Holmes County, Florida

Holmes County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, 18,564 people lived there. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 19,264. Its county seat is Bonifay, Florida.

History
Holmes County was named after an Indian Chief that lived in the area when the land was settled. Holmes County has had three county seats in its history, the first being Cerro Gordo, then Westville, and finally Bonifay. Bonifay has been the county seat since 1905.

Historic places
Historic places in the county include:
 * Keith Cabin in Pittman
 * Waits Mansion in Bonifay

Land
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 488.71 sqmi, of which 482.45 sqmi (or 98.72%) is land and 6.26 sqmi (or 1.28%) is water.

Counties nearby

 * Geneva County, Alabama - north
 * Jackson County, Florida - east
 * Washington County, Florida - south
 * Walton County, Florida - west

People
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,564 people, 6,921 households, and 4,893 families living in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15/km²). There were 7,998 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.79% White, 6.51% Black or African American, 1.01% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. 1.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,921 households out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were not related. 26.10% of all households were made up of people living alone and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county the population was spread out with 23.10% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 112.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,923, and the median income for a family was $34,286. Males had a median income of $25,982 versus $19,991 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,135. About 15.40% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.70% of those under age 18 and 17.90% of those age 65 or over.

Triracial people
The so-called "Dominickers", a number of related mixed-race (white, black, and Euchee Indian) families, lived for decades after the American Civil War and well into the twentieth century in a rural area near Ponce de Leon, with a separate church and segregated public elementary school. Although considered a separate ethnicity from both whites and blacks, many Dominickers married into local white families, so that group boundaries blurred; some descendants still live in the area. The 1950 federal census identified 60 members of this group living in Holmes County at that time. Few facts are known about their origins, and little has been published about them.

Incorporated

 * City of Bonifay
 * Town of Esto
 * Town of Noma
 * Town of Ponce de Leon
 * Town of Westville

Unincorporated

 * Bethlehem
 * Prosperity
 * Gritney
 * Cerrogordo
 * Pittman

Government links/Constitutional offices

 * Holmes County Board of County Commissioners
 * Holmes County Supervisor of Elections
 * Holmes County Property Appraiser
 * Holmes County Sheriff's Office
 * Holmes County Tax Collector

Special districts

 * Holmes District School Board
 * Northwest Florida Water Management District

Judicial branch

 * Holmes County Clerk of Courts
 * Circuit and County Court for the 14th Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties

Tourism links

 * Holmes County Online and Chamber of Commerce