Leon County, Florida

Leon County, Florida
Leon County Courthouse
Flag Seal
Location in the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location in the U.S.
Founded	December 29, 1824
Named for	Juan Ponce de León
Seat	Tallahassee
Largest city	Tallahassee
Area
• Total	702 sq mi (1,818 km2)
• Land	667 sq mi (1,728 km2)
• Water	35 sq mi (91 km2), 5.0%
Population (est.)
• (2017)	290,292[1]
• Density	435/sq mi (168/km2)
Congressional districts	2nd, 5th
Time zone	Eastern: UTC−5/−4
Website	www.leoncountyfl.gov

Leon County is a county located in the Panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. It was named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. As of 2017 Census estimates, the population was 290,292.^[2]

The county seat is Tallahassee.^[3] This is also designated as the state capital and is a center of politicians, lobbyists, jurists, and attorneys.

Leon County is included in the Tallahassee metropolitan area. Tallahassee is home to two of Florida's major public universities, Florida State University and Florida A&M University, as well as Tallahassee Community College. Together these institutions have a combined enrollment of more than 70,000 students annually, creating both economic and social effects.

Contents

• 
  1 History
  


• 
  2 Geography
  
  
  
  • 
    2.1 Geology
    
    
    
    • 
      2.1.1 Terraces and shorelines
      
    
    
    • 
      2.1.2 Geologic formations
      
    
    
    • 
      2.1.3 Paleontology
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    2.2 National protected area
    
  
  
  • 
    2.3 Bodies of water
    
  
  
  • 
    2.4 Adjacent counties
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  3 Demographics
  
  
  
  • 
    3.1 Race
    
  
  
  • 
    3.2 Age
    
  
  
  • 
    3.3 Education
    
  
  
  • 
    3.4 Income
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  4 Accolades
  


• 
  5 Law, government, and politics
  
  
  
  • 
    5.1 Politics
    
    
    
    • 
      5.1.1 County representation
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    5.2 State representation
    
    
    
    • 
      5.2.1 State Senator
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    5.3 U.S. Congressional representation
    
  
  
  • 
    5.4 Consolidation
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  6 Public services
  
  
  
  • 
    6.1 Leon County Sheriff
    
  
  
  • 
    6.2 Tallahassee Police Department
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  7 Education
  
  
  
  • 
    7.1 Higher education
    
    
    
    • 
      7.1.1 Florida State University
      
    
    
    • 
      7.1.2 Florida A&M University
      
    
    
    • 
      7.1.3 Tallahassee Community College
      
    
    
    • 
      7.1.4 List of other colleges
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    7.2 Primary and secondary education
    
    
    
    • 
      7.2.1 List of middle schools
      
    
    
    • 
      7.2.2 List of high schools
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    7.3 Libraries
    
    
    
    • 
      7.3.1 History of Library Services
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  8 Points of interest
  


• 
  9 Transportation
  
  
  
  • 
    9.1 Airports
    
  
  
  • 
    9.2 Major highways
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  10 Communities
  
  
  
  • 
    10.1 City
    
  
  
  • 
    10.2 Census-designated place
    
  
  
  • 
    10.3 Other unincorporated communities
    
  
  
  • 
    10.4 Defunct entity
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  11 See also
  


• 
  12 References
  


• 
  13 External links
  
  
  
  • 
    13.1 Government links/Constitutional offices
    
    
    
    • 
      13.1.1 Special districts
      
    
    
    • 
      13.1.2 Judicial branch
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 
    13.2 Tourism links
    
  
  
  
  

History

Main article: History of Leon County

Originally part of Escambia and later Gadsden County, Leon County was created in 1824.^[4] It was named after Juan Ponce de León, the Spanish explorer who was the first European to reach Florida.^[5]

The United States finally acquired this territory in the nineteenth century. In the 1830s, it attempted to conduct Indian Removal of the Seminole and Creek peoples, who had migrated south to escape European-American encroachment in Georgia and Alabama. After many Seminole were forcibly removed from the area or moved south to the Everglades during the Seminole Wars, planters developed cotton plantations based on enslaved labor.

By the 1850s and 1860s, Leon County had become part of the "cotton kingdom" of the Deep South. It ranked fifth of all Florida and Georgia counties in the production of cotton from the 20 major plantations. Uniquely among Confederate capitals east of the Mississippi River, in the American Civil War Tallahassee was never captured by Union forces. No Union soldiers set foot in Leon County until the Reconstruction Era.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 702 square miles (1,820 km²), of which 667 square miles (1,730 km²) are land and 35 square miles (91 km²) (5.0%) are water.^[6] Unlike much of Florida, most of Leon County has rolling hills, part of north Florida's Red Hills Region. The highest point is 280 feet (85 m), located in the northern part of the county.

