| Jena, Florida | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
  Jena | |
| Coordinates: 29°39′49″N83°22′12″W / 29.663557°N 83.370135°W Coordinates: 29°39′49″N83°22′12″W / 29.663557°N 83.370135°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Dixie |
| Area | |
| • Total | 26.718 sq mi (69.20 km2) |
| • Land | 26.718 sq mi (69.20 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 32359 |
Jena is an unincorporated community on the southern shore of the Steinhatchee River, in Dixie County, Florida, United States, [1] located 33 miles south of Perry. Although unincorporated, Jena has a post office and its ZIP code is 32359.
The Steinhatchee River is a short river in the Big Bend region of Florida in the United States. The river rises in the Mallory Swamp just south of Mayo in Lafayette County and flows for 34.5 miles (55.5 km) out of Lafayette County, forming the boundary between Dixie County and Taylor County to the Gulf of Mexico. It has a drainage basin of 586 square miles (1,520 km2). The river has also been known as the Hittenhatchee, Esteenhatchee and Isteenhatchee.
Dixie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 16,422. Its county seat is Cross City.
Perry is a city in Taylor County, Florida, United States. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 7,017. It is the county seat. The city was named for Madison Perry, fourth Governor of the State of Florida and a Confederate colonel during the American Civil War.
Jena is a port town that was sparsely populated until the early 1990s, when residential developers saw prospects for business amidst cheap land prices in northern Florida. The community is mostly single-family houses, but is home to a few businesses, such as Casey's Cove gas station and Restaurant, and Jena Pentecostal Holiness Church, which is the second oldest church in Florida. Jena is located just across the river from the larger resort destination of Steinhatchee.
Steinhatchee is a Gulf coastal community in the southern part of Taylor County, Florida, United States. Steinhatchee is located at 29°40′16″N83°23′15″W, 33 miles (53 km). Steinhatchee is 38.09 miles south of the county seat of Perry. Just across the Steinhatchee River is Jena, which is in Dixie County. Steinhatchee is 19.27 miles north of the town of Cross City. The Stein in Steinhatchee is pronounced as if it were spelled Steen, rather than Stine. The name Steinhatchee was derived from the Native American "esteen hatchee" meaning river (hatchee) of man (esteen). Since the early 19th century, the village of Steinhatchee played an integral part in the foresting industry, particularly cedar used for making pencils, as well as fishing, crabbing and scalloping. The Steinhatchee River also flows by the community and into the Gulf of Mexico.
