Leon County, Florida

Leon County is a county located in the Panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. It was named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. As of the 2010 Census , the population was 275,487.

The county seat is Tallahassee, which is also the state capital and home of many politicians, lobbyists, jurists, and attorneys.

Leon County is included in the Tallahassee metropolitan area. Tallahassee is home to two of Florida's major public universities, Florida State University and Florida A&M University, as well as Tallahassee Community College. Together these institutions have a combined enrollment of more than 70,000 students annually, creating both economic and social effects.

History

Originally part of Escambia and later Gadsden County, Leon County was created in 1824. It was named after Juan Ponce de León, the Spanish explorer who was the first European to reach Florida.

The United States finally acquired this territory in the nineteenth century. In the 1830s, it attempted to conduct Indian Removal of the Seminole and Creek peoples, who had migrated south to escape European-American encroachment in Georgia and Alabama. After many Seminole were forcibly removed from the area or moved south to the Everglades during the Seminole Wars, planters developed cotton plantations based on enslaved labor.

By the 1850s and 1860s, Leon County had become part of the "cotton kingdom" of the Deep South. It ranked fifth of all Florida and Georgia counties in the production of cotton from the 20 major plantations. Uniquely among Confederate capitals east of the Mississippi River, in the American Civil War Tallahassee was never captured by Union forces. No Union soldiers set foot in Leon County until the Reconstruction Era.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which  are land and  (5.0%) are water. Unlike much of Florida, most of Leon County has rolling hills, part of north Florida's Red Hills Region. The highest point is , located in the northern part of the county.

Geology

Leon County encompasses basement rock composed of basalts of the Triassic and Jurassic from ~251—145 million years ago interlayered with Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. The layers above the basement are carbonate rock created from dying foraminifera, bryozoa, mollusks, and corals from as early as the Paleocene, a period of ~66—55.8 Ma.

During the Eocene (~55.8—33.9 Ma) and Oligocene (~33.9—23 Ma), the Appalachian Mountains began to uplift and the erosion rate increased enough to fill the Gulf Trough with quartz sands, silts, and clays via rivers and streams. The first sedimentation layer in Leon County is the Oligocene Suwannee Limestone in the southeastern part of the county as stated by the United States Geological Survey and Florida Geological Survey.

The Early Miocene (~23.03—15.7 Ma) sedimentation in Leon County is Hawthorn Group, Torreya Formation and St. Marks Formation and found in the northern two-thirds of the county.

The Pliocene (~5.332—2.588 Ma) is represented by the Miccosukee Formation scattered within the Torreya Formation.

Sediments were laid down from the Pleistocene epoch (~2.588 million—12 000 years ago) through Holocene epoch (~12,000—present) and are designated Beach ridge and trail and undifferentiated sediments.

Terraces and shorelines
During the Pleistocene, what would be Leon County emerged and submerged with each glacial and interglacial period. Interglacials created the topography of Leon as it is known now.

Also See Leon County Pleistocene coastal terraces

Also see: Florida Platform and Lithostratigraphy

Geologic formations
Red Hills Region (North)
Cody Scarp (central)
Woodville Karst Plain (South)

Paleontology
Three sites within Leon County have yielded fossil remnants of the Miocene epoch. The Wikipedia article, "Leon County, Florida paleontological sites", provides more information about the Griscom Plantation Site, Seaboard Air Line Railroad Site, and Tallahassee Waterworks Site. It identifies fossils found at these sites by genus and species.

National protected area
 Apalachicola National Forest (part)

Bodies of water
Lake Miccosukee
Black Creek
Lake Bradford
Lake Ella
Lake Hall
Lake Iamonia
Lake Jackson
Lake Lafayette
Lake Talquin
Ochlockonee River
Lake Munson

Adjacent counties
 Grady County, Georgia - north
 Thomas County, Georgia - northeast
 Jefferson County - east
 Wakulla County - south
 Gadsden County - west
 Liberty County - west

Demographics

Race
As of the census of 2010, there were 275,487 people, and 108,592 households residing in the county. The population density was 413.2 people per square mile (159.5/km²). There were 123,423 housing units at an average density of 185 per square mile (71.4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 63.0% White, 30.3% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 2.2% from two or more races. 5.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Age
There were 108,592 households out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.9% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.8% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 26.3% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.57 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.03 males.

