# Holmes County, Florida

Holmes County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida, in the Panhandle. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,653. Its county seat is Bonifay.

## History

Holmes County was created in 1848.
The county's namesake is a point of debate. Holmes Creek – the county's eastern boundary – bore that name before the county was created, but it was originally named Weekaywehatchee (a Creek Indian name meaning "spring creek"). One claim is that the county was named for Thomas J. Holmes, who came from North Carolina to settle in the area about 1830. Another is that it is named after Holmes, an American Indian chief who settled in the area with his band of Red Stick Creek Indians after 1814. He was subsequently killed in 1818 by a raiding party sent by Andrew Jackson during the First Seminole War.
Holmes County has had four county seats in its history. The first was Hewett's Bluff (later renamed Bear Pen, then Cerro Gordo), then Pittman's Ferry, then Westville, and finally Bonifay. Bonifay has been the county seat since 1905.

### Historic places

Historic places in the county include:
* Keith Cabin in Pittman
* Waits Mansion, Bonifay
* Vortex Spring, Northern Ponce de Leon
Ponce de Leon Springs State Park, Ponce de Leon

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 489 square miles (1,270 km$^2$), of which 479 square miles (1,240 km$^2$) is land and 10 square miles (26 km$^2$) (2.1%) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in Florida by total area.

### Adjacent counties

* Geneva County, Alabama – north
* Jackson County, Florida – east
* Washington County, Florida – south
* Walton County, Florida – west

## Demographics

Holmes County racial composition as of 2020 (NH = Non-Hispanic) :
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White (NH) | 17,722 | 16,766 | 88.93% | 85.31% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 1,140 | 1,211 | 5.72% | 6.16% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 143 | 120 | 0.72% | 0.61% |
| Asian (NH) | 83 | 81 | 0.42% | 0.41% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 27 | 13 | 0.14% | 0.07% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 6 | 27 | 0.03% | 0.14% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 362 | 747 | 1.82% | 3.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 444 | 688 | 2.23% | 3.5% |
| Total | 19,927 | 19,653 | 100.00% | 100.00% |

### 2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 19,653 people, 7,282 households, and 4,778 families in Holmes County, Florida. The population density was 41.0 per square mile (15.8/km$^2$). There were 8,622 housing units at an average density of 18.0 per square mile (7.0/km$^2$). The racial makeup was 86.82% (17,063) white or European American (85.31% non-Hispanic white), 6.29% (1,237) black or African-American, 0.65% (128) Native American or Alaska Native, 0.46% (90) Asian, 0.07% (13) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 1.2% (235) from other races, and 4.51% (887) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 3.5% (688) of the population.
Of the 7,282 households, 28.8% had children under the age of 18; 46.3% were married couples living together; 27.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 29.6% of households consisted of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.0. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 7.3% of the population.
20.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 85.6 males.
The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $39,215 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,549). The median family income was $48,511 (+/- $3,115). Males had a median income of $26,725 (+/- $1,071) versus $25,931 (+/- $2,337) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $26,486 (+/- $958). Approximately, 17.7% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.8% of those under the age of 18 and 10.3% of those ages 65 or over.

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,564 people, 6,921 households, and 4,893 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15 people/km$^2$). There were 7,998 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6.6/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 89.79% White, 6.51% Black or African American, 1.01% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. 1.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,921 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.10% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 112.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,923, and the median income for a family was $34,286. Males had a median income of $25,982 versus $19,991 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,135. About 15.40% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.70% of those under age 18 and 17.90% of those age 65 or over.

## Triracial people

The so-called "Dominickers", a number of related mixed-race (white, black, and Euchee Indian) families, lived for decades after the Civil War and well into the twentieth century in a rural area near Ponce de Leon, with a separate church and segregated public elementary school. Although considered a separate ethnicity from both whites and blacks, many Dominickers married into local white families, so that group boundaries blurred; some descendants still live in the area. The 1950 federal census identified 60 members of this group living in Holmes County at that time. Few facts are known about their origins, and little has been published about them.