Geology

Geological make-up of Leon County.

Leon County encompasses basement rock composed of basalts of the Triassic and Jurassic from ~251—145 million years ago interlayered with Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. The layers above the basement are carbonate rock created from dying foraminifera, bryozoa, mollusks, and corals from as early as the Paleocene, a period of ~66—55.8 Ma.^[7]

During the Eocene (~55.8—33.9 Ma) and Oligocene (~33.9—23 Ma), the Appalachian Mountains began to uplift and the erosion rate increased enough to fill the Gulf Trough with quartz sands, silts, and clays via rivers and streams. The first sedimentation layer in Leon County is the Oligocene Suwannee Limestone in the southeastern part of the county as stated by the United States Geological Survey and Florida Geological Survey.^[8]

The Early Miocene (~23.03—15.7 Ma) sedimentation in Leon County is Hawthorn Group, Torreya Formation and St. Marks Formation and found in the northern two-thirds of the county.

The Pliocene (~5.332—2.588 Ma) is represented by the Miccosukee Formation scattered within the Torreya Formation.

Sediments were laid down from the Pleistocene epoch (~2.588 million—12 000 years ago) through Holocene epoch (~12,000—present) and are designated Beach ridge and trail and undifferentiated sediments.

Terraces and shorelines

During the Pleistocene, what would be Leon County emerged and submerged with each glacial and interglacial period. Interglacials created the topography of Leon as it is known now.

Also See Leon County Pleistocene coastal terraces

Also see: Florida Platform and Lithostratigraphy

Geologic formations

• 
  Red Hills Region (North)


• 
  Cody Scarp (central)


• 
  Woodville Karst Plain (South)

Paleontology

Three sites within Leon County have yielded fossil remnants of the Miocene epoch. The Wikipedia article, "Leon County, Florida paleontological sites", provides more information about the Griscom Plantation Site, Seaboard Air Line Railroad Site, and Tallahassee Waterworks Site. It identifies fossils found at these sites by genus and species.

National protected area

• 
  Apalachicola National Forest (part)

Bodies of water

• Lake Miccosukee


• Black Creek


• Lake Bradford


• Lake Ella


• Lake Hall


• Lake Iamonia


• Lake Jackson


• Lake Lafayette


• Lake Talquin


• Ochlockonee River


• Lake Munson

Adjacent counties

• 
  Grady County, Georgia - north


• 
  Thomas County, Georgia - northeast


• 
  Jefferson County - east


• 
  Wakulla County - south


• 
  Gadsden County - west


• 
  Liberty County - west

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1830	6,494		—
1840	10,713		65.0%
1850	11,442		6.8%
1860	12,343		7.9%
1870	15,236		23.4%
1880	19,662		29.0%
1890	17,752		−9.7%
1900	19,887		12.0%
1910	19,427		−2.3%
1920	18,059		−7.0%
1930	23,476		30.0%
1940	31,646		34.8%
1950	51,590		63.0%
1960	74,225		43.9%
1970	103,047		38.8%
1980	148,655		44.3%
1990	192,493		29.5%
2000	239,452		24.4%
2010	275,487		15.0%
Est. 2017	290,292	[9]	5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010-2015[2]

Race

As of the census^[14] of 2010, there were 275,487 people, and 108,592 households residing in the county. The population density was 413.2 people per square mile (159.5/km²). There were 123,423 housing units at an average density of 185 per square mile (71.4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 63.0% White, 30.3% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 2.2% from two or more races. 5.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Age

There were 108,592 households out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.9% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.8% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 26.3% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.57 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.03 males.

Education

The adult citizens of Leon County enjoy the highest level of education in the state of Florida followed by Alachua County with a total of 67.8%.

Level of Education
Level	Leon Co.	Florida	U.S.
Some college or associate degree	28.5%	28.8%	27.4%
Bachelor's Degree	24.0%	14.3%	15.5%
Master's or Ph. D.	17.7%	8.1%	8.9%
Total	70.2%	51.2%	51.8%

Source of above:^[15]

Income

The median income for a household in the county was $37,517, and the median income for a family was $52,962. Males had a median income of $35,235 versus $28,110 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,024. About 9.40% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.20% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

Accolades

• 2007 National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials' Environmental and Conservation Award for exceptional effort to reclaim, restore, preserve, acquire or develop unique and natural areas. Leon County has 1,300 acres (5.3 km²) of open space, forest and woodlands between the Miccosukee Canopy Road Greenway and J.R. Alford Greenway.