Education
The adult citizens of Leon County enjoy the highest level of education in the state of Florida followed by Alachua County with a total of 67.8%.

Source of above:

Income
The median income for a household in the county was $37,517, and the median income for a family was $52,962. Males had a median income of $35,235 versus $28,110 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,024. About 9.40% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.20% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

Accolades
2007 National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials' Environmental and Conservation Award for exceptional effort to reclaim, restore, preserve, acquire or develop unique and natural areas. Leon County has  of open space, forest and woodlands between the Miccosukee Canopy Road Greenway and J.R. Alford Greenway.

Law, government, and politics

Politics

Following Reconstruction, white Democrats regained power in Leon County and voters have historically voted for Democratic Party candidates at the national level. Tallahassee is one of the few cities in the South known for progressive activism.

The county has voted Democratic in 24 out of the past 29 presidential elections since 1904. (Until the late 1960s, blacks were essentially disenfranchised in Florida and other Southern states.) Since the civil rights era, Tallahassee has elected black mayors and black state representatives. Its political affiliations likely draw from the high number of students, staff, and faculty associated with Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, as well as the concentration of government employees in the capital city.

Leon County has had the highest voter turnout of all counties in Florida. In the 2008 general election, Leon County had a record setting early voting and vote by mail with a voter turnout of 85%.

As of December 2, 2018, there were 112,572 Democrats, 58,083 Republicans, and 44,007 with other affiliations out of a total of 214,662 voters in Leon County.

County representation

Map of County Commission Districts

State representation
Rep. Loranne Ausley (D), District 9, represents the northern half of Leon County, including most of Tallahassee. Rep. Jason Shoaf (R), District 7, represents the southern portion of the county. Shoaf was elected a special election. Rep. Ramon Alexander (D), District 8, represents a west-central portion of the county.

State Senator
All of Leon County is represented by Bill Montford (D), District 3 in the Florida Senate.

U.S. Congressional representation
Leon County is part of two congressional districts. The northern and eastern portion of Leon County, including 61% of Tallahassee, is part of the 5th Congressional District, a minority-majority district that extends across northern Florida. It is represented by Al Lawson (D). The remainder of the county (the southeastern corner and 39% of Tallahassee), is part of the 2nd Congressional District, which is represented by Neal Dunn (R).

Consolidation
Voters of Leon County have gone to the polls four times to vote on consolidation of Tallahassee and Leon County governments into one jurisdiction. This proposal would combine police and other city services with the already shared (consolidated) Tallahassee Fire Department, Tallahassee/Leon County Planning Department, and Leon County Emergency Medical Services. Tallahassee's city limits would (at current size) increase from  to . Roughly 36 percent of Leon County's 250,000 residents live outside the Tallahassee city limits.

The proponents of consolidation have stated that the new jurisdiction would attract business by its very size. Merging of governments would cut government waste, duplication of services, etc. However, Professor Richard Feiock of Florida State University said in a 2007 study that he could not conclude that consolidation would benefit the local economy.

Public services

Leon County sheriff
The Leon County Sheriff's Office provides police patrol, detective service, court protection, coroner service, and county prison operation for the unincorporated part of Leon County. Fire and Emergency medical services are provided by the Tallahassee Fire Department and Leon County Emergency Medical Services respectively.

Tallahassee Police Department
Tallahassee is the only incorporated municipality within Leon County. Its policing is provided by the Tallahassee Police Department. Established in 1826, TPD is recognized as being the third-longest accredited law enforcement agency in the country.

Education

Higher education

Florida State University
Florida State University (commonly referred to as Florida State or FSU) is an American public space-grant and sea-grant research university. Florida State is located on a 1,391.54-acre (5.631-km2) campus in the state capital of Tallahassee, Florida, United States. In 2017, it had nearly 42,000 students.

It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the state of Florida.

The university is classified as a Research University with Very High Research by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university comprises 16 separate colleges and more than 110 centers, facilities, labs and institutes that offer more than 360 programs of study, including professional school programs. The university has an annual budget of over $1.7 billion. Florida State is home to Florida's only National Laboratory – the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and is the birthplace of the commercially viable anti-cancer drug Taxol. Florida State University also operates The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the State Art Museum of Florida and one of the largest museum/university complexes in the nation.

