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State of the City - click here to download pdf Contact Information and Location:
About Lake City, Florida Lake City is a city located in Columbia County, Florida, USA. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 11,953. It is the county seat of Columbia County, and is the Principal City of the Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is composed of Columbia County, and had an estimated 2006 population of 67,007. Lake City is a small town located in Columbia County west of Jacksonville near the Georgia border. This quiet town is nicknamed "Florida's New Gateway", being a friendly, inviting place to stop on your way into Florida. The City of Lake City is a rural north central Florida community with a population of less than 12,000. As with most communities in Florida, Lake City is rapidly expanding. Development in both residential and commercial is occurring in and around the city, driven by the availability of public facilities; water, sewer, and traditional transportation routes. Lake City is favorably known as the “Gateway” to Florida.
History By 1830, a white American town called Alligator was established, adjacent to the site of Lake City was a Seminole village named Alpata Telophka, meaning "to the Seminole town. The city was incorporated and changed to its current name on January 15, 1859. The name was changed because the mayor's wife, who had recently moved to the town, refused to hang her lace curtains in a town named Alligator. The American Civil War Battle of Olustee took place near Lake City in February of 1864. By the early 20th century, Lake City had become an important railroad junction, served by the Seaboard Air Line, Atlantic Coast Line, Georgia Southern, and the Florida Railroad. By 1950, it had a population of 7,467 people. Lake City hosts a variety of civic and cultural events. Each year in January the community has planned a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. In February, since 1976 the city hosts the Olustee Battle Festival & Re-Enactment. Lake City also holds its Alligator Fest each October, and numerous other events. Geography Lake City is near the intersection of Interstate highways I-10 and I-75. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.1 mi² (28.7 km²). 10.6 square miles (27 km²) of it is land and .5 square miles (1 km²) of it is water. The total area is 4.69% water. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there are 9,980 people, 4,043 households, and 2,429 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city is 59.32% White, 37.46% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.02% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. 2.82% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 4,043 households out of which 28.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.5% are married couples living together, 20.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% are non-families. 33.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.34 and the average family size is 3.01. The median income for a household in the city is $26,161, and the median income for a family is $31,920. Males have a median income of $27,369 versus $21,290 for females. The per capita income for the city is $14,697. 20.5% of the population and 16.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 27.8% of those under the age of 18 and 16.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Economy Lake City is known as "The Gateway to Florida" because Interstate 75 runs though them, carrying a large percentage of Florida's tourist and trade traffic, and Lake City is the northernmost sizable town/city in Florida on Interstate 75. Agricultural products of the area include tobacco, corn, peanuts, cotton, and melons. Nearby Locations Gainesville – 45 miles South Elevation is 200ft – County Land Area is 797 sq. miles – City Land Area is 11.8 sq. miles. Climate Annual Average Temperature 69 degrees average humidity is 75% Education We have 13 public schools, four non-public schools, and two Community Colleges. Recreational Facitlities Race Track – 2 Major Employers for Lake City VA Medical Center (1056)
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