Law, government, and politics

Politics

Leon County courthouse in Tallahassee; 2007.

Following Reconstruction, white Democrats regained power in Leon County and voters have historically voted for Democratic Party candidates at the national level. Tallahassee is one of the few cities in the South known for progressive activism.

The county has voted Democratic in 24 out of the past 29 presidential elections since 1904. (Until the late 1960s, blacks were essentially disenfranchised in Florida and other Southern states.) Since the civil rights era, Tallahassee has elected black mayors and black state representatives.^[16] Its political affiliations likely draw from the high number of students, staff, and faculty associated with Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, as well as the concentration of government employees in the capital city.

Leon County has had the highest voter turnout of all counties in Florida. In the 2008 general election, Leon County had a record setting early voting and vote by mail with a voter turnout of 85%.^[17]

As of December 2, 2018, there were 112,572 Democrats, 58,083 Republicans, and 44,007 with other affiliations out of a total of 214,662 voters in Leon County.^[18]

Presidential elections results

Presidential election results^[19]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Other
2016	34.98% 53,821	59.83% 92,068	5.19% 7,992
2012	37.54% 55,805	61.13% 90,881	1.34% 1,985
2008	37.40% 55,705	61.60% 91,747	1.00% 1,483
2004	37.85% 51,615	61.50% 83,873	0.65% 891
2000	37.88% 39,073	59.57% 61,444	2.55% 2,637
1996	36.99% 33,930	54.59% 50,072	8.42% 7,715
1992	32.87% 31,983	49.12% 47,791	18.01% 17,520
1988	51.39% 36,055	47.71% 33,472	0.90% 631
1984	55.00% 36,325	44.94% 29,683	0.06% 38
1980	43.47% 24,919	49.63% 28,450	6.90% 3,957
1976	44.42% 23,739	53.76% 28,729	1.82% 975
1972	63.72% 27,479	36.07% 15,555	0.21% 92
1968	28.49% 9,288	32.02% 10,440	39.50% 12,878
1964	58.15% 15,181	41.85% 10,927
1960	46.53% 9,079	53.47% 10,433
1956	49.30% 6,828	50.70% 7,022
1952	41.19% 5,604	58.81% 8,000
1948	18.65% 1,149	58.55% 3,607	22.80% 1,405
1944	15.64% 835	84.36% 4,505
1940	9.65% 583	90.35% 5,459
1936	6.84% 277	93.16% 3,770
1932	7.87% 252	92.13% 2,950
1928	24.72% 630	74.07% 1,888	1.22% 31
1924	8.29% 92	85.32% 947	6.39% 71
1920	22.97% 452	71.75% 1,412	5.28% 104
1916	16.32% 191	74.79% 875	8.89% 104
1912	8.41% 56	81.98% 546	9.61% 64
1908	14.93% 143	72.86% 698	12.21% 117
1904	11.37% 84	87.82% 649	0.81% 6

County representation

Leon County Government
Position	Name	Party
Commissioner, At-Large	Nick Maddox	Democratic
Commissioner, At-Large	Mary Ann Lindley	Democratic
Commissioner, Dist. 1	Bill Proctor	Democratic
Commissioner, Dist. 2	Jimbo Jackson	Democratic
Commissioner, Dist. 3	Rick Minor	Democratic
Commissioner, Dist. 4	Bryan Desloge	Republican
Commissioner, Dist. 5	Kristen Dozier	Democratic
Supervisor of Elections	Mark Earley	NPA
Tax Collector	Doris Maloy	Democratic
Property Appraiser	Akin Akinyemi	Democratic
Court Clerk	Gwen Marshall	Democratic
Sheriff	Walt McNeil	Democratic
School Superintendent	Rocky Hanna	Democratic

• Map of County Commission Districts

State representation

Rep. Loranne Ausley (D), District 9, represents the northern half of Leon County, including most of Tallahassee. Rep. Halsey Beshears (R), District 7, represents the southern portion of the county. Rep. Ramon Alexander (D), District 8, represents a west-central portion of the county.

State Senator

All of Leon County is represented by Bill Montford (D), District 3 in the Florida Senate.

U.S. Congressional representation

Leon County is part of two congressional districts. The northern and eastern portion of Leon County, including 61% of Tallahassee, is part of the 5th Congressional District, a minority-majority district that extends across northern Florida. It is represented by Al Lawson (D). The remainder of the county (the southeastern corner and 39% of Tallahassee), is part of the 2nd Congressional District, which has a white majority and is represented by Neal Dunn (R).

