown 1880 Established on the Apalachicola River as a river port prior to the American Civil War
Changed by referendum on 1 April 1880.
30°26′35″N 85°02′43″W / 30.443056°N 85.045278°W / 30.443056; -85.045278
Charlotte
Created 1921
Punta Gorda 1921 Began to grow as a community as the terminus of the Florida Southern Railway on Charlotte Harbor when the line reached the area in the 1886. 26°54′57″N 82°02′52″W / 26.915833°N 82.047778°W / 26.915833; -82.047778
Citrus
Created 1887
Mannfield 1887
Inverness 1891 Established as a sawmill town by the late 1860s. 28°50′21″N 82°20′25″W / 28.839167°N 82.340278°W / 28.839167; -82.340278
Clay
Created 1858
Middleburg 1858 30°03′03″N 81°54′07″W / 30.050833°N 81.901944°W / 30.050833; -81.901944
Whitesville 1859 Changed by referendum on 3 October 1859.
Whitesvilles was renamed Webster.
Green Cove Springs 1872 29°59′34″N 81°41′02″W / 29.992778°N 81.683889°W / 29.992778; -81.683889
Collier
Created 1923
Everglades 1923 Began to grow as a community as the terminus of the Florida Southern Railway on Charlotte Harbor when the line reached the area in the 1886.
Everglades suffered damage during Hurricane Donna in 1960.
25°51′32″N 81°23′05″W / 25.858889°N 81.384722°W / 25.858889; -81.384722
East Naples 1962 26°08′17″N 81°46′00″W / 26.138056°N 81.766667°W / 26.138056; -81.766667
Columbia
Created 1832
Newnansville 1832 Previously the county seat of Alachua County from 1828 to 1832.
Transferred to Alachua County by the state legislature on 10 February 1839.
29°48′31″N 82°28′36″W / 29.808611°N 82.476667°W / 29.808611; -82.476667
Alligator 1839 Alligator was renamed Lake City in 1859. 30°11′00″N 82°38′00″W / 30.183333°N 82.633333°W / 30.183333; -82.633333
DeSoto
Created 1887
Pine Level 1887 Formerly the county seat of Manatee County 27°15′54″N 81°59′31″W / 27.265132°N 81.991960°W / 27.265132; -81.991960
Arcadia 1889 27°12′57″N 81°51′30″W / 27.215819°N 81.858266°W / 27.215819; -81.858266
Dixie
Created 1921
Cross City 1921 29°38′07″N 83°07′29″W / 29.635278°N 83.124722°W / 29.635278; -83.124722
Duval
Created 1822
Jacksonville 1822 30°20′13″N 81°39′41″W / 30.336944°N 81.661389°W / 30.336944; -81.661389
Escambia
Created 1821
Pensacola 1821 Capital of West Florida from 1763 to 1821. 30°25′18″N 87°12′59″W / 30.421591°N 87.216478°W / 30.421591; -87.216478
Fayette County
Created 1832
Merged with
Jackson 1834
Ochesee 1832
Flagler
Created 1917
Bunnell 1917 29°28′03″N 81°15′25″W / 29.4675°N 81.256944°W / 29.4675; -81.256944
Franklin
Created 1832
Apalachicola 1832 29°43′31″N 84°59′33″W / 29.725278°N 84.9925°W / 29.725278; -84.9925
Gadsden
Created 1823
Quincy 1823 30°35′00″N 84°35′00″W / 30.583333°N 84.583333°W / 30.583333; -84.583333
Gilchrist
Created 1925
Trenton 1925 29°36′48″N 82°49′06″W / 29.613405°N 82.818209°W / 29.613405; -82.818209
Glades
Created 1921
Moore Haven 1921 26°50′00″N 81°05′31″W / 26.833425°N 81.091816°W / 26.833425; -81.091816
Gulf
Created 1925
Wewahitchka 1925 30°06′51″N 85°11′55″W / 30.114167°N 85.198611°W / 30.114167; -85.198611
Port St. Joe 1965 29°48′53″N 85°17′50″W / 29.814722°N 85.297222°W / 29.814722; -85.297222
Hamilton
Created 1827
Micco Town 1827 Previously a Seminole town.
