Holmes County, Florida

Holmes County
County
Holmes County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°52′N85°49′W / 30.87°N 85.81°W / 30.87; -85.81
Country	United States
State	Florida
Founded	January 8, 1848
Seat	Bonifay
Largest city	Bonifay
Area
• Total	489 sq mi (1,270 km2)
• Land	479 sq mi (1,240 km2)
• Water	10 sq mi (30 km2)  2.1%
Population  (2020)
• Total	19,653
• Estimate  (2023)	19,944
• Density	40/sq mi (16/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	holmescountyonline.com

Holmes County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida, in the Panhandle. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,653. ^[1] Its county seat is Bonifay. ^[2]

History

Holmes County was created in 1848.

The county's namesake is a point of debate. Holmes Creek – the county's eastern boundary – bore that name before the county was created, but it was originally named Weekaywehatchee (a Creek Indian name meaning "spring creek"). One claim is that the county was named for Thomas J. Holmes, who came from North Carolina to settle in the area about 1830. Another is that it is named after Holmes, an American Indian chief who settled in the area with his band of Red Stick Creek Indians after 1814. He was subsequently killed in 1818 by a raiding party sent by Andrew Jackson during the First Seminole War. ^[3]

Holmes County has had four county seats in its history. The first was Hewett's Bluff (later renamed Bear Pen, then Cerro Gordo), then Pittman's Ferry, then Westville, and finally Bonifay. Bonifay has been the county seat since 1905.

Historic places

Historic places in the county include:

• Keith Cabin in Pittman
• Waits Mansion, Bonifay
• Vortex Spring, Northern Ponce de Leon

Ponce de Leon Springs State Park, Ponce de Leon

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 489 square miles (1,270 km²), of which 479 square miles (1,240 km²) is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) (2.1%) is water. ^[4] It is the fifth-smallest county in Florida by total area.

Adjacent counties

• Geneva County, Alabama – north
• Jackson County, Florida – east
• Washington County, Florida – south
• Walton County, Florida – west

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	1,205		—
1860	1,386		15.0%
1870	1,572		13.4%
1880	2,170		38.0%
1890	4,336		99.8%
1900	7,762		79.0%
1910	11,557		48.9%
1920	12,850		11.2%
1930	12,924		0.6%
1940	15,447		19.5%
1950	13,988		−9.4%
1960	10,844		−22.5%
1970	10,720		−1.1%
1980	14,723		37.3%
1990	15,778		7.2%
2000	18,564		17.7%
2010	19,927		7.3%
2020	19,653		−1.4%
2023 (est.)	19,944	[5]	1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [6] 1790-1960 [7] 1900-1990 [8] 1990-2000 [9] 2010-2019 [1]

Holmes County racial composition as of 2020
(NH = Non-Hispanic) ^[a]

Race	Pop 2010 [12]	Pop 2020 [13]	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	17,722	16,766	88.93%	85.31%
Black or African American (NH)	1,140	1,211	5.72%	6.16%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	143	120	0.72%	0.61%
Asian (NH)	83	81	0.42%	0.41%
Pacific Islander (NH)	27	13	0.14%	0.07%
Some Other Race (NH)	6	27	0.03%	0.14%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	362	747	1.82%	3.8%
Hispanic or Latino	444	688	2.23%	3.5%
Total	19,927	19,653	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,653 people, 7,137 households, and 4,939 families residing in the county.

As of the census ^[14] of 2000, there were 18,564 people, 6,921 households, and 4,893 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15 people/km²). There were 7,998 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6.6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.79% White, 6.51% Black or African American, 1.01% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. 1.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,921 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.10% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 112.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,923, and the median income for a family was $34,286. Males had a median income of $25,982 versus $19,991 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,135. About 15.40% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.70% of those under age 18 and 17.90% of those age 65 or over.