Consolidation

Voters of Leon County have gone to the polls four times to vote on consolidation of Tallahassee and Leon County governments into one jurisdiction.^[20] This proposal would combine police and other city services with the already shared (consolidated) Tallahassee Fire Department, Tallahassee/Leon County Planning Department, and Leon County Emergency Medical Services. Tallahassee's city limits would (at current size) increase from 98.2 square miles (254 km²) to 702 square miles (1,820 km²). Roughly 36 percent of Leon County's 250,000 residents live outside the Tallahassee city limits.

Leon County Voting On Consolidation
Year	FOR	AGAINST
1971	10,381 (41.32%)	14,740 (58.68%)
1973	11,056 (46.23%)	12,859 (53.77%)
1976	20,336 (45.01%)	24,855 (54.99%)
1992	37,062 (39.8%)	56,070 (60.2%)

The proponents of consolidation have stated that the new jurisdiction would attract business by its very size. Merging of governments would cut government waste, duplication of services, etc. However, Professor Richard Feiock of Florida State University said in a 2007 study that he could not conclude that consolidation would benefit the local economy.^[21]

Public services

Leon County Sheriff

The Leon County Sheriff's Office provides police patrol, detective service, court protection, coroner service, and county prison operation for the unincorporated part of Leon County. Fire and Emergency medical services are provided by the Tallahassee Fire Department and Leon County Emergency Medical Services respectively.

Tallahassee Police Department

Tallahassee is the only incorporated municipality within Leon County. Its policing is provided by the Tallahassee
Police Department. Established 1826, TPD is recognized as being the third longest accredited law enforcement agency in the country.^[22]

Education

Higher education

The Westcott Plaza at Florida State University

Florida State University

Florida State University (commonly referred to as Florida State or FSU) is an American public space-grant and sea-grant research university. Florida State is located on a 1,391.54-acre (5.631 km2) campus in the state capital of Tallahassee, Florida, United States. In 2017, it had nearly 42,000 students.

It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the state of Florida.^[23][24]

The university is classified as a Research University with Very High Research by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.^[25] The university comprises 16 separate colleges and more than 110 centers, facilities, labs and institutes that offer more than 360 programs of study, including professional school programs.^[26] The university has an annual budget of over $1.7 billion.^[27] Florida State is home to Florida's only National Laboratory – the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and is the birthplace of the commercially viable anti-cancer drug Taxol. Florida State University also operates The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the State Art Museum of Florida and one of the largest museum/university complexes in the nation.^[28]

The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Florida State University is home to nationally ranked programs in many academic areas, including law, business, engineering, medicine, social policy, film, music, theater, dance, visual art, political science, psychology, social work, and the sciences.^[29] Florida State University leads Florida in four of eight areas of external funding for the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).^[30]

For 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida State as the 26th best public university in the United States.^[31]

Florida Governor Rick Scott and the state legislature designated Florida State University as one of two "preeminent" state universities in the spring of 2013 among the twelve universities of the State University System of Florida.^[32][33][34]

FSU's intercollegiate sports teams, commonly known by their Florida State Seminoles nickname, compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Florida State Seminoles athletics program are favorites of passionate students, fans and alumni across the United States, especially when led by the Marching Chiefs of the Florida State University College of Music. In their 113-year history, Florida State's varsity sports teams have won 20 national athletic championships and Seminole athletes have won 78 individual NCAA national championships.^[35]

Florida A&M University

Florida A&M University's Lee Hall Auditorium^[36]

Founded on October 3, 1887, Florida A&M University (FAMU) is a public, historically black university that is part of the State University System of Florida and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. FAMU's main campus comprises 156 buildings spread over 422 acres (1.7 km²) on top of the highest geographic hill of Tallahassee. In 2016 it had more than 9600 students. The university also has several satellite campuses. Its College of Law is located at its site in Orlando, and its pharmacy program has sites in Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa. Florida A&M University offers 54 bachelor's degrees and 29 master's degrees. The university has 12 schools and colleges and one institute.

FAMU has 11 doctoral programs, which include 10 Ph.D. programs: chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, biomedical engineering, physics, pharmaceutical sciences, educational leadership, and environmental sciences. Top undergraduate programs are architecture, journalism, computer information sciences, and psychology. FAMU's top graduate programs include pharmaceutical sciences, along with public health, physical therapy, engineering, physics, master's of applied social sciences (especially history and public administration), business, and sociology.