## Politics

Holmes County is an archetypically "Solid South" county in Florida. It gave the fifth-highest percentage of the vote for segregationist George Wallace of any county in the country during the 1968 election, and apart from Deep South native Jimmy Carter, no Democrat since 1964 has obtained as much as thirty-four percent of the county's vote in any Presidential election.
Holmes County once had more registered Democrats than Republicans, but many were descendants of Dixiecrats, Southerners who registered as Democrats due to tradition but voted Republican in most elections. Barack Obama earned only 15.2% of the vote in 2012. Hillary Clinton earned less than 10% of the vote in 2016.
United States presidential election results for Holmes County, Florida :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 8,193 | 89.72% | 882 | 9.66% | 57 | 0.62% |
| 2020 | 8,080 | 89.01% | 924 | 10.18% | 74 | 0.82% |
| 2016 | 7,483 | 87.46% | 853 | 9.97% | 220 | 2.57% |
| 2012 | 6,919 | 83.46% | 1,264 | 15.25% | 107 | 1.29% |
| 2008 | 7,033 | 81.63% | 1,446 | 16.78% | 137 | 1.59% |
| 2004 | 6,412 | 77.25% | 1,810 | 21.81% | 78 | 0.94% |
| 2000 | 5,012 | 67.77% | 2,177 | 29.43% | 207 | 2.80% |
| 1996 | 3,249 | 47.75% | 2,312 | 33.98% | 1,243 | 18.27% |
| 1992 | 3,196 | 48.96% | 1,877 | 28.75% | 1,455 | 22.29% |
| 1988 | 4,225 | 71.61% | 1,639 | 27.78% | 36 | 0.61% |
| 1984 | 4,548 | 78.70% | 1,231 | 21.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 3,221 | 52.41% | 2,767 | 45.02% | 158 | 2.57% |
| 1976 | 1,850 | 35.71% | 3,256 | 62.86% | 74 | 1.43% |
| 1972 | 3,819 | 92.51% | 309 | 7.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 377 | 7.00% | 312 | 5.79% | 4,700 | 87.21% |
| 1964 | 3,225 | 73.00% | 1,193 | 27.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,235 | 34.26% | 2,370 | 65.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,036 | 29.17% | 2,516 | 70.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 1,230 | 27.67% | 3,216 | 72.33% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 492 | 15.39% | 1,799 | 56.29% | 905 | 28.32% |
| 1944 | 908 | 25.51% | 2,652 | 74.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 887 | 24.84% | 2,684 | 75.16% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 772 | 19.37% | 3,213 | 80.63% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 429 | 13.71% | 2,701 | 86.29% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1928 | 2,260 | 74.44% | 735 | 24.21% | 41 | 1.35% |
| 1924 | 377 | 32.03% | 658 | 55.90% | 142 | 12.06% |
| 1920 | 537 | 33.56% | 869 | 54.31% | 194 | 12.13% |
| 1916 | 427 | 28.83% | 763 | 51.52% | 291 | 19.65% |
| 1912 | 52 | 7.74% | 411 | 61.16% | 209 | 31.10% |
| 1908 | 337 | 39.00% | 438 | 50.69% | 89 | 10.30% |
| 1904 | 140 | 29.60% | 284 | 60.04% | 49 | 10.36% |

## Media

The Holmes County Times-Advertiser is now owned by Halifax Media. The weekly newspaper publishes each Wednesday.
* Townsend Broadcasting began Holmes County first FM radio station in 1984 broadcasting a mere 3000 watts. WTBB (townsend broadcasting Bonifay) WTBB broadcast a sound 10 format soft rock and classic oldies. WTBB general manager was Larry Donaldson assisting Mr. Donaldson who later became a radio Hit D.J. was C.J. Newcomb who went on to stations like WJST and Sunny 98.5. in the Panama City Market. WTBB was sold to Pirate Radio and studios were moved to Panama City,Fl. call sign for frequency 97.7 are still in Holmes County however studios have long gone.

## Education

Holmes District School Board operates public schools. Holmes County High School and Ponce de Leon High School are its public high schools. Poplar Springs High School is a K-12 Combination School in Northeastern Holmes County and Bethlehem High School is a K-12 Combination School in the Bethlehem Community.
The Holmes County Public Library is the county's library system. It is located at 303 North J. Harvey Etheridge Street, Bonifay, Florida 32425. The library is open Tuesday-Friday 8:00am–5:00pm, and Saturday 8:00am–12:00pm and offers public computers with internet access, free wi-fi, programming for all ages, and access to e-books, e-audiobooks, and numerous online databases and resources.
Holmes County is also a part of the Panhandle Public Library Cooperative System. PPLCS also includes Calhoun and Jackson counties.

## Communities
### City

* Bonifay

### Towns

* Esto
* Noma
* Ponce De Leon
* Westville

### Unincorporated communities

* Bethlehem
* Cerrogordo
* Gritney
* Miller’s Crossroads
* Pittman
* Prosperity
* Poplar Springs
* Hamp Berry's Crossroads
* Leonia
* Sweet Gum Head

## Transportation
### Airports

* Tri-County Airport

### Major highways

* I-10 (Interstate 10) is the main west-to-east interstate highway in the county, and runs along southern Holmes County. It contains two interchanges within the county; SR 81 (Exit 94) in Ponce de Leon, then momentarily passes in and out of Washington County only to encounter the second interchange at SR 79 (Exit 112), in Bonifay.
* US 90 (U.S. Highway 90) was the main west-to-east highway in the county, until it was surpassed by I-10.
* SR 2 is the west-to-east route that's closest to the Alabama border beginning at SR 81 (see below). A tri-county extension runs west of SR 81 in Royal Crossroads through Walton and Okaloosa Counties.
* SR 79 is a south-to-north highway running though eastern Holmes County. The road enters the county from Washington County to the south as passes through Bonifay, Holland Crossroads and Esto, before finally crossing the Florida-Alabama State Line where it turns into AL 167.
* SR 81 is a south-to-north highway running through western Holmes County. The road enters the county from Walton County to the south as passes through Ponce De Leon, Prosperity, Hobbs Crossroads and Royal Crossroads, before finally crossing the Florida-Alabama State Line where it turns into AL 87.

### Railroads

Holmes County has one railroad line. The primary one is the CSX P&A Subdivision, a line formerly owned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad that served Amtrak's Sunset Limited. This service formerly went to New Orleans, but in 2005 service was truncated by the extensive damage in the Gulf area due to Hurricane Katrina. Another former L&N line existed within the northeastern corner of the county. The Georgiana Branch entered the state and county from Highnote, Alabama then ran through Esto and later Eleanor before crossing SR 2 and leaving the county towards Graceville and Campbellton, where it had a junction with the Bay Line Railroad.