The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Florida State University is home to nationally ranked programs in many academic areas, including law, business, engineering, medicine, social policy, film, music, theater, dance, visual art, political science, psychology, social work, and the sciences. Florida State University leads Florida in four of eight areas of external funding for the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

For 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida State as the 26th best public university in the United States.

Florida Governor Rick Scott and the state legislature designated Florida State University as one of two "preeminent" state universities in the spring of 2013 among the twelve universities of the State University System of Florida.

FSU's intercollegiate sports teams, commonly known by their Florida State Seminoles nickname, compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Florida State Seminoles athletics program are favorites of passionate students, fans and alumni across the United States, especially when led by the Marching Chiefs of the Florida State University College of Music. In their 113-year history, Florida State's varsity sports teams have won 20 national athletic championships and Seminole athletes have won 78 individual NCAA national championships.

Florida A&M University

Founded on October 3, 1887, Florida A&M University (FAMU) is a public, historically black university that is part of the State University System of Florida and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. FAMU's main campus comprises 156 buildings spread over  on top of the highest geographic hill of Tallahassee. In 2016 it had more than 9600 students. The university also has several satellite campuses. Its College of Law is located at its site in Orlando, and its pharmacy program has sites in Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa. Florida A&M University offers 54 bachelor's degrees and 29 master's degrees. The university has 12 schools and colleges and one institute.

FAMU has 11 doctoral programs, which include 10 Ph.D. programs: chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, biomedical engineering, physics, pharmaceutical sciences, educational leadership, and environmental sciences. Top undergraduate programs are architecture, journalism, computer information sciences, and psychology. FAMU's top graduate programs include pharmaceutical sciences, along with public health, physical therapy, engineering, physics, master's of applied social sciences (especially history and public administration), business, and sociology.

Tallahassee Community College

Tallahassee Community College (TCC) is a member of the Florida College System. Tallahassee Community College is accredited by the Florida Department of Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Its primary campus is located on a 270-acre (1.092 km2) campus in Tallahassee. The institution was founded in 1966 by the Florida Legislature.

TCC offers Bachelor's of Science, Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Sciences degrees. In 2013, Tallahassee Community College was listed 1st in the nation in graduating students with A.A. degrees. TCC is also the #1 transfer school in the nation to Florida State University. As of Fall 2015, TCC reported 38,017 students.

In partnership with Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College offers the TCC2FSU program. This program provides guaranteed admission into Florida State University for TCC Associate in Arts degree graduates.

List of other colleges
Barry University School of Adult and Continuing Education – Tallahassee Campus
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Flagler College – Tallahassee Campus
Keiser University – Tallahassee Campus
Lewis M. Lively Area Vocational-Technical School
Saint Leo University – Tallahassee Campus

Primary and secondary education
Public schools in Leon County are administered and under the operation of the Leon County School District. LCS is operated by a superintendent, 5 board members, and 1 Student Representative. There are:
25 Elementary Schools
10 Middle Schools
7 High Schools
8 Special / Alternative Schools
2 Charter Schools

List of middle schools

List of high schools

Libraries
Leon County operates the Leroy Collins Leon County Public Library, with 7 branches serving the county.

Leroy Collins Main Library
Northeast Branch Library
Eastside Branch Library
Dr. B.L. Perry, Jr. Branch Library
Lake Jackson Branch Library
Woodville Branch Library
Jane G. Sauls Fort Braden Branch Library

The Leon County Public Library was renamed in 1993 to honor LeRoy Collins, the 33rd Governor of Florida.