Tallahassee Community College

The Hinson Administration Building at Tallahassee Community College

Tallahassee Community College (TCC) is a member of the Florida College System. Tallahassee Community College is accredited by the Florida Department of Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Its primary campus is located on a 270-acre (1.092 km2) campus in Tallahassee. The institution was founded in 1966 by the Florida Legislature.^[37]

TCC offers Bachelor's of Science, Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Sciences degrees. In 2013, Tallahassee Community College was listed 1st in the nation in graduating students with A.A. degrees.^[38] TCC is also the #1 transfer school in the nation to Florida State University. As of Fall 2015, TCC reported 38,017 students.^[39]

In partnership with Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College offers the TCC2FSU program. This program provides guaranteed admission into Florida State University for TCC Associate in Arts degree graduates.^[40]

List of other colleges

• Barry University School of Adult and Continuing Education – Tallahassee Campus


• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University


• Flagler College – Tallahassee Campus


• Keiser University – Tallahassee Campus


• Lewis M. Lively Area Vocational-Technical School


• 
  Saint Leo University – Tallahassee Campus

Primary and secondary education

Public schools in Leon County are administered and under the operation of the Leon County School District. LCS is operated by a superintendent, 5 board members, and 1 Student Representative. There are:

• 25 Elementary Schools


• 10 Middle Schools


• 7 High Schools


• 8 Special / Alternative Schools


• 2 Charter Schools

List of middle schools

• Cobb Middle School


• Deerlake Middle School


• Fairview Middle School


• Fort Braden School K - 8


• Governor's Charter Academy (Charter K - 8)


• Griffin Middle School


• Holy Comforter Episcopal School (Private PK3 - 8)


• Maclay School (Private PK3 - 12)


• Montford Middle School


• Nims Middle School


• Raa Middle School


• Success Academy of Tallahassee


• Swift Creek Middle School


• Stars Middle School (Charter)


• School of Arts and Sciences (Charter K - 8)


• Tallahassee School of Math and Science (Charter K - 8)


• Trinity Catholic School (Private PK3 - 8)


• Cornerstone Learning Community (Private PK3-8)

List of high schools

• Amos P. Godby High School


• Atlantis Academy


• Community Christian School


• Florida A&M University Developmental Research School


• Florida State University High School


• James S. Rickards High School


• John Paul II Catholic High School


• Lawton Chiles High School


• Leon High School


• Lincoln High School


• Lively Technical Center


• Maclay School


• North Florida Christian High School


• SAIL High School


• Woodland Hall Academy

Libraries

Leon County has 7 branches that serve the area.

• Leroy Collins Main Library


• Northeast Branch Library


• Eastside Branch Library


• Dr. B.L. Perry, Jr. Branch Library


• Lake Jackson Branch Library


• Woodville Branch Library


• Jane G. Sauls Fort Braden Branch Library

The official name of the library system is the LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Libraries System. The name was changed on September 17, 1993 from the original name of the Leon County Public Library in honor of LeRoy Collins, the 33rd Governor of Florida.^[41]

History of Library Services

The James Madison Institute (The Columns) first home to Leon County Free Public Library

The Carnegie Library of Tallahassee provided library services to the black community prior to desegregation. This library was the first and only public library in the city of Tallahassee until 1955. The philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie offered the city of Tallahassee money to build a public library in 1906. According to an article written in Africology: The Journal of Pan African Studies, The library was built on the campus of Florida A&M University because the city refused the donation based on the fact that it would have to serve the black citizens. "The facility boasted modern amenities such as electricity, indoor plumbing and water supplied by the city. In later years, the Library served as an art gallery, religious center, and in 1976, became the founding home of the Black Archives Research Center and Museum. By functioning both as a repository for archival records and a museum for historical regalia, the center continues to render academic support to educational institutions, civic, political, religious and Museum. By functioning both as a repository for archival records and a museum for historical regalia, the center continues to render academic support to educational institutions, civic, political, religious and social groups, as well as, public and private businesses throughout Florida and the nation."^[42] The building was designed by noted architect William Augustus Edwards and was built in 1908. On November 17, 1978, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The Carnegie Library of Tallahassee which only served the black community became the only free public library in the city until 1955. According to the Leon County Public Library's website, the American Association of University Women formed the Friends of the Library organization in 1954. The formation of the Friends of the Library was in direct response to the fact that "Tallahassee was the only state capital in the United States not offering free public library service." ^[43] One year later, the library was established in May by legislative action and was developed by citizens and civic groups. In 1956 the first Leon County free public library opened on March 21. The first building used to house the library was The Columns, one of the oldest remaining antebellum homes in the Leon County area located at Park Avenue and Adams street (the building today is home of the James Madison Institute).

