Putnam County is a

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

located in the northern part of the

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

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 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 73,321. Its

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 ...

is Palatka. Putnam County comprises the Palatka, FL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

- St. Marys-Palatka, FL- GA

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and ...

. The county is centrally located between Jacksonville, Gainesville,

St. Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Afr ...

, and

Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County near the Atlantic coastline, its population was 72,647 at the 2020 census. Daytona Beach is approximately nort ...

History

Putnam County was created in 1849. It was

's 28th county created from parts of St. Johns, Alachua, Orange,

Duval Duval is a surname, literally translating from French to English as "of the valley". It derives from the Norman "Devall", which has both English and French ties. Variant spellings include: Davolls, Deavall, DeVile, Devill, Deville, Divall, Divel ...

, and Marion counties. The county was named for Benjamin A. Putnam, who was an officer in the

First Seminole War The Seminole Wars (also known as the Florida Wars) were three related military conflicts in Florida between the United States and the Seminole, citizens of a Native American nation which formed in the region during the early 1700s. Hostiliti ...

, a lawyer, Florida legislator, and the first president of the Florida Historical Society. The Putnam County Historical Society has determined that Benjamin A. Putnam is the grandson of Israel Putnam, for whom other counties and places in the United States are named. Benjamin A. Putnam died in the

of Palatka in 1869.

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 (12.0%) is water. The county contains various sinkhole lakes such as Lake Barco and Lake Suggs, where unconsolidated deposits on the surface have slumped into the highly soluble limestone of the upper Floridan aquifer.

Adjacent counties

Clay County, Florida Clay County is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2020, the population was 218,245. Its county seat is Green Cove Springs. It is included in the Jacksonville metropolitan statistical area. It is named in honor ...

– north * St. Johns County, Florida – northeast *

Flagler County, Florida Flagler County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 115,378. Its county seat is Bunnell. Created in 1917 from portions of Saint Johns and Volusia Counties, ...

– east *

Volusia County, Florida Volusia County (, ) is located in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Florida, stretching between the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the county was home to 553,543 people, an incr ...

– southeast *

Marion County, Florida Marion County is located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 375,908. Its county seat is Ocala. Marion County comprises the Ocala, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area. it includes par ...

– southwest *

Alachua County, Florida Alachua County ( ) is a county in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 278,468. The county seat is Gainesville, the home of the University of Florida since 1906, when the campus ...

– west * Bradford County, Florida – northwest

National protected area

Ocala National Forest The Ocala National Forest ls the second largest nationally protected forest in the U.S. State of Florida. It covers of northern Florida. It is located three miles (5 km) east of Ocala and southeast of Gainesville. The Ocala National Fo ...

(part)

State Park

* Ravine Gardens *

Dunns Creek Dunns Creek State Park is a Florida State Park, located approximately 15 miles south of Palatka, on US 17. History Native Americans used this site as evidenced by the fairly widespread shell mounds. During the 1920s, a steamboat stop provide ...

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 off ...

, there were 73,321 people, 29,822 households, and 18,179 families residing in the county. As of the

2000 United States Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 c ...

there were 70,423 people, 27,839 households, and 19,459 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile (38/km²). There were 33,870 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile (18/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.91%

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

, 17.04%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.42% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 2.94% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. 5.92% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 27,839 households, out of which 28.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% were married couples living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.95. In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 24.20% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 18.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $28,180, and the median income for a family was $34,499. Males had a median income of $29,975 versus $20,955 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 $15,603. About 15.80% of families and 20.90% 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 30.60% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.

Ancestry/ethnicity

the largest self-reported ethnic/ancestry groups in Putnam County, Florida are:

Education

The main campus of St. Johns River State College is located in Palatka (the county seat). First Coast Technical College is public, post secondary vocational school with a campus in Palatka. When in November 2022 a former Putnam County school resource deputy was accused of sneaking into a student's home to sexually batter her while her mom was at work or asleep, and asking her to dress up as a younger child and call him “daddy”, starting when she was 15 years of age, it was announced that the Florida Criminal Justice Standards & Training Commission would review the case. The case was sent to the Commission by the Putnam County Sheriff, who was seeking to have the deputy's certification as a law enforcement officer permanently revoked.

