Fort White is a town in Columbia County, Florida, United States, named after a military fort built in the 1830s. It is the closest town to Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Fort White High School and the Fort White Public School Historic District are located within the town's borders. The original school building was constructed in 1915. As of the 2020 census, the population of Fort White was 618, up from 567 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lake City, Florida Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
thumb|left|Excerpt from A Map of the Seat of War in Florida showing the fort location of Ft. White in 1839.
Fort White was originally constructed as a military fort during the Second Seminole War in 1836 to protect the Cow Creek settlement.
A prominent Second Seminole War leader, Halpatter Tustenuggee (Alligator Warrior) or "Chief Alligator", of Alligator Town (known as Alpata Telophka or Halapata Telofa in its indigenous language), now known as Lake City, is buried at Tustenuggee Methodist Cemetery near Fort White. Before it was incorporated as Lake City, the white settlers called the community "Alligator", which was the partial English translation of the Native American community.
Named after the military fort, in 1884, the Town of Fort White was officially incorporated as a municipality and grew steadily, following the arrival of the railroad in 1888. Phosphate mining, turpentine and agriculture (cotton and oranges) were the foundation of the economy, and the population grew to nearly 2,000. The boom turned to bust as severe freezes in the winters of 1896 and 1897 destroyed the local citrus industry. Most of the land surrounding the town is family farms and/or forests.
The Ichetucknee River
Locals have long known of and enjoyed the crystal clear Ichetucknee River and springs, northwest of the town. Before 1970, the existence and location of this natural wonder were not widely known outside the area and the road to the spring was not paved, nor was it marked, because the spring was on private property.
In 1970, the state of Florida purchased the of Ichetucknee spring and river property from the Loncala Phosphate Corporation. The property became the Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Columbia County built a paved road, number 238, providing easier access to the springs. In 1972, the head spring of the river was declared a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The main tributary from Ichetucknee Springs became one of the most popular tubing destinations in the world, attracting up to 5,000 visitors each day during the summer. Others came to the river to swim, picnic, snorkel, scuba dive, and explore the nearby forests.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, the Town of Fort White has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).
Demographics
2010 and 2020 census
{| class="wikitable"
|+Fort White racial composition<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (NH = Non-Hispanic)<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010
!Pop 2020
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|White (NH)
|334
|406
|58.91%
|65.70%
|-
|Black or African American (NH)
|171
|149
|30.16%
|24.11%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native (NH)
|4
|2
|0.71%
|0.32%
|-
|Asian (NH)
|3
|5
|0.53%
|0.81%
|-
|Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)
|0
|1
|0.00%
|0.16%
|-
|Some other race (NH)
|1
|2
|0.18%
|0.32%
|-
|Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)
|12
|12
|2.12%
|1.94%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|42
|41
|7.41%
|6.63%
|-
|Total
|567
|618
|
|
|-
|}
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 618 people, 214 households, and 164 families residing in the town.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 567 people, 311 households, and 169 families residing in the town.
2000 census
As of the census
The Fort White Sports Complex was constructed in 2005 on abutting the high school. Facilities include six baseball fields, two basketball courts and two tennis courts. A community center was built on the site in 2008. A senior citizen meal program operates at the center on weekdays.
The last high school class to graduate was in 1969, about the same time desegregation and integration forced the closing of the black schools in the area. At that time, there weren't enough children to justify a high school in Fort White; students in grades 9–12 were bused to Columbia High School in Lake City for over 30 years. After Ichetucknee Springs State Park opened in 1971, the population in the south end of the county steadily grew to the point where the need for a local facility was substantiated.
A $25 million high school was completed in December 2000 for grades 6–12 after opening in August 2000 in temporary buildings because of construction delays. The school had been scheduled for completion in August 2000. Fort White High School graduated the first class in a generation in 2001. A new Fort White Middle School for grade 6 was completed prior to the 2008–2009 school year. The rest of the middle school (for grades 7 and 8) has been finished and is in use, though the middle and high school are still joined.
References
External links
- Official Website for the Town of Fort White