In order to expand library services the Junior League of Tallahassee donated a bookmobile to the library. The vehicle was later donated to the Leon County Sherriff's Office to be used as a paddy wagon for its Road Prison.
In 1962 the library moved to the old Elks Club building at 127 North Monroe Street. Public transit in the city of Tallahassee was desegregated by 1958, yet it would several more years before the public library system would experience integration.

In the early 70's Jefferson and Wakulla counties joined the Leon County Public Library System, forming the Leon, Jefferson, and Wakulla County Public Library System. According to the library's web site, "Leon County provided administrative and other services to the two smaller counties, while each supported the direct costs of their library services and their share of Leon's administrative costs."^[43] In 1975 the system started a branch library in the Bond community, a predominantly black community on the city's Southside. Wakulla County left the library cooperative in 1975 to start its own library system and in 1978 the main library moved to a location in Tallahassee's Northwood Mall. Jefferson County left the library cooperative in 1980 and the library reverted to the Leon County Public Library. In 1989 "ground breaking was held on March 4 for a new $8.5 million main library facility with 88,000 feet of space. The site was next door to the library's original home, The Columns, which had been moved in 1971 to 100 N. Duval."^[43] The new library had its grand opening in 1991 and was renamed in 1993 in honor of former Governor LeRoy Collins.

Points of interest

• Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park


• Apalachicola National Forest


• Birdsong Nature Center


• Bradley's Country Store Complex


• Florida State Capitol


• Florida Supreme Court


• Florida State Archives


• Florida Vietnam War Memorial


• Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park


• Leon County Fairgrounds


• Leon County's 5 canopy roads
  


• Mission San Luis de Apalachee


• Museum of Florida History


• Old Fort Park


• Tall Timbers Research Station


• Tallahassee Antique Car Museum


• Tallahassee Museum


• Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Trail State Park

Transportation

Airports

• Tallahassee Commercial Airport


• 
  Tallahassee International Airport^[44]
  

Major highways

See also: List of county roads in Leon County, Florida

The sign for Leon County on State Road 20

• 
  Interstate 10
  


• 
  U.S. Highway 27
  


• 
  U.S. Highway 90
  


• 
  U.S. Highway 319
  


• 
  State Road 20
  


• 
  State Road 61
  


• 
  State Road 155
  


• 
  State Road 263
  


• 
  State Road 267
  


• 
  State Road 363
  

Communities

City

• Tallahassee

Census-designated place

• Woodville

Other unincorporated communities

• Baum


• Black Creek


• 
  Bloxham^[45]
  


• Bradfordville


• Capitola


• Centerville


• Chaires


• Chaires Crossroads


• Felkel


• Fort Braden


• Gardner


• Iamonia


• Ivan


• Lafayette


• Lutterloh


• Meridian


• Miccosukee


• Ochlockonee


• Rose


• Wadesboro

Defunct entity

• 
  Bond-South City, a former census-designated place enumerated by the United States Census Bureau in 1950 & 1960.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Leon County, Florida

References

1. 
   ^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/leoncountyflorida/PST045217
   


2. 
   ^ ^ab "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2014..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
   


3. 
   ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
   


4. 
   ^ Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 32.
   


5. 
   ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 185.
   


6. 
   ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
   


7. 
   ^ Geology of Florida, University of Florida Archived 2009-12-28 at the Wayback Machine.
   


8. 
   ^ USGS Publications, Florida
   


9. 
   ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
   


10. 
    ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
    


11. 
    ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
    


12. 
    ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
    


13. 
    ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
    


14. 
    ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
    


15. 
    ^ 2000 U.S. Census at EPodunk.com - An examination of all Florida counties
    


16. 
    ^ "Tallahassee has had a black mayor and black state representative" (PDF). Ipfw.edu. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
    


17. 
    ^ Leon County Supervisor of Elections graphic Archived 2014-08-10 at the Wayback Machine.
    


18. 
    ^ https://www.leonvotes.org/
    


19. 
    ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
    


20. 
    ^ "Consolidation of City (Tallahassee) & County (Leon) Government" (PDF). Leon County Supervisor of Elections. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
    


21. 
    ^ http://www.fsu.edu/~localgov/publication_files/Feiock&Park&Kang_Consolidation_K3.pdf Archived 2007-06-14 at the Wayback Machine.
    


