Musgrove: Census figures show Suwannee County’s growth

Published 11:00 am Monday, October 21, 2019

In Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, the Federal government enacted a nationwide census to be held every 10 years, beginning with the first one in 1790. A census does many things: it tells the government how many people live in the country; it gives an idea of who is living where, and what they do; it allows for accurate government representation at all levels of our democratic society; it provides a way to plan for future growth and change; it provides a means of determining Federal funding; and many more benefits. As 2020 (and another census) is fast approaching, I thought it interesting to discuss the censuses (or “censi”, your choice) of Suwannee County throughout its history.

Suwannee County was established by the Florida Legislature on Dec. 21, 1858, after an 1855 attempt had failed to do so. As a result, the first census showing only Suwannee County citizens was held in 1860, on the eve of the Civil War. The new county was very rural and the total population was only 2,303. Of that number, 1,467 were white and 835 were slaves; only one African-American was listed as a free man.

By 1870, the Civil War had been over for five years, slavery had been abolished, and the South was in turmoil from Reconstruction. Despite that, Suwannee County had some of the only railroad connections into Florida through its new county seat, Live Oak. This allowed the population to grow to 3,556, a 54.4% increase from 10 years’ prior.

Timber, naval stores and other industries moved into Suwannee County in droves between 1870 and 1880. Railroads continued to expand, allowing access to the native lands in the interior of the county. This, and the end of Reconstruction, led to an 1880 population of 7,161, an increase of 101.4% from 1870.

By 1890, Suwannee County continued to expand with more services. A resort at Suwannee Springs drew visitors from all over the world, and timber, cotton and other products made the county a destination. The population had grown to 10,524, an increase of 47%.

In 1900, the census showed 14,554 citizens, and Live Oak was fast becoming one of the largest cities in the State (it would be the fifth largest city in the State of Florida in 1905). The 38.3% increase in population was less than in prior years, perhaps because of a devastating 1896 hurricane that had leveled much of the timber in the area and caused severe damage to locations such as Branford.

In 1910, Suwannee County’s population had swelled to 18,603 (an increase of 27.8%), but locations further south were beginning to reap the benefits of railroad service from Henry Plant and Henry Flagler. Furthermore, health resorts such as Suwannee Springs and Dowling Park were beginning to lose visitors as it was determined that the sulphur waters did nothing for various ailments. As a result, the 1910 census was the last time Suwannee County saw double-digit increases until 1980.

In 1920, World War I had been over for almost two years, but many returning world-traveling veterans had decided to find their livelihood somewhere else. Suwannee County’s population was 19,789, a 6.4% increase over 1910.

…and then came the economic and land boom of South Florida coupled with the Great Depression in 1929. Suwannee County’s 1930 population dropped for the first time in its history to 15,731, a substantial 20.5% decrease from 1920.

Economic events stabilized in Suwannee County over the next decade (since most citizens were farmers and had already been poor in the 1920s). In 1940, with World War II raging in Europe and soon to be raging across the rest of the world, Suwannee County’s population was 17,073, an increase of 8.5%.

After the end of World War II in 1945, many citizens fled the countryside for the more profitable larger cities. The addition of many women to the labor force as a result of the war also led them to look for better work elsewhere, and Suwannee County’s population decreased 0.5% to 16,986.

The shift to larger cities and their suburbs continued into 1960, with the census of that year showing Suwannee County with a population of 14,961, a decrease of 11.9% from 1950.

By 1970, the United States had gone through, or was in the process of going through, major changes. The Vietnam conflict had been raging for several years and continued to grow in intensity, the Civil Rights and Women’s Movements were well underway, and Baby Boomer generation was coming of age. Suwannee County’s population was 15,559, an increase of 4% from 1960.

As 1980 approached, the country had shifted gears yet again. A mass exodus from the overcrowded, crime-filled and regulation-heavy major population centers had begun, and many people yearned for a simpler, more rural life. Furthermore, Florida had become an investment and retirement capital, with millions flocking to the warmth of the Sunshine State. Suwannee County benefited from these changes in attitudes, and its population grew 43.2% to 22,287 between 1970 and 1980.

The 30 thirty years would see a continuation of this shift in population, change of scenery, and explosive business growth, and Suwannee County’s population continued to grow along with it. The census of 1990 saw a population of 26,780, an increase of 20.2%; 2000 had an increase of 30.1% to 34,844; and the last census, 2010, showed Suwannee County with 41,551 (an increase of 19.2%).

Time does not permit me to discuss all the nuances of population change in Suwannee County, but suffice to say that our population is continuing to grow as people find comfort in the laid-back, rural atmosphere of our county.

A different topic next week…

Eric Musgrove can be reached at ericm@suwgov.org or 386-362-0564.