Lynn Haven is a city in Bay County,

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, United States, north of

Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...

. The population was 18,695 at the 2020 census, up from 18,493 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Panama City—

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Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Lynn Haven was founded in 1911 by Union veterans from the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The town was named after W. H. Lynn, a primary stockholder of the St. Andrews Bay Development Company, the corporation that owned and developed the land on which Lynn Haven grew. On October 10, 2018, Hurricane Michael made landfall near Lynn Haven. The 3rd strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the contiguous United States was the first category 5 hurricane to strike the United States since

Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a compact, but very powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures dama ...

in 1992. Hurricane Michael displaced thousands of Lynn Haven residents.

Geography

Lynn Haven is located at . The city is located north of Panama City along Florida State Road 77, which is the main route through the city. FL-77 leads north 41 mi (66 km) to Chipley along

Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost transcontinental highway in the Interstate Highway System of the United States. It is the fourth-longest Interstate in the country at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. It was part of the origina ...

and south 6 mi (10 km) to the center of Panama City. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land, and (11.90%) is water.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 18,695 people, 7,605 households, and 5,715 families residing in the city. In 2020, there were 2,136 veterans living in the city. 3.4% of the population were foreign born persons. In 2020, 97.1% of households had a computer and 93.5% had a broadband internet subscription. 94.8% of those 25 years and older had a graduated high school or higher and 28.7% of that same population had a bachelor's degree or higher. In 2020, the median household income was $68,406 and the income per capita was $28,826. 10.5% of the population lived below the

poverty threshold The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

. The median gross rent was $1,274 and the median value of owner-occupied housing units was $214,800, as of 2020. As of the 2010 United States census, there were 18,493 people, 7,169 households, and 4,796 families residing in the city.

Education

Lynn Haven is served by Bay District Schools. There are six public schools: * Deer Point Elementary School * Lynn Haven Elementary School * Mowat Middle School * A. Crawford Mosley High School * Tom P Haney Technical College * New Horizon School There are two charter schools: * Bay Haven Charter School * North Bay Haven Charter School

Historic areas

Historic areas and buildings in Lynn Haven include: * Bailey Bridge, built in 1946 to replace the wooden pier that spanned North Bay from Lynn Haven to Southport * City Hall, built in 1928 * First Presbyterian Church, built in 1911 * McMullin Library, built in 1911 * Monument Park * Panama Country Club Golf Course, developed in 1927 * Roberts Hall, built in 1912

Library

Lynn Haven Public Library, Bay County's first library, was established in the city of Lynn Haven in 1911 when a group of fourteen ladies donated a book and three magazines. Without a true library, they met in various homes and other local buildings as the Lynn Haven Literary Club. By 1915, the collection grew to 500 volumes. In 1922, the McMullin family donated a building and $1,000 and library became known as the McMullin Library. The Literary Club began a weekly story-telling hour on Saturdays for children under the age of twelve. In 1925, the Literary Club joined the Federation of Women's Club, continuing their sponsorship of the McMullin Library. The Lynn Haven Women's Club provided building maintenance and expense, made several improvements, and purchased many books. In 1961, the McMullin Library joined the Northwest Regional Library System. During this time, the city was flourishing and required a larger, more modern building. The building was moved to make room for the widening of Ohio Avenue and was moved three more times before finding a permanent home on Georgia Avenue. In 2017, the Heritage Society of Lynn Haven and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows began a $110,000 renovation project to restore the building. In 1970, the new North Bay Branch Library was constructed. In the middle of the 1980s, the library underwent a major expansion to improve service and create room for over 11,000 volumes. A fund drive was held, along with funds matched by a grant from the State of Florida allowed for the building addition. The grand opening happened at the end of 1988. In 1990, the City of Lynn Haven took charge of the library's financial responsibilities and the name was changed to the Lynn Haven Public Library. Hurricane Michael, a category 5 storm, damaged the library in 2018. The building was removed in March 2021. City leaders may use the $1.9 million in insurance money to build a new library in a different location. Plans for a new library were unveiled in January 2022, but no decision has been made as of November 2023.

References

External links

City of Lynn Haven official website

Lynn Haven Public Library
{{authority control Cities in Bay County, Florida Populated places on the Intracoastal Waterway in Florida Populated places established in 1914 Cities in Florida 1914 establishments in Florida