Lake County, Florida

Coordinates: 28°46′N 81°43′W / 28.77°N 81.72°W / 28.77; -81.72

Lake County, Florida
Old Lake County Courthouse

Flag
Seal

Logo
Map of Florida highlighting Lake County
Location in the U.S. state of Florida
Map of the United States highlighting Florida
Florida's location in the U.S.
Founded May 27, 1887
Seat Tavares
Largest city Clermont
Area
 • Total 1,157 sq mi (2,997 km2)
 • Land 938 sq mi (2,429 km2)
 • Water 219 sq mi (567 km2), 18.9%
Population (est.)
 • (2017) 346,017
 • Density 369/sq mi (142/km2)
Congressional districts 6th, 11th, 15th
Time zone Eastern: UTC−5/−4
Website www.lakecountyfl.gov

Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 297,052.[1] Its county seat is Tavares,[2] and its largest city is Clermont.

Lake County is included in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Lake County was created in 1887 from portions of Sumter and Orange counties. It was named for the many lakes contained within its borders[3] (250 named lakes and 1,735 other bodies of water[4]).

During the Great Depression, citrus became the leading industry in Lake County.

In 1949 the Groveland Four, four young African-American men were wrongly accused of raping a white woman near town. They were Ernest Thomas (who was married), Charles Greenlee (then 16), Samuel Shepherd and Walter Irvin (both veterans of World War II). Thomas fled and was killed by a posse several days later. The three suspects were interrogated under torture and two gave coerced confessions. All three were wrongfully convicted at trial by an all-white jury: Greenlee was sentenced to life because of his age; Shepherd and Irvin were sentenced to death. Two of the convictions were overturned in 1951 by the U. S. Supreme Court in a case argued by NAACP special counsel Thurgood Marshall. The Court remanded the case to the lower court, ordering a new trial for Samuel Shepherd and Walter Irvin. They were shot by Lake County Sheriff Willis McCall while being transferred, in handcuffs, from the state prison to to Taveres, the county seat, for the new trial. Shepherd was killed but Irvin survived, to be tried and convicted again. Although sentenced to death, in 1955 Irvin received a commuted sentence to life from the new governor. In 1968 Irvin was paroled. In 1970 he died in Groveland of natural causes. Greenlee moved to Tennessee with his wife and child when released from prison.

The descendants of the Groveland Four petitioned Florida governor Rick Scott in 2012 for an apology from the State of Florida, citing new evidence of the county medical examiner, from an FBI file on the case, that no rape had taken placed.[5] The prosecution had suppressed this evidence at trials. Gilbert King's book Devil in the Grove (2012) documents this episode.[6] In 2016 the City of Groveland and Lake County formally apologized to the families; in 2017 both houses of the Florida legislature resolutions apologizing to the families and exonerating each of the accused men.

American heavy metal guitarist Randy Rhoads was killed in a plane crash in Leesburg on Friday March 19, 1982. Rhoads had played in the Ozzy Osbourne solo band following his tenure in Quiet Riot.

On February 2, 2007, a series of early morning tornadoes killed 21 people in the area.[7] Governor Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency.[8]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,157 square miles (3,000 km2), of which 938 square miles (2,430 km2) is land and 219 square miles (570 km2) (18.9%) is water.[9]

Sugarloaf Mountain is the highest point in peninsular Florida, at 312 feet (95 m) above sea level.[10]

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18908,034—
19007,467−7.1%
19109,50927.3%
192012,74434.0%
193023,16181.7%
194027,25517.7%
195036,34033.3%
196057,38357.9%
197069,30520.8%
1980104,87051.3%
1990152,10445.0%
2000210,52838.4%
2010297,05241.1%
Est. 2017346,017[11]16.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2015[1]

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 210,528 people, 88,413 households, and 62,507 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile (85/km²). There were 102,830 housing units at an average density of 108 per square mile (42/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.46% White, 8.31% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.88% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 5.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 88,413 households out of which 23.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.75.

