Fanning Springs, Florida

Fanning Springs is a city in Gilchrist and Levy counties in the U.S. state of Florida. It is part of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,182 at the 2020 census, up from 764 at the 2010 census.

History

The town is named after Fort Fanning, a U.S. Army post established in 1838 during the Second Seminole War, named for Lieutenant Colonel Alexander C. W. Fanning (1788-1846). The fort was sited at a historically strategic point on the east bank above a sharp bend of the Suwannee River, across from the west bank site of Seminole war chief Bolek's Old Town. As the population changed from generation to generation after its founding, local residents referred to the settlement as "Fort Fannin", then by 1904 as "Fannin" when the people were focused on the ferry traversing the river, then after March 1922 as "Fannin Springs" (the big spring was about 100 yards above the ferry landing) after the first highway bridge was installed.

The community has had many names throughout its history, as the first postmaster, Thomas C. Love, named it "Palmetto" between 1846 and 1847, then the name changed to "Sikesville" in 1857, and renamed as "Fannin" in 1888.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 3.40%, is water.

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 Fanning Springs has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable"

|+Fanning Springs racial composition<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (NH = Non-Hispanic)<br>

!Race

!Pop 2010

!Pop 2020

!% 2010

!% 2020

|White (NH)

|677

|988

|88.61%

|83.59%

|Black or African American (NH)

|25

|0.65%

|2.12%

|Native American or Alaska Native (NH)

|11

|1.44%

|0.93%

|Asian (NH)

|14

|0.65%

|1.18%

|Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)

|0.00%

|Some other race (NH)

|0.00%

|0.08%

|Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)

|50

|0.92%

|4.23%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|59

|93

|7.72%

|7.87%

|Total

|764

|1,182

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Fanning Springs had a population of 1,182. The median age was 52.1 years. 19.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 32.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.1 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 460 households in Fanning Springs, of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.8% were married-couple households, 21.3% 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 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 764 people, 442 households, and 298 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census

Fanning Springs State Park is located just south of the center of the city, along the Suwannee River. Fort Fanning Historic Park is the site of a fort that was built in 1838 to counter Native American attacks in North Florida during the Seminole Wars.

References

External links

City of Fanning Springs official website