Triracial people

Main article: Dominickers

The so-called "Dominickers", a number of related mixed-race (white, black, and Euchee Indian) families, lived for decades after the Civil War and well into the twentieth century in a rural area near Ponce de Leon, with a separate church and segregated public elementary school. Although considered a separate ethnicity from both whites and blacks, many Dominickers married into local white families, so that group boundaries blurred; some descendants still live in the area. The 1950 federal census identified 60 members of this group living in Holmes County at that time. ^[15] Few facts are known about their origins, and little has been published about them.

Politics

Holmes County is an archetypically "Solid South" county in Florida. It gave the fifth-highest percentage of the vote for segregationist George Wallace of any county in the country during the 1968 election, ^[16] and apart from Deep South native Jimmy Carter, no Democrat since 1964 has obtained as much as thirty-four percent of the county's vote in any Presidential election.

Holmes County has more registered Democrats than Republicans, but many are descendants of Dixiecrats, Southerners who register as Democrats due to tradition but vote Republican in most elections. ^[17] Barack Obama earned only 15.2% of the vote in 2012. ^[17] Hillary Clinton earned less than 10% of the vote in 2016. ^[17]

United States presidential election results for Holmes County, Florida ^[18]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	8,193	89.72%	882	9.66%	57	0.62%
2020	8,080	89.01%	924	10.18%	74	0.82%
2016	7,483	87.46%	853	9.97%	220	2.57%
2012	6,919	83.46%	1,264	15.25%	107	1.29%
2008	7,033	81.63%	1,446	16.78%	137	1.59%
2004	6,412	77.25%	1,810	21.81%	78	0.94%
2000	5,012	67.77%	2,177	29.43%	207	2.80%
1996	3,249	47.75%	2,312	33.98%	1,243	18.27%
1992	3,196	48.96%	1,877	28.75%	1,455	22.29%
1988	4,225	71.61%	1,639	27.78%	36	0.61%
1984	4,548	78.70%	1,231	21.30%	0	0.00%
1980	3,221	52.41%	2,767	45.02%	158	2.57%
1976	1,850	35.71%	3,256	62.86%	74	1.43%
1972	3,819	92.51%	309	7.49%	0	0.00%
1968	377	7.00%	312	5.79%	4,700	87.21%
1964	3,225	73.00%	1,193	27.00%	0	0.00%
1960	1,235	34.26%	2,370	65.74%	0	0.00%
1956	1,036	29.17%	2,516	70.83%	0	0.00%
1952	1,230	27.67%	3,216	72.33%	0	0.00%
1948	492	15.39%	1,799	56.29%	905	28.32%
1944	908	25.51%	2,652	74.49%	0	0.00%
1940	887	24.84%	2,684	75.16%	0	0.00%
1936	772	19.37%	3,213	80.63%	0	0.00%
1932	429	13.71%	2,701	86.29%	0	0.00%
1928	2,260	74.44%	735	24.21%	41	1.35%
1924	377	32.03%	658	55.90%	142	12.06%
1920	537	33.56%	869	54.31%	194	12.13%
1916	427	28.83%	763	51.52%	291	19.65%
1912	52	7.74%	411	61.16%	209	31.10%
1908	337	39.00%	438	50.69%	89	10.30%
1904	140	29.60%	284	60.04%	49	10.36%

Media

The Holmes County Times-Advertiser is now owned by Halifax Media. The weekly newspaper publishes each Wednesday.

• Townsend Broadcasting began Holmes County first FM radio station in 1984 broadcasting a mere 3000 watts. WTBB (townsend broadcasting Bonifay) WTBB broadcast a sound 10 format soft rock and classic oldies. WTBB general manager was Larry Donaldson assisting Mr. Donaldson who later became a radio Hit D.J. was C.J. Newcomb who went on to stations like WJST and Sunny 98.5. in the Panama City Market. WTBB was sold to Pirate Radio and studios were moved to Panama City,Fl. call sign for frequency 97.7 are still in Holmes County however studios have long gone.

Education

Holmes District School Board operates public schools. Holmes County High School and Ponce de Leon High School are its public high schools. Poplar Springs High School is a K-12 Combination School in Northeastern Holmes County and Bethlehem High School is a K-12 Combination School in the Bethlehem Community.