Jasper 1835 30°31′08″N 82°57′04″W / 30.518889°N 82.951111°W / 30.518889; -82.951111
Hardee
Created 1921
Wauchula 1921 27°32′46″N 81°48′52″W / 27.546111°N 81.814444°W / 27.546111; -81.814444
Hendry
Created 1923
LaBelle 1923 26°45′38″N 81°26′21″W / 26.760556°N 81.439167°W / 26.760556; -81.439167
Hernando
Created 1843
De Soto 1843 Previously a fort during the Seminole Wars.
Bayport 1860 Bombed during the American Civil War by the United States Navy 28°32′54″N 82°38′43″W / 28.548333°N 82.645278°W / 28.548333; -82.645278
Brooksville 1863 Established in 1856
Became county seat in response to the bombing of Bayport
28°33′13″N 82°23′19″W / 28.553611°N 82.388611°W / 28.553611; -82.388611
Highlands
Created 1921
Sebring 1921 27°29′44″N 81°26′28″W / 27.495620°N 81.441001°W / 27.495620; -81.441001
Hillsborough
Created 1834
Tampa 1834 27°58′05″N 82°28′35″W / 27.968056°N 82.476389°W / 27.968056; -82.476389
Holmes
Created 1848
Cerrogordo 1848 30°49′55″N 85°53′15″W / 30.831944°N 85.8875°W / 30.831944; -85.8875
Pittman's Ferry 18??
Westville 187? 28°33′13″N 82°23′19″W / 28.553611°N 82.388611°W / 28.553611; -82.388611
Bonifay 1904 30°47′00″N 85°41′00″W / 30.783333°N 85.683333°W / 30.783333; -85.683333
Indian River
Created 1925
Vero Beach 1925 27°38′19″N 80°23′50″W / 27.638648°N 80.397264°W / 27.638648; -80.397264
Jackson
Created 1822
Webbville 1822
Marianna 1828 30°46′35″N 85°14′17″W / 30.776389°N 85.238056°W / 30.776389; -85.238056
Jefferson
Created 1827
Monticello 1828 30°32′42″N 83°52′13″W / 30.545131°N 83.870254°W / 30.545131; -83.870254
Lafayette
Created 1853
New Troy 1858
Mayo 1892 County seat changed after the courthouse at New Troy was destroyed by fire. 30°03′07″N 83°10′32″W / 30.051944°N 83.175556°W / 30.051944; -83.175556
Lake
Created 1887
Bloomfield 1887
Tavares 1888 28°48′06″N 81°44′01″W / 28.801667°N 81.733611°W / 28.801667; -81.733611
Lee
Created 1887
Fort Myers 1887 26°37′00″N 81°50′00″W / 26.616667°N 81.833333°W / 26.616667; -81.833333
Leon
Created 1824
Tallahassee 1824 Capital of Florida from its founding, replacing former capitals St. Augustine (East Florida) and Pensacola (West Florida). 30°26′17″N 84°16′50″W / 30.438147°N 84.280561°W / 30.438147; -84.280561
Levy
Created 1845
Sodom 1852 Renamed Mount Pleasant in 1854.
Renamed Levyville in 1856.
Bronson 1869 29°26′56″N 82°38′11″W / 29.448889°N 82.636389°W / 29.448889; -82.636389
Liberty
Created 1855
Riddleysville 185?
