History

When counties were established some counties already had towns, which were soon named county seats. Several counties upon establishment lacked population centers and did not have a county seat for a year or more. Typically during those periods without a definite county seat, county courts and other local government business was held at the residences of community leaders or at churches.

A common cause for a county seat changing is the center of population changing after a new county is created. Railroads bypassing the current county seat is another common cause for a county changing its seat. A hurricane devastating the county seat has led to three counties to change their county seats. The hurricane that made landfall in September 1843 in the Big Bend area devastated Port Leon the county seat of Wakulla County, Florida and St. Joseph the county seat of Calhoun County, Florida. The destruction left in Everglades City by Hurricane Donna in 1960 led to Collier County changing its county seat in 1962. Gulf County is the county to change its seat most recently. In 1965, it changed its county seat from Wewahitchka to Port St. Joe.

Two county seats have lost their status as a county seat and later regained it:

Newnansville was the county seat of Alachua County from 1828 to 1832. In 1832, it became the county seat of Columbia County. In 1839, it became once again the county seat of Alachua County.
Miami was the county seat of Dade County from 1844 to 1866, and then regained its status as county seat in 1899.

Five county seats have later become the county seats of other counties:

Newnansville was the county seat of Alachua County from 1828 to 1832. In 1832, it became the county seat of Columbia County.
Susannah at Fort Pierce was the county seat of St. Lucie County (renamed Brevard County in 1855) from 1844 to 1864. When a new county named St. Lucie County was established in 1905, Fort Pierce was named the county seat.
Lake Butler was the county seat of Bradford County, Florida from 1860 until a referendum changed the county seat to Starke, Florida on 17 August 1887. Lake Butler later became the county seat of Union County, Florida when it was established in 1921.
Pine Level was the county seat of Manatee County from 1866 to 1887. When DeSoto County was created in 1887, it was named the county seat of the newly created county. It remained the county seat of DeSoto County until 1889.
Enterprise was the county seat of Orange County from 1843 to 1846. It later became the county seat of Volusia upon its creation in 1854, until it was replaced in 1888.

