Franklin County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

along the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...

in the panhandle of 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 sover ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,451, making it the third-least populous county in Florida. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

is Apalachicola. The county includes several large preserved areas and rivers and has been home to commercial timber and fishing industry. More recently it has become popular for tourism and retirement. It includes several rivers, state parks, and islands.

History

Franklin County was founded in 1832. It was named for

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...

. The second largest town in Franklin County is Carrabelle, 25 miles east of Apalachicola on the

Carrabelle River Carrabelle River is located in Carrabelle, Florida, and flows into St. George Sound in Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely ...

Camp Gordon Johnston

During World War II most of Franklin County was used by the U.S. Army for amphibious and jungle training, for which the beaches and islands were ideal. When the war ended and the military left,

Lanark Village Lanark Village is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Franklin County, Florida, Franklin County, Florida, United States, located along U.S. Route 98 in Florida, U.S. 98, on the Gulf of Mexico. It is east of Carrabelle, Florida. In ...

was established from the remaining officer's quarters.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (47.9%) is water. Franklin County includes part of

Tate's Hell State Forest Tate's Hell State Forest is 202,000 acres (819 km²) of land in Franklin and Liberty counties in Florida. The forest is located near Carrabelle off US 98 along the Gulf coast and on St. James Island. At one time, Tate's Hell supported at le ...

Bald Point State Park Bald Point State Park is a Florida State Park located south of Ochlockonee Bay, approximately seven miles southeast of Panacea, on St. James Island in Alligator Point, Tallahassee's closest beach, off U.S. 98, in Franklin County northwestern F ...

is nearby. The county's river's include the Carrabelle River and its tributaries the New River (Florida Panhandle) and

Crooked River (Florida) Crooked River is a waterway in Franklin County, Florida, that connects the tidal estuary of the Ochlockonee River to a junction with the tidal Carrabelle River and the New River above the town of Carrabelle, Florida. The Crooked River channel is ...

, visited by paddlers. The extreme eastern tip of the county is bordered by the

Ochlockonee River The Ochlockonee River ( ) is a fast running river, except where it has been dammed to form Lake Talquin in Florida, originating in Georgia and flowing for before terminating in Florida. Background The name is from the Hitchiti language words ...

Adjacent counties

* Liberty County, Florida – north *

Wakulla County, Florida Wakulla County is a county located in the Big Bend region in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,764. Its county seat is Crawfordville. Wakulla County is part of the Tallahassee ...

– northeast *

Gulf County, Florida Gulf County is a county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,192. Its county seat is Port St. Joe. Gulf County is included in the Panama City, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area. H ...

– west (northern part of the county observes CDT/CST time)

National protected areas

Apalachicola National Forest The Apalachicola National Forest is the largest U.S. National Forest in the state of Florida. It encompasses and is the only national forest located in the Florida Panhandle. The National Forest provides water and land-based outdoors activities ...

(part) *

St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge The St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located in northwestern Florida, on the barrier island of St. Vincent, off the coast of Apalachicola in the Gulf of Mexico. The Refuge incl ...

(part)

Barrier Islands

Cape St. George Island Cape St. George Island (also known as Little St. George Island) is an uninhabited barrier island situated on Florida's North Gulf Coast, south-southeast of St. Vincent Island, west of St. George Island and 8–10 miles south-southwest of the t ...

* Dog Island * St. George Island * St. Vincent Island Also,

St. James Island St. James Island is an inhabited area along the Florida Panhandle surrounded by the Carrabelle River, Crooked River, Ochlockonee River, and St. George Sound in Franklin County, Florida. It is more than long and averages wide. It is separated f ...

, while part of the mainland, is technically an island, being separated from the rest of Franklin County by rivers and an estuary.

Historic sites

Crooked River Light The Crooked River Light, also known as the Carrabelle Light, was built in 1895 to replace the Dog Island Light on Dog Island, Florida, Dog Island, which had been destroyed in 1875 by a hurricane. The location on the mainland allowed the light to ...

Prospect Bluff Historic Sites Prospect Bluff Historic Sites (until 2016 known as Fort Gadsden Historic Site, and sometimes written as Fort Gadsden Historic Memorial) is located in Franklin County, Florida, on the Apalachicola River, SW of Sumatra, Florida. The site cont ...

Demographics

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 12,451 people, 4,691 households, and 2,926 families residing in the county. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 11,057 people, 4,096 households, and 2,727 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 20 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 7,180 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the county was 81.24% White, 16.32% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. 2.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 4,096 households, out of which 24.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% were married couples] living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.77. In the county, the population was spread out, with 18.00% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 30.80% from 25 to 44, 27.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 129.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 135.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $26,756, and the median income for a family was $31,157. Males had a median income of $25,101 versus $20,494 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $16,140. About 11.80% of families and 17.70% 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 t ...

, including 23.20% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Franklin County residents are within the Franklin County School District.
Text list
/ref> All Students K-12 attend the

Franklin County School Franklin County School serves pre-kindergarten through 12th grade at 1250 Highway 98 in Eastpoint, Franklin County, Florida, United States. The school's teams compete as the Seahawks. It is one of seven schools in the Franklin County School Distri ...

at Eastpoint, FL, except those attending the Apalachicola Bay Charter School or other private schools.

Libraries

The Franklin County Public Library works with th
Wilderness Coast Public Libraries
The FCPL has two library branches. * Carrabelle * Eastpoint In addition, Franklin County has the Apalachicola Margaret Key Library, an independent library with a history of providing services for over 100 years. It is not a member of Wilderness Coast, but is recognized the state.

Politics

Voter Registration

Statewide Elections

Communities

Towns

* Apalachicola * Carrabelle

Census-designated places

* Eastpoint * St. George Island

Unincorporated communities

Alligator Point Alligator Point is an unincorporated community on St. James Island in Franklin County, Florida, United States. It is located along U.S. 98, south of Bald Point State Park, along the Gulf of Mexico. Alligator Point is a small beach community mad ...

* Bald Point *

* St. Teresa

Transportation

Airports

Apalachicola Regional Airport Apalachicola Regional Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) west of the central business district of Apalachicola, a city in Franklin County, Florida, United States. It is included in the Na ...

* Carrabelle-Thompson Airport * St. George Island Airport

Notes

References

External links

Government links/constitutional offices

Franklin County Board of County Commissioners

Franklin County Clerk of Court

Franklin County Supervisor of Elections

Franklin County Property Appraiser

Franklin County Sheriff's Office

Franklin County Tax Collector

Special districts

Franklin County Schools

Northwest Florida Water Management District

Judicial branch

Franklin County Clerk of Courts

Public Defender, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida
serving Franklin, Gadsden,

Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...

Leon Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again f ...

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

, and Wakulla counties
Office of the State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida

Circuit and County Court for the 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida

Tourism links

Franklin County Tourist Development Council

Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce

Carrabelle Area Chamber of Commerce

St. George Island Visitor Center & Lighthouse Museum
{{Coord, 29.80, -84.82, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-FL_source:UScensus1990 Florida counties 1832 establishments in Florida Territory Populated places established in 1832 North Florida