Bristol 18?? 30°25′37″N 84°58′45″W / 30.426944°N 84.979167°W / 30.426944; -84.979167
Madison
Created 1827
San Pedro 1835
Madison 1836 30°28′00″N 83°25′00″W / 30.466667°N 83.416667°W / 30.466667; -83.416667
Manatee
Created 1855
Manatee 1855
Pine Level 1866 Later the county seat of DeSoto County 27°15′55″N 81°59′31″W / 27.265229°N 81.991835°W / 27.265229; -81.991835
Bradenton 1887 27°29′00″N 82°35′00″W / 27.483333°N 82.583333°W / 27.483333; -82.583333
Marion
Created 1844
Ocala 1846 The community grew up around Fort King. 29°11′16″N 82°07′50″W / 29.187778°N 82.130556°W / 29.187778; -82.130556
Martin
Created 1925
Stuart 1925 27°11′32″N 80°14′35″W / 27.192222°N 80.243056°W / 27.192222; -80.243056
Miami-Dade
Created 1836
Indian Key 1836 24°53′00″N 80°41′00″W / 24.883333°N 80.683333°W / 24.883333; -80.683333
Miami 1844 25°46′31″N 80°12′32″W / 25.775278°N 80.208889°W / 25.775278; -80.208889
Juno 1866
Miami 1899 25°46′31″N 80°12′32″W / 25.775278°N 80.208889°W / 25.775278; -80.208889
Monroe
Created 1823
Key West 1823 24°33′33″N 81°47′03″W / 24.559167°N 81.784031°W / 24.559167; -81.784031
Nassau
Created 1824
Fernandina Beach 1824 30°40′10″N 81°27′42″W / 30.669444°N 81.461667°W / 30.669444; -81.461667
Okaloosa
Created 1915
Milligan 1915 Damaged when the Yellow River flooded in 1917.
Crestview 1917 30°45′15″N 86°34′22″W / 30.754167°N 86.572778°W / 30.754167; -86.572778
Okeechobee
Created 1917
Okeechobee 1917 27°14′38″N 80°49′17″W / 27.243889°N 80.821389°W / 27.243889; -80.821389
Orange
Created 1824
John Bunch's 1824 County seat of then Mosquito County
New Smyrna 1835
Enterprise 1843 Northern half of Mosquito County renamed Orange County in 1845.
Southern half established as St. Lucie County in 1844.
28°52′09″N 81°16′00″W / 28.869167°N 81.266667°W / 28.869167; -81.266667
Mellonville 1846
Orlando 1856 28°32′18″N 81°22′45″W / 28.538434°N 81.379108°W / 28.538434; -81.379108
Osceola
Created 1887
Kissimmee 1887 28°18′14″N 81°24′46″W / 28.303889°N 81.412778°W / 28.303889; -81.412778
Palm Beach
Created 1909
West Palm Beach 1909 Established along the route of the Florida East Coast Railway in 1894. 26°42′35″N 80°03′51″W / 26.709722°N 80.064167°W / 26.709722; -80.064167
Pasco Beach
Created 1887
Dade City 1887 28°21′41″N 82°11′36″W / 28.361389°N 82.193333°W / 28.361389; -82.193333
Pinellas
Created 1912
Clearwater 1912 Clearwater's status as county seat was legally contentious for a number of years after the establishment of Pinellas County. 27°58′25″N 82°45′51″W / 27.973611°N 82.764167°W / 27.973611; -82.764167
Polk
Created 1861
Jefferson 1862
Bartow 1867 27°53′33″N 81°50′23″W / 27.8925°N 81.839722°W / 27.8925; -81.839722
Putnam
Created 1849
Palatka 1849 29°38′52″N 81°39′05″W / 29.647778°N 81.651389°W / 29.647778; -81.651389
St. Johns
Created 1821
St. Augustine 1821 Capital of Spanish Florida from 1565 to 1763.
Capital of East Florida from 1763 to 1821.
Capital of Florida Territory from 1822 to 1824.
