Starke is a city in and the county seat of Bradford County, Florida, United States. The 2025 estimated population was 6,000. The origin of the city's name is disputed. Starke may have been named in honor of local landowner George W. Cole's fiancée's family or in honor of Madison Starke Perry, fourth governor of Florida.
History
Founding and 19th century
left|alt=Headquarters of The Bradford County Telegraph, Florida's oldest weekly news publication.|thumb|Headquarters of The Bradford County Telegraph, Florida's oldest weekly news publication.
Prior to 1857, the area that is today Starke was sparsely settled. The announcement of the Fernandina to Cedar Key railroad, which would connect the Atlantic Ocean with the Gulf of Mexico, brought the first known settlement to the community.
In November 1857, the first post office in the area was established by George W. Cole. In 1859, Cole obtained of land around the post office, which were described in his documents as the "Original Town of Starke."
20th and 21st centuries
Starke oversaw a period of rapid expansion brought on by the new U.S. Highway 301 in the early 1900s, and the construction of Camp Blanding during World War II.
For travelers coming from the northeastern United States, Highway 301 was the quickest route between Jacksonville and Tampa (a title it still holds to this day). Starke's status as one of the largest cities on the route, as well its location on State Road 100, brought numerous hotels to the area. The construction of nearby Camp Blanding as a military training facility during World War II added to the local building boom, and by 1950, the city's population had doubled.
Post-World War II, the boom continued and the area continued to see an influx of residents working in the service industry and in its strawberry fields. Bradford County's famous Strawberry Festival was born during this time, and it continues to attract thousands of visitors today.
In the late 1980s, the city received national media attention during the proceedings of the Ted Bundy case and his eventual execution at Florida State Prison in nearby Raiford, Florida. It also received attention when Lawton Chiles was Florida governor as a notorious speed trap town, even having warning billboards placed on Interstate 10's exit onto south US 301. Other speed traps on this stretch of US 301 between I-10 and I-75 were Waldo, Lawtey, and Hampton.
During this time, controversy would also arise over the cross located on the city's water tower, as national atheist groups condemned the community. In the early 2000s, a court motion was filed by American Atheists against the city to remove the cross, bringing Starke back into the national spotlight. The battle in court would prove contentious, with most city residents staunchly opposed to its removal. In 2007, a district judge ruled against the city, and the cross would later be moved to a location on private property.
In later years, American Atheists attempted to have a Ten Commandments monument removed from the courtyard of the Bradford County Courthouse. A compromise was eventually reached however in this case.
Starke Utilities
The City's electric utility was the first public power utility in the State of Florida, founded in 1890.
Starke is located approximately west of Florida's National Guard base, Camp Blanding, and is approximately southeast of Florida State Prison, Union Correctional Institution, and New River East Correctional Institution.
Climate
Starke has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa).
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable"
|+Starke racial composition<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (NH = Non-Hispanic)<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010
!Pop 2020
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|White (NH)
|3,451
|3,423
|63.33%
|59.06%
|-
|Black or African American (NH)
|1,586
|1,690
|29.11%
|29.16%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native (NH)
|15
|22
|0.28%
|0.38%
|-
|Asian (NH)
|58
|54
|1.06%
|0.93%
|-
|Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)
|1
|7
|0.02%
|0.12%
|-
|Some other race (NH)
|7
|21
|0.13%
|0.36%
|-
|Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)
|124
|254
|2.28%
|4.38%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|207
|325
|3.80%
|5.61%
|-
|Total
|5,449
|5,796
|
|
|-
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Starke had a population of 5,796. The median age was 39.4 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 88.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.7 males age 18 and over.
95.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 4.4% lived in rural areas.
There were 2,168 households in Starke, of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 34.4% were married-couple households, 19.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 39.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 5,449 people, 2,062 households, and 1,329 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the census
- Eugene L. Matthews Historical Museum - This museum, named after the longtime editor of The Bradford County Telegraph, showcases many items from Bradford County's history. It is open select days of the month, or by appointment.
- Andrews Center - Formerly the old Bradford County Courthouse, the Romanesque-style structure built in 1902 is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is widely considered to be the centerpiece of Starke and its distinctive look makes it one of the most recognizable symbols of the city and Bradford County.
- Florida Twin Theatre - Having opened in 1941, the Florida Twin Theatre is one of the oldest movie theatres in north Florida. The theatre has been a popular destination for travelers from around the region for decades.
Government
alt=Starke City Hall|thumb|Starke City Hall
Starke has a Commission-Manager form of government, with a mayor, vice mayor and three council members, all elected to single member districts. In addition, the City Clerk is an elected positions. Starke City Officials serve four-year terms.
The current city commissioners are:
- District 1: Danny Nugent
- District 2: Janice Mortimer (Vice Mayor)
- District 3: Bob Milner
- District 4: Dimple Overstreet
- District 5: Andy Redding (Mayor)
The City Manager is Russell A. Mullins, and the City Clerk is Chrissy Thompson.
Education
- Bradford High School
- Bradford Middle School
- Starke Elementary School
- Bradford Elementary School (As of 2023).
Southside Elementary School officially closed its doors in November 2023, having been used temporarily in light of the new school site being built for the current staff and students. The school building itself will be utilized as the new School District office.
Schools within Starke are operated by the Bradford County School District. In addition, the Bradford County Public Library is in Starke. It is a part of the New River Public Library Cooperative.
Higher education
- Santa Fe College's Andrews Center serves Bradford and Union counties as an important learning and cultural institution.
- North Florida Technical College (Bradford-Union Technical Center), a tertiary institution managed by the school district, is in Starke.
Media
Film and television locations
Starke has been the location of several Hollywood films, including:
- G.I. Jane, which starred Demi Moore and was filmed east of Starke on the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center.
- Joel Schumacher's film Tigerland, starring Colin Farrell was filmed at Camp Blanding.
- Basic starring Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta was filmed at Camp Blanding.
- Why Do Fools Fall in Love starring Halle Berry and Vivica A. Fox.
Notable people
- Judy Canova, film actress and entertainer
- Doyle Edward Conner Sr, former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
- Charley Eugene Johns, 32nd Governor of Florida, former Florida State Senate President
References
External links
- City of Starke official website