History of Library Services

The Carnegie Library of Tallahassee provided library services to the black community prior to desegregation.  This library was the first and only public library in the city of Tallahassee until 1955.  The philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie offered the city of Tallahassee money to build a public library in 1906. According to an article written in Africology: The Journal of Pan African Studies, The library was built on the campus of Florida A&M University because the city refused the donation based on the fact that it would have to serve the black citizens.  "The facility boasted modern amenities such as electricity, indoor plumbing and water supplied by the city. In later years, the Library served as an art gallery, religious center, and in 1976, became the founding home of the Black Archives Research Center and Museum. By functioning both as a repository for archival records and a museum for historical regalia, the center continues to render academic support to educational institutions, civic, political, religious and Museum. By functioning both as a repository for archival records and a museum for historical regalia, the center continues to render academic support to educational institutions, civic, political, religious and social groups, as well as, public and private businesses throughout Florida and the nation." The building was designed by noted architect William Augustus Edwards and was built in 1908. On November 17, 1978, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The Carnegie Library of Tallahassee which only served the black community became the only free public library in the city until 1955.  According to the Leon County Public Library's website, the American Association of University Women formed the Friends of the Library organization in 1954.  The formation of the Friends of the Library was in direct response to the fact that "Tallahassee was the only state capital in the United States not offering free public library service."   One year later, the library was established in May by legislative action and was developed by citizens and civic groups.  In 1956 the first Leon County free public library opened on March 21.  The first building used to house the library was The Columns, one of the  oldest remaining antebellum homes in the Leon County area located at Park Avenue and Adams street (the building today is home of the James Madison Institute).

In order to expand library services the Junior League of Tallahassee donated a bookmobile to the library. The vehicle was later donated to the Leon County Sheriff's Office to be used as a paddy wagon for its Road Prison.
In 1962 the library moved to the old Elks Club building at 127 North Monroe Street. Public transit in the city of Tallahassee was desegregated by 1958, yet it would several more years before the public library system would experience integration.

In the early 70's Jefferson and Wakulla counties joined the Leon County Public Library System, forming the Leon, Jefferson, and Wakulla County Public Library System. According to the library's web site, "Leon County provided administrative and other services to the two smaller counties, while each supported the direct costs of their library services and their share of Leon's administrative costs."  In 1975 the system started a branch library in the Bond community, a predominantly black community on the city's Southside. Wakulla County left the library cooperative in 1975 to start its own library system and in 1978 the main library moved to a location in Tallahassee's Northwood Mall.  Jefferson County left the library cooperative in 1980 and the library reverted to the Leon County Public Library.  In 1989 "ground breaking was held on March 4 for a new $8.5 million main library facility with 88,000 feet of space. The site was next door to the library's original home, The Columns, which had been moved in 1971 to 100 N. Duval."  The new library had its grand opening in 1991 and was renamed in 1993 in honor of former Governor LeRoy Collins.

Points of interest

Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park
Apalachicola National Forest
Birdsong Nature Center
Bradley's Country Store Complex
Florida State Capitol
Florida Supreme Court
Florida State Archives
Florida Vietnam War Memorial
Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park
Leon County Fairgrounds
Leon County's 5 canopy roads
Mission San Luis de Apalachee
Museum of Florida History
Old Fort Park
Tall Timbers Research Station
Tallahassee Antique Car Museum
Tallahassee Museum
Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Trail State Park

Transportation

Airports
Tallahassee Commercial Airport
Tallahassee International Airport

Major highways

 Interstate 10
 U.S. Highway 27 
 U.S. Highway 90 
 U.S. Highway 319 
 State Road 20
 State Road 61
 State Road 155
 State Road 263
 State Road 267
 State Road 363

Communities

City
Tallahassee

Census-designated place
Woodville

Other unincorporated communities

 Baum
 Black Creek
 Bloxham
 Bradfordville
 Capitola
 Centerville
 Chaires
 Chaires Crossroads
 Felkel
 Fort Braden
 Gardner
 Iamonia
 Ivan
 Lafayette
 Lutterloh
 Meridian
 Miccosukee
 Ochlockonee
 Rose
 Wadesboro

Defunct entity
Bond-South City, a former census-designated place enumerated by the United States Census Bureau in 1950 & 1960.

See also
 National Register of Historic Places listings in Leon County, Florida

References

External links

Government links/Constitutional offices
Leon County Government / Board of County Commissioners
Leon County Clerk of Courts
Leon County Property Appraiser
Leon County Sheriff's Office
Leon County Supervisor of Elections
Leon County Tax Collector

Special districts
Leon County Public Schools
The Ochlockonee River Soil and Water Conservation District
Northwest Florida Water Management District

Judicial branch
Leon County Clerk of Courts
Public Defender, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla counties
Office of the State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida
Circuit and County Court, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida

Tourism links
http://www.VisitTallahassee.com

Category:Charter counties in Florida
 
Category:1824 establishments in Florida Territory
Category:Populated places established in 1824
Category:Tallahassee metropolitan area
Category:North Florida