22. 
    ^ TPD web site
    


23. 
    ^ Meginniss, Benjamin A.; Winthrop, Francis B.; Ames, Henrietta O.; Belcher, Burton E.; Paret, Blanche; Holliday, Roderick M.; Crawford, William B.; Belcher, Irving J. (1902). "The Argo of the Florida State College". The Franklin Printing & Publishing Co., Atlanta. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
    


24. 
    ^ Klein, Barry (July 29, 2000). "FSU's age change: history or one-upmanship?". St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
    


25. 
    ^ "Florida State University". Classifications. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
    


26. 
    ^ "Colleges, Schools, Departments, Institutes, and Administrative Units". FSU Departments. Florida State University. April 26, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
    


27. 
    ^ "Florida State University Board of Trustees Meeting". Learningforlife.capd.fsu.edu. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
    


28. 
    ^ "The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art". FSU Departments. The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art. April 26, 2013. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
    


29. 
    ^ "Florida State University – College Highlights and Selected National Rankings". Retrieved May 1, 2007.
    


30. 
    ^ "FSU Highlights". fsu.edu.
    


31. 
    ^ https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/florida-state-university-1489
    


32. 
    ^ James Call (June 10, 2013). "UF, FSU get special designation, more money". The Florida Current. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
    


33. 
    ^ "CS/CS/SB 1076: K-20 Education". Flsenate.gov. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
    


34. 
    ^ "Our Opinion: FSU benefits from pre-eminent status". The Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
    


35. 
    ^ Joanos, Jim (June 2012). "FSU Athletics Timeline". Retrieved April 26, 2013.
    


36. 
    ^ "Lee Hall Auditorium : Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University 2017". Famu.edu. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
    


37. 
    ^ History of TCC Archived February 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
    


38. 
    ^ "Associate Degree & Certificate Producers, 2013". Ccweek.com. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
    


39. 
    ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
    


40. 
    ^ "Library - Tallahassee Community College". Tcc.fl.edu. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
    


41. 
    ^ "Governor Thomas LeRoy Collins". LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
    


42. 
    ^ "Carrie Meek - James N. Eaton, Sr. Southeastern Regional Black Archives Research Center and Museum" (PDF). Africology: The Journal of Pan African Studies. 10 (2): 263–272. 2017.
    


43. 
    ^ ^abc Leon County. (2002-2016). Library History. Retrieved April 09, 2018, from Leon County Florida Government: http://cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Library/LibraryInformation/Library-History
    


44. 
    ^ "Tallahassee's airport goes international". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
    


45. 
    ^ Bloxham, Florida. Google Maps. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
    

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leon County, Florida.

Government links/Constitutional offices

• Leon County Government / Board of County Commissioners


• Leon County Clerk of Courts


• Leon County Property Appraiser


• Leon County Sheriff's Office


• Leon County Supervisor of Elections


• Leon County Tax Collector

Special districts

• Leon County Public Schools


• The Ochlockonee River Soil and Water Conservation District


• Northwest Florida Water Management District

Judicial branch

• Leon County Clerk of Courts


• 
  Public Defender, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla counties


• Office of the State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida


• Circuit and County Court, 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida

Tourism links

• http://www.VisitTallahassee.com

Places adjacent to Leon County, Florida
Grady County, Georgia Thomas County, Georgia Gadsden County Liberty County Leon County, Florida Jefferson County Wakulla County

v t e Municipalities and communities of Leon County, Florida, United States
County seat: Tallahassee
City	Tallahassee
CDP	Woodville
Unincorporated communities	Belair Bloxham Bradfordville Capitola Centerville Chaires Felkel Iamonia Meridian Miccosukee Land Co-op Ochlockonee Wadesboro
Former communities	Anhaica Apalachen Escambe Fort Braden Lake Jackson Mounds Magnolia Miccosukee Mission San Luis de Apalachee (San Luis de Talimali) Port Leon State of Muskogee Velda Mound
Plantations	Andalusia Plantation William Bailey Plantation Bannerman Plantation Barrow Hill Plantation Blakely Plantation William D. Bloxham Plantation Burgesstown Plantation William A. Carr Plantation Casa de Laga Plantation Joseph Chaires Plantation Chemonie Plantation Edgewood Plantation El Destino Plantation‡ Evergreen Hills Plantation Francis Eppes Plantation Goodwood Plantation Horseshoe Plantation House Place Plantation Ingleside Plantation James Kirksey Plantation La Grange Plantation Live Oak Plantation Daniel B. Meginniss Plantation Miccosukee Plantation Mossview Plantation Oaklawn Plantation Orchard Pond Plantation Pine Hill Plantation W. G. Ponder Plantation George W. Scott Plantation R. G. Shepard Plantation Southwood Plantation Tuscawilla Plantation Verdura Plantation Walnut Hill Plantation Water Oak Plantation Waverly Plantation Woodlawn Plantation
Footnote	‡This plantation also has portions in an adjacent county.