29°53′41″N 81°18′52″W / 29.894722°N 81.314444°W / 29.894722; -81.314444
St. Lucie
Created 1905
Fort Pierce 1905 Former county seat of Brevard County from 1844 to 1864. 27°26′20″N 80°20′08″W / 27.438889°N 80.335556°W / 27.438889; -80.335556
Santa Rosa
Created 1842
Milton 1842 30°37′49″N 87°02′47″W / 30.630278°N 87.046389°W / 30.630278; -87.046389
Sarasota
Created 1921
Sarasota 1921 27°20′14″N 82°32′07″W / 27.337222°N 82.535278°W / 27.337222; -82.535278
Seminole
Created 1913
Sanford 1913 28°47′22″N 81°16′32″W / 28.789444°N 81.275556°W / 28.789444; -81.275556
Sumter
Created 1853
Adamsville 1853 28°47′59″N 82°01′14″W / 28.799722°N 82.020556°W / 28.799722; -82.020556
Leesburg 185? 28°48′38″N 81°53′00″W / 28.810556°N 81.883333°W / 28.810556; -81.883333
Sumterville 1881 Changed by referendum on 15 October 1881.
Courthouse destroyed by fire on 30 January 1909.
28°44′51″N 82°03′50″W / 28.7475°N 82.063889°W / 28.7475; -82.063889
Bushnell 1912 Changed by referendum in 1912 after political fighting arose after the courthouse fire at Sumterville. 28°39′50″N 82°06′51″W / 28.663889°N 82.114167°W / 28.663889; -82.114167
Suwannee
Created 1858
Houston 1858 30°15′25″N 82°54′09″W / 30.256944°N 82.9025°W / 30.256944; -82.9025
Live Oak 186? Located at the junction of the Florida spur of the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad and the Florida, Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad. 30°17′40″N 82°59′09″W / 30.294444°N 82.985833°W / 30.294444; -82.985833
Taylor
Created 1856
Perry 1856 30°06′52″N 83°34′57″W / 30.114444°N 83.5825°W / 30.114444; -83.5825
Union
Created 1921
Lake Butler 1921 Formerly the county seat of Bradford County from 1860 until 1887. 30°01′21″N 82°20′23″W / 30.022602°N 82.339643°W / 30.022602; -82.339643
Volusia
Created 1854
Enterprise 1856 Formerly the county seat of Orange County from 1843 to 1846. 28°52′09″N 81°16′00″W / 28.869167°N 81.266667°W / 28.869167; -81.266667
Deland 1888 29°01′44″N 81°18′02″W / 29.028889°N 81.300556°W / 29.028889; -81.300556
Wakulla
Created 1843
Port Leon 1843 Declared county seat on 11 March 1843
Devastated by a hurricane on 13 September 1843.
30°07′52″N 84°11′42″W / 30.131111°N 84.195°W / 30.131111; -84.195
Newport 1843 Residents of Port Leon moved to Newport following the devastation of the hurricane. 30°11′58″N 84°10′51″W / 30.199421°N 84.180700°W / 30.199421; -84.180700
Crawfordville 1865/6 30°10′34″N 84°22′31″W / 30.176111°N 84.375278°W / 30.176111; -84.375278
Walton
Created 1824
Alaqua 182?
Eucheanna 184? Courthouse destroyed by fire in 1885.
DeFuniak Springs 1886 Changed by referendum on 16 February 1886. 30°43′00″N 86°07′00″W / 30.716667°N 86.116667°W / 30.716667; -86.116667
Washington
Created 1825
Vernon 1825 30°37′18″N 85°42′42″W / 30.621667°N 85.711667°W / 30.621667; -85.711667
Chipley 1927 30°46′45″N 85°32′21″W / 30.779167°N 85.539167°W / 30.779167; -85.539167

See also

List of counties in Florida

References

  1. ^ "A Guide to Alachua County's History". Alachua County Florida. Archived from the original on October 6, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  2. ^ "WPA County Histories". Florida Memories. State Library & Archives of Florida. Retrieved 22 September 2018.