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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY
Bradford County was created in 1861 by Act of the Legislature, the parent counties having been: Columbia County created in 1832. New River County and Suwannee County were created from Columbia in 1858. Baker County was formed from New River, and remaining portion of New River County was changed to Bradford County December 6th, 1861, in honor of Captain Richard Bradford, the first Florida officer killed in the Civil War. He fell in the Battle of Santa Rosa Island, western Florida (near Pensacola) October 9th, 1861.
In 1921, that portion of Bradford County lying West of New River and Santa Fe River was incorporated as Union County. The present boundary lines of Bradford County are as follows: Beginning at the Northeast corner of Section twenty-four, Township four South, Range twenty-two East; thence South along dividing line between Ranges twenty-two and twenty-three East, or boundary line of Clay County, to Santa Fe Lake; thence Northwesterly across said Lake through Santa Fe Swamp to Santa Fe River; thence down the run of said River to intersection of New River; thence up the run of last mentioned River, or eastern boundary line of Union County, to the Northwest corner of Section nineteen, Township four South, Range twenty-two East; thence East along South boundary line of Baker County to line of beginning.
The date of the erection of the first Court House for Bradford County at Lake Butler is unknown but there is record of it being burned in May, 1865, (and nearly, if not all) county records destroyed. A succeeding Court House was built, and also destroyed by fire in February, 1875, with a second loss of county records.
Bradford County History Continued
From 1875 to 1887, a continuous controversy existed between Lake Butler and Starke over the location of the county seat.
At an election held May 5th, 1885, Lake Butler retained the county seat by a narrow majority of nineteen votes. But at [a] subsequent election held in August 17, 1887, Starke received a majority of all votes cast and was declared the legal county seat of Bradford County.
The county officers were immediately removed to Starke, occupying the Red Mans Hall as a Court House, and the first meeting of the County Commissioners was held there September 5th, 1887. They acquired this property in January, 1891 (Deed Book N - 154).
The present Court House built on a new site and occupying an entire block at the intersection of Call and Temple Streets, was built in 1902. An annex was added in 1936.
The destruction of the two first Court Houses and records make it impossible to state positively the first form of government and its first official acts. However in the earliest records available (Oct. 9th, 1871) Minutes of County Commissioners is recorded an Order for the division of the County into seven Road Districts and the appointment of Road Commissioners for each district. The form of government indicated in these records was that of a so-called "Court" or Board of County Commissioners, five in number, evidently appointed by the Governor of the State.
In the western portion of the County farming is mostly general with some tobacco and trucking. In the eastern part, mostly strawberries with some general farming and trucking. Stock raising is also a big factor
Bradford County History Continued #3
over most of the County.
The above compiled from the records of Bradford County and N.D. Wainwright, Tax Assessor of Bradford County for thirty-four years.
Letter of verification follow.
(Signed) Miriam Kickliter
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HISTORY OF COUNTY COURT HOUSES
BRADFORD COUNTY
The first Court House for Bradford County was built at Lake Butler, date unknown, and was burned in May 1865, immediately after which a second court house was built at Lake Butler, exact date unknown, which was burned in February, 1875.
In January, 1875, at a special election, Bradford County county seat was moved to Starke where county business was conducted in rented quarters until February 1878 when the county seat was again changed to Lake Butler and a court house erected in that city. In August of 1887 another special election was held and by popular vote Starke again became the county seat where the county officials occupied the Red Men's Hall, the first meeting of the Commissioners being held Sept. 5, 1887. The county acquired this property in January 1891.
The present Court House, at the intersection of Call and Temple Streets, was built in 1902 with an annex being added in 1936.
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