Holmes County, Florida

Holmes County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, 18,564 people lived there. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 19,264. Its county seat is Bonifay, Florida.

History
Holmes County was named after an Indian Chief that lived in the area when the land was settled. Holmes County has had three county seats in its history, the first being Cerro Gordo, 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 in Bonifay

Land
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of , of which  (or 98.72%) is land and  (or 1.28%) is water.

Counties nearby
Geneva County, Alabama - north
Jackson County, Florida - east
Washington County, Florida - south
Walton County, Florida - west

People
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,564 people, 6,921 households, and 4,893 families living in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15/km²). There were 7,998 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6/km²). 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 not related. 26.10% of all households were made up of people living alone 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 American 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.

Municipalities

Incorporated
City of Bonifay
Town of Esto
Town of Noma
Town of Ponce de Leon
Town of Westville

Unincorporated
Bethlehem
Prosperity
Gritney
Cerrogordo
Pittman

Politics

References

Other websites

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

Special districts 
Holmes District School Board
Northwest Florida Water Management District

Judicial branch
Holmes County Clerk of Courts
 Circuit and County Court for the 14th Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties

Tourism links
Holmes County Online and Chamber of Commerce

 
1848 establishments in the United States
1840s establishments in Florida