In the county, the population was spread out with 20.30% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 23.80% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 26.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,903, and the median income for a family was $42,577. Males had a median income of $31,475 versus $23,545 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,199. About 6.90% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.80% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Lake County is represented by U.S. Representatives Ron DeSantis (R-FL6), Daniel Webster (R-FL11), and Dennis Ross (R-FL15). In the Florida Senate, Lake County is represented by Senators Dorothy Hukill (R-FL8), and Alan Hays (R-FL11) . In the Florida House, Lake County is represented by Florida Representatives Jennifer Sullivan (R-FL31), and the vacant (FL32), and (FL33) districts.

The Florida Department of Corrections has Region III Correctional Facility Office on the grounds of the Lake Correctional Institution in an unincorporated area in Lake County.[17][18]

Libraries

The Lake County Library System consists of 15 branches:

  • Astor County Library
  • Cagan Crossings Community Library
  • Cooper Memorial Library
  • East Lake County Library
  • Fruitland Park Library
  • Helen Lehmann Memorial Library
  • Lady Lake Public Library
  • Leesburg Public Library
  • Marianne Beck Memorial Library
  • Marion Baysinger Memorial Library
  • Minneola Schoolhouse Library
  • Paisley County Library
  • Tavares Public Library
  • Umatilla Public Library
  • W.T. Bland Public Library[19]

Elections

Lake County has voted Republican in U. S. Presidential races since 1948.[20]

Presidential elections results
Lake County vote
by party in presidential elections[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 59.48% 102,188 36.58% 62,838 3.94% 6,773
2012 57.99% 87,643 40.89% 61,799 1.13% 1,702
2008 56.19% 82,802 42.71% 62,948 1.10% 1,621
2004 60.02% 74,389 38.90% 48,221 1.08% 1,340
2000 56.44% 50,010 41.27% 36,571 2.29% 2,030
1996 47.48% 35,097 40.25% 29,752 12.27% 9,074
1992 44.17% 30,825 33.24% 23,200 22.58% 15,762
1988 68.40% 37,327 30.72% 16,766 0.88% 479
1984 74.29% 35,319 25.70% 12,217 0.01% 7
1980 64.53% 26,798 31.61% 13,128 3.86% 1,602
1976 57.42% 19,976 41.31% 14,369 1.27% 442
1972 82.63% 23,079 17.20% 4,803 0.17% 48
1968 47.42% 11,763 18.54% 4,599 34.03% 8,442
1964 62.39% 12,897 37.61% 7,773
1960 72.45% 12,979 27.55% 4,936
1956 71.57% 10,888 28.43% 4,326
1952 70.63% 9,132 29.37% 3,797
1948 43.23% 3,579 41.96% 3,474 14.81% 1,226
1944 38.38% 2,693 61.62% 4,323
1940 33.32% 2,659 66.68% 5,322
1936 33.46% 2,034 66.54% 4,045
1932 37.82% 1,867 62.18% 3,070
1928 68.08% 3,383 29.66% 1,474 2.25% 112
1924 36.46% 948 53.12% 1,381 10.43% 271
1920 28.90% 734 67.72% 1,720 3.39% 86
1916 25.25% 330 67.79% 886 6.96% 91
1912 11.34% 92 73.49% 596 15.17% 123
1908 24.01% 200 58.46% 487 17.53% 146
1904 20.33% 148 72.66% 529 7.01% 51

Senate and House

Lake County last voted for a Democrat in a United States Senate race in 2006, when US Senator Bill Nelson won in Florida and won Lake County 55.57% to Katherine Harris's 42.79%. He lost the county in 2012, but won the election.

2012 general election results

For US Senator: Bill Nelson (D) vs. Connie Mack IV (R): 55.23% to 42.23%

Corrine Brown (D) vs. LeAnne Kolb (R): 70.8% to 26.3%

Alan Grayson (D) vs. Todd Long (R): 62.5% to 37.5%

Daniel Webster (R) vs. Val Demings (D): 51.7% to 48.3%

Richard Nugent (R) vs. David Werder (D): 64.5% to 35.5%

Dorothy Hukill (R) vs. Frank Bruno (D): 57.0% to 43.0%

Alan Hays (R) vs. John Iller (I): 71.6% to 28.4%

All three Florida House Representatives were not contested in 2012.