County seat listing

List of County Seats of Florida^[2]
County	County Seat	Date	Notes	Coordinates
Alachua Created 1824	Wanton's	1824		29°30′23″N 82°16′55″W / 29.506389°N 82.281944°W / 29.506389; -82.281944
	Newnansville	1828	Transferred to Columbia County in 1832.	29°48′31″N 82°28′36″W / 29.808611°N 82.476667°W / 29.808611; -82.476667
	Unknown	1830s
	Newnansville	1839	Changed by an act of the state legislature on 10 February 1839 back to Alachua County	29°48′31″N 82°28′36″W / 29.808611°N 82.476667°W / 29.808611; -82.476667
	Gainesville	1853	The Florida Railroad bypassed Newnansville and Gainesville was established along the route of the rail line.	29°39′07″N 82°19′30″W / 29.651997°N 82.324992°W / 29.651997; -82.324992
Baker Created 1861	Sanderson	1861		30°15′08″N 82°16′22″W / 30.252222°N 82.272778°W / 30.252222; -82.272778
Baker Created 1861	Macclenny	1877	Originally called Darbyville. County seat moved from Sanderson after a courthouse fire in 1877.	30°17′00″N 82°07′00″W / 30.283333°N 82.116667°W / 30.283333; -82.116667
Bay Created 1913	Panama City	1913	Established in 1888 as Park Resort on St. Andrews Bay (Florida).	30°10′28″N 85°39′52″W / 30.174444°N 85.664444°W / 30.174444; -85.664444
Bradford Created 1858	Lake Butler	1860		30°01′18″N 82°20′27″W / 30.021667°N 82.340833°W / 30.021667; -82.340833
Bradford Created 1858	Starke	1887	Changed by referendum on 17 August 1887.	29°56′50″N 82°06′29″W / 29.947222°N 82.108056°W / 29.947222; -82.108056
Brevard Created 1844	Susannah	1844	Community located outside Fort Pierce.	27°26′20″N 80°20′08″W / 27.438889°N 80.335556°W / 27.438889; -80.335556
	Bassville	1864
	Eau Gallie	1874		28°07′45″N 80°37′48″W / 28.129167°N 80.63°W / 28.129167; -80.63
	Lake View	1875
	Titusville	1879	Changed by referendum in 1879.	28°35′28″N 80°49′12″W / 28.591111°N 80.82°W / 28.591111; -80.82
Broward Created 1915	Fort Lauderdale	1915	Began to grow as a community once the Florida East Coast Railway reached the area in the 1890s.	30°10′28″N 80°08′15″W / 30.174444°N 80.137397°W / 30.174444; -80.137397
Calhoun Created 1838	St. Joseph	1838	Established 1835 on St. Joseph Bay and soon became the most populous town in the territory of Florida Suffered a yellow fever outbreak in 1841. Remains of the abandoned town destroyed by the storm surge of a hurricane that stuck the Gulf Coast in September 1843.
	Abe Springs	1850s		30°21′57″N 85°08′51″W / 30.365833°N 85.1475°W / 30.365833; -85.1475
	Blountstown	1880	Established on the Apalachicola River as a river port prior to the American Civil War Changed by referendum on 1 April 1880.	30°26′35″N 85°02′43″W / 30.443056°N 85.045278°W / 30.443056; -85.045278
Charlotte Created 1921	Punta Gorda	1921	Began to grow as a community as the terminus of the Florida Southern Railway on Charlotte Harbor when the line reached the area in the 1886.	26°54′57″N 82°02′52″W / 26.915833°N 82.047778°W / 26.915833; -82.047778
Citrus Created 1887	Mannfield	1887
Citrus Created 1887	Inverness	1891	Established as a sawmill town by the late 1860s.	28°50′21″N 82°20′25″W / 28.839167°N 82.340278°W / 28.839167; -82.340278
Clay Created 1858	Middleburg	1858		30°03′03″N 81°54′07″W / 30.050833°N 81.901944°W / 30.050833; -81.901944
	Whitesville	1859	Changed by referendum on 3 October 1859. Whitesvilles was renamed Webster.
	Green Cove Springs	1872		29°59′34″N 81°41′02″W / 29.992778°N 81.683889°W / 29.992778; -81.683889
Collier Created 1923	Everglades	1923	Began to grow as a community as the terminus of the Florida Southern Railway on Charlotte Harbor when the line reached the area in the 1886. Everglades suffered damage during Hurricane Donna in 1960.	25°51′32″N 81°23′05″W / 25.858889°N 81.384722°W / 25.858889; -81.384722
Collier Created 1923	East Naples	1962		26°08′17″N 81°46′00″W / 26.138056°N 81.766667°W / 26.138056; -81.766667
