WPA
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HISTORY OF BAKER COUNTY
On February 8, 1861, Baker County, one of the smaller counties in northeastern Florida was formed from part of New River County. Baker was the thirty-eighth county formed in the State and was named for James M. Baker, former Judge of the Fourth Judiciary District.
Sanderson, Fl., a small village twelve miles West of Macclenny was the county seat of Baker County until the Court House was destroyed by fire in 1877. After the fire the county seat was made Darbyville, now known as Macclenny, and a new Court House built. In 1900 the frame building used as a Court House in Darbyville burned. All county records except one Justice Docket were destroyed by the fire. The present Court House in Macclenny was built in 1900.
Macclenny was known as Darbyville until 1899, when the name was changed to Macclenny, in honor of Carr B. Macclenny, a sawmill and lumber man who settled here.
Baker County borders on the Georgia Line and is advantageously located for the ready marketing of truck and fruit crops as well as dairy and poultry products. One of the smaller counties of this section, it has a total area of 353,064 acres, only 37,453 of which are in actual cultivation. The county has resources which are of much potential value and proper development will prove their economic worth.
Corn and peanuts are the leading general farm crops, and the acreage of cotton has been increased in recent years. Large plantings of pecans have been made, some of which are already bearing commercially, and satsumas, peaches, pears, and plums are also grown in many sections of the county.
Lumber and naval stores products have long been a source of much revenue and the turpentine and rosin industries are still operated on a considerable scale.
Many new homes have been built in Macclenny within the past three years. Near Macclenny are two of the largest nurseries in Florida—Glen St. Mary's and the Southern States Nurseries—which are among the leading nurseries of the South.
The Florida Forest Service has begun organized work in this county. This unit has three 100-foot steel observation towers, forty-one miles of telephone, three lookout men, five registered fire crews and a number of emergency helpers.
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History of Baker County Cont'd
Baker County is served by three railroads—the Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line and the Georgia Southern and Florida State Highway No. 1, a splendid concrete highway which is an important unit in the State's transportation system, traverses the county near its center.
No part of the County is more than fifty miles from Jacksonville, a metropolis and one of the leading marketing centers of Florida.
Poultry raising is one of the most promising industries of the county, there being a number of large flocks already producing eggs and birds for shipment by truck to Jacksonville and other points. The eradiction [sic] of the cattle fever tick has been completed in this county.
There are eighteen elementary schools in the County and two High Schools, the larger of which is maintained at Macclenny.
Excellent drinking water is obtained in parts of the county. Tobacco is being grown on a large scale in the County and is one of the most promising industries.
The battle of Olustee was fought in Baker County during the Civil War, and an imposing monument now marks the scene of that sanguinary struggle. Population of the County at present is 7,173, in 1870 the population was 1,325.
Value of school property is $103,936. Macclenny is the only incorporated town in the County.
Note: I have read the history of the County as compiled by Mrs. Thomas and found it complete and correct.
W. C. Winger.
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HISTORY OF COURT HOUSE
BAKER COUNTY
The first Court House in Baker County was erected in 1861 at Sanderson, Florida, then the County Seat. This was destroyed by fire in 1877 at which time all county records were lost. A new building was erected soon after in the same year.
On February 7th, 1886, the County Seat was moved to Macclenny where a building was erected that year, the Court House in Sanderson being sold and later destroyed by fire.
The present Court House was erected between August and December of 1908, the previous building being rented and destroyed by fire in 1924.
Above information taken from the Minutes of the County Commissioners.
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