Libraries

Putnam County is served by th
Putnam County Library System
which has five branches: * Palatka (main) * Bostwick * Crescent City * Interlachen * Melrose

Communities

Cities

* Crescent City * Palatka

Towns

* Interlachen * Pomona Park * Welaka

Census-designated place

* East Palatka

Other unincorporated communities

* Bardin * Bostwick * Carraway *

Crossley Crossley, based in Manchester, United Kingdom, was a pioneering company in the production of internal combustion engines. Since 1988 it has been part of the Rolls-Royce Power Engineering group. More than 100,000 Crossley oil and gas engines ...

Edgar Edgar is a commonly used English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Eadgar'' (composed of '' ead'' "rich, prosperous" and '' gar'' "spear"). Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the later medieval period; it was, however, r ...

* Florahome *

Francis Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome * Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) Places *Rural ...

* Fruitland * Georgetown * Grandin * Hollister * Huntington * Johnson Crossroads *

Lake Como Lake Como ( it, Lago di Como , ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh de Còmm , ''Cómm'' or ''Cùmm'' ), also known as Lario (; after the la, Larius Lacus), is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the thir ...

* Mannville *

Melrose Melrose may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Melrose, Scottish Borders, a town in the Scottish Borders, Scotland ** Melrose Abbey, ruined monastery ** Melrose RFC, rugby club Australia * Melrose, Queensland, a locality in the South Burnett R ...

* Orange Mills * Putnam Hall * Ridgewood * Rodman * San Mateo * Satsuma * Springside * Yelvington

Politics

Voter registration

According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans are a plurality of registered voters in Putnam County.

Transportation

Airports

*The main airport within the county is the Palatka Municipal Airport. Minor and private air strips also exist.

Highways

* is the main local road through eastern Putnam County, running south to north. * is the hidden route for US 17 within the county and the vicinity. * is a mostly scenic north and south road that enters the county from

and terminates with US 17 in Palatka. * runs west to east through the panhandle into Putnam County east from Hawthorne in Alachua County, and joins US 17/SR 100 in Palatka. * runs south to north from SR 20 in McMeekin through Melrose before entering Clay County. * runs west to east through Gilcrhist and Alachua Counties before entering Putnam County in Melrose and terminating at SR 100 in Putnam Hall. * runs northwest to southeast from Clay County southeast of Keystone Heights, passing through Putnam Hall, Florahome, and Palatka where it joins US 17, and later SR 20 in a concurrency into San Mateo where SR 100 (and hidden SR 20) runs southeast towards the Flagler County Line * is a west to east route that runs northeast from US 17/SRs 20/100 through Orange Mills and then the St. Johns County Line..

Rail transport

The historic Old Atlantic Coast Line Union Depot is the current

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...

station in Palatka for Putnam County along the CSX

Sanford Subdivision The Sanford Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in Florida. The line runs along CSX's A Line from St. Johns (near Jacksonville) south through Palatka to DeLand. At its north end it continues south from the Jacksonville ...

. Originally the station not only served the

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967 it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coas ...

but also served the

Seaboard Air Line Railroad The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad which existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, t ...

, the Southern Railway,

Florida East Coast Railroad The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida, currently owned by Grupo México. Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a pr ...

, and the Ocklawaha Valley Railroad. Additionally, the Edgar Spur of the CSX

Wildwood Subdivision The Wildwood Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in Florida. It runs along CSX's S Line from Baldwin south to Zephyrhills via Ocala and Wildwood for a total of 155.7 miles. The S Line is CSX's designation for the line tha ...

enters the western edge of the county from

Alachua County Alachua County ( ) is a county in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 278,468. The county seat is Gainesville, the home of the University of Florida since 1906, when the campus o ...

Navigable waterways

* St. Johns River

Notes

References

External links

Government links/Constitutional offices

Putnam County Board of County Commissioners
official website
Putnam County Supervisor of Elections

Putnam County Property Appraiser

Putnam County Sheriff's Office

Putnam County Tax Collector

Putnam County Parks and Recreation

Special districts

Putnam County School District

St. Johns River Water Management District

Judicial branch

Putnam County Clerk of Courts

serving Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia counties
Office of the State Attorney, 7th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Circuit and County Court for the 7th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Tourism links

Putnam County Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control Florida counties 1849 establishments in Florida North Florida Populated places established in 1849