Fanning Springs is a city in Gilchrist and

Levy Levy, Lévy or Levies may refer to: People * Levy (surname), people with the surname Levy or Lévy * Levy Adcock (born 1988), American football player * Levy Barent Cohen (1747–1808), Dutch-born British financier and community worker * Levy ...

counties in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

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 ...

. It is part of the

Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area The Gainesville metropolitan area is the metropolitan area in North Central Florida that includes Alachua, Levy, and Gilchrist counties, with Gainesville, Florida the principal city. The metropolitan area had a population of 339,247 in 2020. ...

. The population was 1,182 at the 2020 census, up from 764 at the 2010 census.

History

The town is named after

Fort Fanning A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Lati ...

, a U.S. Army post established in 1838 during the

Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups of people collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Muscogee, Creek and Black Seminoles as well as oth ...

, named for Lieutenant Colonel Alexander C. W. Fanning (1788-1846). The fort was sited at a historically strategic point on the east bank above a sharp bend of the

Suwannee River The Suwannee River (also spelled Suwanee River or Swanee River) is a river that runs through south Georgia southward into Florida in the Southern United States. It is a wild blackwater river, about long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrog ...

, across from the west bank site of

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...

war chief

Bolek Bolek (died 1819), also spelled as Boleck or Bolechs, and known as Bowlegs by European Americans, was a Seminole principal chief, of the Alachua ( Oconee) chiefly line. He was the younger brother of King Payne, who succeeded their father Cowke ...

Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins. In some cases, newer developments on t ...

. As the population changed from generation to generation after its founding, local residents referred to the settlement as "Fort Fannin", then by 1904 as "Fannin" when the people were focused on the ferry traversing the river, then after March 1922 as "Fannin Springs" (the big spring was about 100 yards above the ferry landing) after the first highway bridge was installed.

Geography

The approximate coordinates for the City of Fanning Springs is located along the

Nature Coast The Nature Coast is an informal, unofficial region of the U.S. state of Florida. The broadest definition of the Nature Coast includes the eight counties which abut the Gulf of Mexico along the Big Bend Coast as defined by geologists. From west t ...

North Florida North Florida is a Regions of the United States#Florida, region of the U.S. state of Florida comprising the northernmost part of the state. Along with South Florida and Central Florida, it is one of Florida's three most common "directional" regi ...

, (specifically North Central Florida), at . 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 , or 3.40%, is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, the City of Fanning Springs has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

zone (''Cfa'').

Demographics

2010 and 2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,182 people, 457 households, and 304 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census, there were 764 people, 442 households, and 298 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 737 people, 311 households, and 198 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 397 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.01%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 4.34%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.68% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 3.66% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 8.96% of the population. In 2000, there were 311 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.84. In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males. Fanning Springs FL hist park02

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $17,875, and the median income for a family was $24,167. Males had a median income of $25,139 versus $14,306 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $11,389. About 26.1% of families and 30.5% of the population were below the

poverty line 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 ...

, including 46.6% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.

Attractions

The

Nature Coast State Trail The Nature Coast State Trail (NCST) is a 31.7-mile long segment of Florida's Statewide System of Greenways and Trails System built along abandoned railroad tracks, and designated by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a National Recreation Tra ...

(being the City of Fanning Springs is part of the

), which follows abandoned railway lines, has a junction at Fanning Springs. Fanning Springs State Park is located just south of the center of the city, along the

. Fort Fanning Historic Park is the site of a fort that was built in 1838 to counter Native American attacks in

during the

Seminole Wars The Seminole Wars (also known as the Florida Wars) were a series of three military conflicts between the United States and the Seminoles that took place in Florida between about 1816 and 1858. The Seminoles are a Native American nation which co ...

References

External links

City of Fanning Springs official website
{{authority control Cities in Gilchrist County, Florida Cities in Levy County, Florida Gainesville metropolitan area, Florida Cities in Florida