Columbia Created 1832	Newnansville	1832	Previously the county seat of Alachua County from 1828 to 1832. Transferred to Alachua County by the state legislature on 10 February 1839.	29°48′31″N 82°28′36″W / 29.808611°N 82.476667°W / 29.808611; -82.476667
Columbia Created 1832	Alligator	1839	Alligator was renamed Lake City in 1859.	30°11′00″N 82°38′00″W / 30.183333°N 82.633333°W / 30.183333; -82.633333
DeSoto Created 1887	Pine Level	1887	Formerly the county seat of Manatee County	27°15′54″N 81°59′31″W / 27.265132°N 81.991960°W / 27.265132; -81.991960
DeSoto Created 1887	Arcadia	1889		27°12′57″N 81°51′30″W / 27.215819°N 81.858266°W / 27.215819; -81.858266
Dixie Created 1921	Cross City	1921		29°38′07″N 83°07′29″W / 29.635278°N 83.124722°W / 29.635278; -83.124722
Duval Created 1822	Jacksonville	1822		30°20′13″N 81°39′41″W / 30.336944°N 81.661389°W / 30.336944; -81.661389
Escambia Created 1821	Pensacola	1821	Capital of West Florida from 1763 to 1821.	30°25′18″N 87°12′59″W / 30.421591°N 87.216478°W / 30.421591; -87.216478
Fayette County Created 1832 Merged with Jackson 1834	Ochesee	1832
Flagler Created 1917	Bunnell	1917		29°28′03″N 81°15′25″W / 29.4675°N 81.256944°W / 29.4675; -81.256944
Franklin Created 1832	Apalachicola	1832		29°43′31″N 84°59′33″W / 29.725278°N 84.9925°W / 29.725278; -84.9925
Gadsden Created 1823	Quincy	1823		30°35′00″N 84°35′00″W / 30.583333°N 84.583333°W / 30.583333; -84.583333
Gilchrist Created 1925	Trenton	1925		29°36′48″N 82°49′06″W / 29.613405°N 82.818209°W / 29.613405; -82.818209
Glades Created 1921	Moore Haven	1921		26°50′00″N 81°05′31″W / 26.833425°N 81.091816°W / 26.833425; -81.091816
Gulf Created 1925	Wewahitchka	1925		30°06′51″N 85°11′55″W / 30.114167°N 85.198611°W / 30.114167; -85.198611
Gulf Created 1925	Port St. Joe	1965		29°48′53″N 85°17′50″W / 29.814722°N 85.297222°W / 29.814722; -85.297222
Hamilton Created 1827	Micco Town	1827	Previously a Seminole town.
Hamilton Created 1827	Jasper	1835		30°31′08″N 82°57′04″W / 30.518889°N 82.951111°W / 30.518889; -82.951111
Hardee Created 1921	Wauchula	1921		27°32′46″N 81°48′52″W / 27.546111°N 81.814444°W / 27.546111; -81.814444
Hendry Created 1923	LaBelle	1923		26°45′38″N 81°26′21″W / 26.760556°N 81.439167°W / 26.760556; -81.439167
Hernando Created 1843	De Soto	1843	Previously a fort during the Seminole Wars.
	Bayport	1860	Bombed during the American Civil War by the United States Navy	28°32′54″N 82°38′43″W / 28.548333°N 82.645278°W / 28.548333; -82.645278
	Brooksville	1863	Established in 1856 Became county seat in response to the bombing of Bayport	28°33′13″N 82°23′19″W / 28.553611°N 82.388611°W / 28.553611; -82.388611
Highlands Created 1921	Sebring	1921		27°29′44″N 81°26′28″W / 27.495620°N 81.441001°W / 27.495620; -81.441001
Hillsborough Created 1834	Tampa	1834		27°58′05″N 82°28′35″W / 27.968056°N 82.476389°W / 27.968056; -82.476389
Holmes Created 1848	Cerrogordo	1848		30°49′55″N 85°53′15″W / 30.831944°N 85.8875°W / 30.831944; -85.8875
	Pittman's Ferry	18??
	Westville	187?		28°33′13″N 82°23′19″W / 28.553611°N 82.388611°W / 28.553611; -82.388611
	Bonifay	1904		30°47′00″N 85°41′00″W / 30.783333°N 85.683333°W / 30.783333; -85.683333
Indian River Created 1925	Vero Beach	1925		27°38′19″N 80°23′50″W / 27.638648°N 80.397264°W / 27.638648; -80.397264
Jackson Created 1822	Webbville	1822
Jackson Created 1822	Marianna	1828		30°46′35″N 85°14′17″W / 30.776389°N 85.238056°W / 30.776389; -85.238056
Jefferson Created 1827	Monticello	1828		30°32′42″N 83°52′13″W / 30.545131°N 83.870254°W / 30.545131; -83.870254
Lafayette Created 1853	New Troy	1858
Lafayette Created 1853	Mayo	1892	County seat changed after the courthouse at New Troy was destroyed by fire.	30°03′07″N 83°10′32″W / 30.051944°N 83.175556°W / 30.051944; -83.175556
Lake Created 1887	Bloomfield	1887
Lake Created 1887	Tavares	1888		28°48′06″N 81°44′01″W / 28.801667°N 81.733611°W / 28.801667; -81.733611
Lee Created 1887	Fort Myers	1887		26°37′00″N 81°50′00″W / 26.616667°N 81.833333°W / 26.616667; -81.833333