v t e  State of Florida
Tallahassee (capital)
Topics	Index Climate Congressional Delegations Districts Education Environment Fauna Flora Geology Government Hurricanes Law Media Newspapers Radio TV Symbols Flag Seal Tourist attractions Transportation	Seal of Florida
History	Timeline Spanish Florida British Rule East Florida West Florida Florida Territory Seminole Wars Slavery Plantations of Leon County Civil War Florida East Coast Railway Florida land boom of the 1920s Cape Canaveral Kennedy Space Center Disney World
Geography	Beaches Caves Everglades (Drainage and development) Keys Lakes Lake Okeechobee Reef Rivers Sinkholes Springs State forests State parks Swamps
Major hurricanes	Florida Keys (1919) Tampa Bay (1921) Miami (1926) Okeechobee (1928) Florida Keys (1929) Treasure Coast (1933) Labor Day (1935) Dry Tortugas (1944) Homestead (1945) Fort Lauderdale (1947) South Florida (1948) 1949 Florida hurricane Easy (1950) King 1950) Donna (1960) Betsy (1965) Eloise (1975) Elena (1985) Andrew (1992) Opal (1995) Charley (2004) Frances (2004) Ivan (2004) Jeanne (2004) Dennis (2005) Wilma (2005) Irma (2017) Michael (2018)
Society	African-American Crime Cuban-American culture Miami Tampa Culture Demographics Economy Education Floridians Haitian-American culture Delray Beach Miami Indigenous peoples Everglades Politics Sports
Regions	Big Bend Central Florida Emerald Coast Everglades First Coast Forgotten Coast Glades Gold Coast Halifax area Heartland Keys Nature Coast North Central Florida North Florida Panhandle South Florida Southwest Florida Space Coast Suncoast Tampa Bay Area Treasure Coast
Metro areas	Cape Coral–Fort Myers Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach Gainesville Homosassa Springs Jacksonville Lakeland–Winter Haven Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton Ocala Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Panama City Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent Port St. Lucie Punta Gorda Sebastian-Vero Beach Sebring Tallahassee Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater The Villages
Largest cities	Jacksonville Miami Tampa Orlando St. Petersburg Hialeah Tallahassee Port St. Lucie Fort Lauderdale West Palm Beach Cape Coral Pembroke Pines Hollywood
Counties	Alachua Baker Bay Bradford Brevard Broward Calhoun Charlotte Citrus Clay Collier Columbia DeSoto Dixie Duval Escambia Flagler Franklin Gadsden Gilchrist Glades Gulf Hamilton Hardee Hendry Hernando Highlands Hillsborough Holmes Indian River Jackson Jefferson Lafayette Lake Lee Leon Levy Liberty Madison Manatee Marion Martin Miami‑Dade Monroe Mosquito (former county) Nassau Okaloosa Okeechobee Orange Osceola Palm Beach Pasco Pinellas Polk Putnam Santa Rosa Sarasota Seminole St. Johns St. Lucie Sumter Suwannee Taylor Union Volusia Wakulla Walton Washington

v t e North Florida
Region of Florida
Topics	Climate Geography Culture Economy Transportation Partition proposals Pork Chop Gang Laura Street	Map of North Florida
Counties	Alachua Baker Bay Bradford Calhoun Clay Columbia Dixie Duval Escambia Flagler Franklin Gadsden Gilchrist Gulf Hamilton Holmes Jackson Jefferson Lafayette Leon Levy Liberty Madison Marion Nassau Okaloosa Putnam Santa Rosa St. Johns Suwannee Taylor Union Wakulla Walton Washington
Major cities	Jacksonville Tallahassee
Cities and towns 100k+	Gainesville
Cities and towns 25k–100k	Ocala Palm Coast Panama City Pensacola
Cities and towns 10k–25k	Atlantic Beach Callaway Crestview Destin Fernandina Beach Fort Walton Beach Jacksonville Beach Lake City Lynn Haven Niceville Palatka Panama City Beach St. Augustine
Metro areas	Fort Walton Beach–Crestview–Destin Gainesville Jacksonville Ocala Palm Coast Panama City–Lynn Haven–Panama City Beach Pensacola–Ferry Pass–Brent Tallahassee
Regions	Big Bend Emerald Coast First Coast Florida Panhandle Forgotten Coast Halifax area Nature Coast North Central Florida Northeast Florida Northwest Florida

Coordinates: 30°28′N 84°17′W / 30.46°N 84.28°W / 30.46; -84.28

This page is only for reference, If you need detailed information, please check here