2010 general election results

Florida governor: Rick Scott (R) vs. Alex Sink (D): 48.87% to 47.72%

US Senator: Marco Rubio (R) vs. Charlie Crist (I) vs. Kendrick Meek (D): 48.89% to 29.71% to 20.20%[21]

Voter registration

Data comes from the Lake County Supervisor of Elections.[22]

Party Registration and Enrollment
Party Number of Registered Voters %
Republican 99,004
Democratic 70,682
Independent 49,362
Other 7,247
Total 226,295

Education

There are a number of public schools in the county.

Colleges

The following colleges are located in the county:

Transportation

Aviation

The Tavares Seaplane Base[23] is a city-owned, public-use seaplane base located on Lake Dora in Tavares.[24]

Panorama of the Tavares Seaplane Base & Marina on Lake Dora

The Leesburg International Airport is a former Army Airfield and municipal airport located along Lake Harris east of downtown Leesburg, Florida.

Mid Florida Air Service Airport is located on State Road 44 east of Eustis.[25]

Major highways

  • Florida's Turnpike runs north and south from Southeastern and Central Florida. Three interechanges exist in the county; US 27/SR 19 (Exit 285), southbound US 27 (Exit 289) and the more recently built County Road 470 (Exit 296).
  • US 27 is the main local road through western Lake County, running south to north. It spans from Four Corners to The Villages.
  • US 441 is another south to north US highway running through Mount Dora from Orange County around Lake Dora, where it merges with SR 44, has a wrong-way concurrency with SR 19 in Tavares, and lets go of SR 44 in Leesburg only to join US 27 as they both head into Marion County.
  • SR 19 is a mostly scenic north and south road from SR 50 in Groveland through Tavares, Eustis, and Ocala National Forest.
  • SR 33 is the north-south road from Lakeland in Polk County to Groveland. A county extension exists as a hidden route along SR 50 to Mascotte, where it become an exposed county road leading to US 27 in Okahumpka.
  • SR 40 is the northernmost east-west route in Lake County, and runs through Ocala National Forest.
  • SR 44 runs east and west through Central Lake County from west of Leesburg where it joins southbound US 441 until it breaks away near Mount Dora and heads northeast into Volusia County.
  • SR 46 starts at an interchange with US 441 and County Road 46 in Mount Dora and through Sorrento and Mount Plymouth along the northern border of Orange County.
  • SR 50 is the main east-west road through southern Lake County.

Public transportation

LakeXpress is the public transportation agency that serves the Lake County, Florida area since 2007.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 32.
  4. ↑ http://www.lakecountyclerk.org/forms/pafr/2015_Citizens_Annual_Financial_Report.pdf
  5. ↑ "Groveland Four petitioned", Orlando Sentinel, 07 September 2012
  6. ↑ Gilbert King (6 March 2012). Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-209771-2. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  7. ↑ Bonanno, Chris (January 31, 2015). "Severe weather awareness week well-timed". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. pp. 3A, 8A. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  8. ↑ "At Least 19 Dead After Central Fla. Storms", Local 16; WKMG Orlando, 04 February 2007
  9. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  10. ↑ Crampton, Vincent. "You won't get light-headed atop Florida's highest point". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2017-06-20.
  11. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  16. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  17. ↑ "Region III - Correctional Facility Office Archived 2008-06-13 at the Wayback Machine.." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on January 8, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Lake Correctional Institution." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on January 8, 2010.
  19. ↑ Lake County Library System. Online, available: https://www.mylakelibrary.org/
  20. 1 2 Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  21. ↑ http://ballotpedia.org
  22. ↑ Department, Lake County Board of County Commissioners, Communications. "Welcome - Lake County Supervisor of Elections". www.lakevotes.com. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  23. ↑ Show, Christine (November 22, 2008). "Tavares keeps it simple in naming seaplane base". Orlando Sentinel.
  24. ↑ "Tavares Seaplane Base & Marina". City of Tavares. Archived from the original on 17 June 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  25. ↑ Mid Florida Air Services Airport
  26. ↑ "Walt Disney by Neal Gabler - eBook - Random House - Read an Excerpt". Random House. 2006-10-31. Retrieved 2010-07-22.
  27. ↑ http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-10-28/features/os-dickinson-florida-history-1030-20111017_1_walt-disney-world-disney-parks-paisley

Government links/Constitutional offices

Special districts

Judicial branch


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