Franklin County is a coastal
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the
panhandleA panhandle or salient is an informal geographic term for an elongated tail-like protrusion of a geo-political entity, such as an administrative division or a sovereign state that extends into another such entity as a peninsula extends into the sea. The former "folksy" term derives from the...
of the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
. As of 2000, the population was 11,057. The
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
2005 estimate for the county is 11,177
http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2005-01-12.xls. Its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
Apalachicola, FloridaApalachicola is a city in Franklin County, Florida on US 98 about 80 miles southwest of Tallahassee. The population was 2,334 at the 2000 census. The 2005 census estimates gave the city at 2,340...
.
Franklin County was created in 1832.
Franklin County is a coastal
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the
panhandleA panhandle or salient is an informal geographic term for an elongated tail-like protrusion of a geo-political entity, such as an administrative division or a sovereign state that extends into another such entity as a peninsula extends into the sea. The former "folksy" term derives from the...
of the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
. As of 2000, the population was 11,057. The
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
2005 estimate for the county is 11,177
http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2005-01-12.xls. Its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
Apalachicola, FloridaApalachicola is a city in Franklin County, Florida on US 98 about 80 miles southwest of Tallahassee. The population was 2,334 at the 2000 census. The 2005 census estimates gave the city at 2,340...
.
History
Franklin County was created in 1832. It was named for
Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, soldier, and diplomat...
, famous
scientistScience is in its broadest sense to any systematic knowledge-base or prescriptive practice that is capable of resulting in a prediction or predictable type of outcome...
,
printerPrinting is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing.-History:...
, and
authorAn author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created...
.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the county has a total area of 1,037 square miles (2,687 km²), of which, 544 square miles (1,410 km²) of it is land and 493 square miles (1,277 km²) of it (47.53%) is water.
The extreme eastern tip of the county is bordered by the
Ochlockonee RiverThe Ochlockonee River is a fast running river originating in Georgia, and terminating in Florida.- Background :The Ochlockonee originates south of the town of Sylvester in Worth County in southwest Georgia emptying into Ochlockonee Bay, then into Apalachee Bay, in Florida...
.
Adjacent counties
- Liberty County, Florida
Liberty County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its population was estimated in 2005 as 7,733. Its most populous incorporated area and county seat is Bristol....
- north
- Wakulla County, Florida
Wakulla County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 22,863. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 28,212 people....
- northeast
- Gulf County, Florida
Gulf County is a county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 13,332. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 13,975 . Its county seat is Port St. Joe, Florida.- History :...
- west
National protected areaProtected areas are locations which receive protection because of their environmental value, or environmental plus cultural values. Examples include parks, nature reserves, and wildlife sanctuaries...
s
- Apalachicola National Forest
The Apalachicola National Forest is the largest U.S. National Forest in the state of Florida. It contains and is the only national forest located in the panhandle of Florida. The Apalachicola National Forest contains two Wilderness Areas, Bradwell Bay and Mudswamp/New River...
(part)
- St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge
The St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located in northwestern Florida, on the barrier island of St. Vincent, off the coast of Apalachicola....
(part)
Unincorporated
- Alligator Point
Alligator Point is an unincorporated community in Franklin County, Florida, United States. It is located along US 98, on the western shore of Dickerson Bay, near the Gulf of Mexico...
- Bald Point
Bald Point is an unincorporated community located at the eastern tip of Franklin County, Florida, United States on Ochlockonee Bay.A small, beach front community, much of the non-residential areas of Bald Point have been incorporated into Bald Point State Park, which is a popular location for...
- Eastpoint
Eastpoint is a census-designated place in Franklin County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,158 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Eastpoint is located at ....
- Lanark Village
Lanark Village is an unincorporated community in Franklin County, Florida, United States. It is located along US 98, on the Gulf of Mexico.-Geography:Lanark Village is located at ....
- St. Teresa
St. Teresa is a beachfront community in Franklin County, Florida, United States. It is located along US 98, on St. George Sound and the Gulf of Mexico.-Geography:St. Teresa is located at ....
Barrier Islands
- Cape St. George Island
Cape St. George Island is an uninhabited barrier island situated on Florida’s North Gulf Coast, south-southeast of St. Vincent Island, west of St. George Island and 8-10 miles south-southwest of the town of Apalachicola in Franklin County, Florida. It was formerly part of St...
- Dog Island
- St. George Island
St. George Island is an island in the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is a part of Franklin County, Florida.-Physical characteristics:St. George is a barrier island, long and wide at its widest point. St. George Island is adjacent to Cape St. George Island...
- St. Vincent Island
St. Vincent Island is the western-most of 4 barrier islands in the northwestern Florida Gulf coast which include Cape St. George Island, St. George Island and Dog Island. St. Vincent Island is located just offshore in Franklin County, Florida south southeast of Cape San Blas and north of Cape St...
Politics
Like most of the Florida Panhandle, Franklin County votes Republican in presidential,
CongressionalThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election....
, and statewide elections, although there is a tendency to support Conservative Democrats in local elections. Franklin County is located in
Florida's 2nd congressional districtFlorida's Second Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in Florida which represents most of the eastern Florida panhandle along with much of the "Big Bend" area. Tallahassee, the state's capital located in Leon County, is the largest population center in the district...
, represented by
Allen BoydF. Allen Boyd Jr. is an American politician, and has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing . His district includes all of Bay, Gulf, Calhoun, Jackson, Liberty, Gadsden, Franklin, Wakulla, Taylor, Suwannee, Lafayette, and Dixie Counties....
, a member of the Democratic Party's fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition. As shown on the Franklin County Supervisor of Elections site, registration is overwhelmingly Democratic.
Presidential elections results
| Year |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
|
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world. In the U.S...
|
Other |
| 2004 |
58.5% |
40.5% |
1.0% |
| 2000 |
52.8% |
44.1% |
3.1% |
| 1996 |
34.2% |
45.9% |
19.9% |
| 1992 |
38.0% |
35.0% |
27.0% |
| 1988 |
58.5% |
39.2% |
2.3% |
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 11,057 people, 4,096 households, and 2,727 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 20 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 7,180 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The
racial makeupRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of the county was 81.24% White, 16.32% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. 2.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,096 households out of which 24.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% were married couples] living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the county the population was spread out with 18.00% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 30.80% from 25 to 44, 27.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 129.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 135.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,756, and the median income for a family was $31,157. Males had a median income of $25,101 versus $20,494 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the county was $16,140. About 11.80% of families and 17.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.20% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Franklin County residents are within the Franklin County School District. All Students K-12 attend the Franklin County School at Easpoint, FL, except those attending the Apalachicola Bay Charter School or other private schools.
Government links/constitutional offices
Special districts
Judicial branch
- Franklin County Clerk of Courts
- Public Defender, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Franklin, Gadsden
Gadsden County is a county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2000 census, the population was 45,087. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 46,428 . Its county seat is Quincy, Florida. Gadsden County is the only predominantly African-American...
, JeffersonJefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population is 12,902. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 14,490 . Its county seat is Monticello, Florida....
, LeonLeon County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its population in July 2008 was estimated to be about 264,000. The principal place in Leon County is Tallahassee, the county seat and state capital. The county seat is home to two of Florida's major public universities, Florida A&M...
, LibertyLiberty County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its population was estimated in 2005 as 7,733. Its most populous incorporated area and county seat is Bristol....
, and WakullaWakulla County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 22,863. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 28,212 people....
counties
- Office of the State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida
- Circuit and County Court for the 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida
Tourism links