The Holmes County Public Library is the county's library system. It is located at 303 North J. Harvey Etheridge Street, Bonifay, Florida 32425. The library is open Tuesday-Friday 8:00am–5:00pm, and Saturday 8:00am–12:00pm and offers public computers with internet access, free wi-fi, programming for all ages, and access to e-books, e-audiobooks, and numerous online databases and resources.

Holmes County is also a part of the Panhandle Public Library Cooperative System. PPLCS also includes Calhoun and Jackson counties.

Communities

The Holmes County sign at Bonifay on Florida State Road 79.

City

• Bonifay

Town

• Esto
• Noma
• Ponce De Leon
• Westville

Unincorporated communities

• Bethlehem
• Cerrogordo
• Gritney
• Miller’s Crossroads
• Pittman
• Prosperity
• Poplar Springs
• Hamp Berry's Crossroads
• Leonia
• Sweet Gum Head

Transportation

Airports

• Tri-County Airport

Major highways

See also: List of county roads in Holmes County, Florida

• I-10 (Interstate 10) is the main west-to-east interstate highway in the county, and runs along southern Holmes County. It contains two interchanges within the county; SR 81 (Exit 94) in Ponce de Leon, then momentarily passes in and out of Washington County only to encounter the second interchange at SR 79 (Exit 112), in Bonifay.
• US 90 (U.S. Highway 90) was the main west-to-east highway in the county, until it was surpassed by I-10.
• SR 2 is the west-to-east route that's closest to the Alabama border beginning at SR 81 (see below). A tri-county extension runs west of SR 81 in Royal Crossroads through Walton and Okaloosa Counties.
• SR 79 is a south-to-north highway running though eastern Holmes County. The road enters the county from Washington County to the south as passes through Bonifay, Holland Crossroads and Esto, before finally crossing the Florida-Alabama State Line where it turns into AL 167.
• SR 81 is a south-to-north highway running through western Holmes County. The road enters the county from Walton County to the south as passes through Ponce De Leon, Prosperity, Hobbs Crossroads and Royal Crossroads, before finally crossing the Florida-Alabama State Line where it turns into AL 87.

Railroads

Holmes County has one railroad line. The primary one is the CSX P&A Subdivision, a line formerly owned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad that served Amtrak's Sunset Limited. This service formerly went to New Orleans, but in 2005 service was truncated by the extensive damage in the Gulf area due to Hurricane Katrina. Another former L&N line existed within the northeastern corner of the county. The Georgiana Branch entered the state and county from Highnote, Alabama then ran through Esto and later Eleanor before crossing SR 2 and leaving the county towards Graceville and Campbellton, where it had a junction with the Bay Line Railroad.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Holmes County, Florida
• USS Holmes County (LST-836)

External links

Government links/Constitutional offices

• Holmes County Board of County Commissioners
• Holmes County Supervisor of Elections
• Holmes County Property Appraiser
• Holmes County Sheriff's Office
• Holmes County Tax Collector

Special districts

• Holmes District School Board
• Northwest Florida Water Management District

Judicial branch

• Holmes County Clerk of Courts
• Circuit and County Court for the 14th Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties

Tourism links

• Holmes County Online and Chamber of Commerce

Notes

1. Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race. ^{[10] [11]}

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 14, 2014.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Morris, Allen (1995). Florida Place Names. Sarasota: Pineapple Press. pp. 120–121. ISBN   1561640840.
4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
5. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
10. https://www.census.gov/ ^{[ not specific enough to verify ]}
11. "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
12. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
13. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
15. "Estimated Population of Reputed Indian-White-Negro Racial Isolates of the Eastern United States, by State and County, 1950". Archived from the original on May 18, 2006. Retrieved September 1, 2006.
16. David Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential elections; 1968 Presidential Election Statistics
17. Farrington, Brendan; Bustos, Sergio (March 15, 2016). "As Florida votes, there's a difference between north, south". New York City. Associated Press . Retrieved May 11, 2017.
18. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Data Graphs". Archived from the original on January 3, 2017.

30°52′N85°49′W / 30.87°N 85.81°W / 30.87; -85.81