Leon Created 1824	Tallahassee	1824	Capital of Florida from its founding, replacing former capitals St. Augustine (East Florida) and Pensacola (West Florida).	30°26′17″N 84°16′50″W / 30.438147°N 84.280561°W / 30.438147; -84.280561
Levy Created 1845	Sodom	1852	Renamed Mount Pleasant in 1854. Renamed Levyville in 1856.
Levy Created 1845	Bronson	1869		29°26′56″N 82°38′11″W / 29.448889°N 82.636389°W / 29.448889; -82.636389
Liberty Created 1855	Riddleysville	185?
Liberty Created 1855	Bristol	18??		30°25′37″N 84°58′45″W / 30.426944°N 84.979167°W / 30.426944; -84.979167
Madison Created 1827	San Pedro	1835
Madison Created 1827	Madison	1836		30°28′00″N 83°25′00″W / 30.466667°N 83.416667°W / 30.466667; -83.416667
Manatee Created 1855	Manatee	1855
	Pine Level	1866	Later the county seat of DeSoto County	27°15′55″N 81°59′31″W / 27.265229°N 81.991835°W / 27.265229; -81.991835
	Bradenton	1887		27°29′00″N 82°35′00″W / 27.483333°N 82.583333°W / 27.483333; -82.583333
Marion Created 1844	Ocala	1846	The community grew up around Fort King.	29°11′16″N 82°07′50″W / 29.187778°N 82.130556°W / 29.187778; -82.130556
Martin Created 1925	Stuart	1925		27°11′32″N 80°14′35″W / 27.192222°N 80.243056°W / 27.192222; -80.243056
Miami-Dade Created 1836	Indian Key	1836		24°53′00″N 80°41′00″W / 24.883333°N 80.683333°W / 24.883333; -80.683333
	Miami	1844		25°46′31″N 80°12′32″W / 25.775278°N 80.208889°W / 25.775278; -80.208889
	Juno	1866
	Miami	1899		25°46′31″N 80°12′32″W / 25.775278°N 80.208889°W / 25.775278; -80.208889
Monroe Created 1823	Key West	1823		24°33′33″N 81°47′03″W / 24.559167°N 81.784031°W / 24.559167; -81.784031
Nassau Created 1824	Fernandina Beach	1824		30°40′10″N 81°27′42″W / 30.669444°N 81.461667°W / 30.669444; -81.461667
Okaloosa Created 1915	Milligan	1915	Damaged when the Yellow River flooded in 1917.
Okaloosa Created 1915	Crestview	1917		30°45′15″N 86°34′22″W / 30.754167°N 86.572778°W / 30.754167; -86.572778
Okeechobee Created 1917	Okeechobee	1917		27°14′38″N 80°49′17″W / 27.243889°N 80.821389°W / 27.243889; -80.821389
Orange Created 1824	John Bunch's	1824	County seat of then Mosquito County
	New Smyrna	1835
	Enterprise	1843	Northern half of Mosquito County renamed Orange County in 1845. Southern half established as St. Lucie County in 1844.	28°52′09″N 81°16′00″W / 28.869167°N 81.266667°W / 28.869167; -81.266667
	Mellonville	1846
	Orlando	1856		28°32′18″N 81°22′45″W / 28.538434°N 81.379108°W / 28.538434; -81.379108
Osceola Created 1887	Kissimmee	1887		28°18′14″N 81°24′46″W / 28.303889°N 81.412778°W / 28.303889; -81.412778
Palm Beach Created 1909	West Palm Beach	1909	Established along the route of the Florida East Coast Railway in 1894.	26°42′35″N 80°03′51″W / 26.709722°N 80.064167°W / 26.709722; -80.064167
Pasco Beach Created 1887	Dade City	1887		28°21′41″N 82°11′36″W / 28.361389°N 82.193333°W / 28.361389; -82.193333
Pinellas Created 1912	Clearwater	1912	Clearwater's status as county seat was legally contentious for a number of years after the establishment of Pinellas County.	27°58′25″N 82°45′51″W / 27.973611°N 82.764167°W / 27.973611; -82.764167
Polk Created 1861	Jefferson	1862
Polk Created 1861	Bartow	1867		27°53′33″N 81°50′23″W / 27.8925°N 81.839722°W / 27.8925; -81.839722
Putnam Created 1849	Palatka	1849		29°38′52″N 81°39′05″W / 29.647778°N 81.651389°W / 29.647778; -81.651389
St. Johns Created 1821	St. Augustine	1821	Capital of Spanish Florida from 1565 to 1763. Capital of East Florida from 1763 to 1821. Capital of Florida Territory from 1822 to 1824.	29°53′41″N 81°18′52″W / 29.894722°N 81.314444°W / 29.894722; -81.314444
St. Lucie Created 1905	Fort Pierce	1905	Former county seat of Brevard County from 1844 to 1864.	27°26′20″N 80°20′08″W / 27.438889°N 80.335556°W / 27.438889; -80.335556
Santa Rosa Created 1842	Milton	1842		30°37′49″N 87°02′47″W / 30.630278°N 87.046389°W / 30.630278; -87.046389
Sarasota Created 1921	Sarasota	1921		27°20′14″N 82°32′07″W / 27.337222°N 82.535278°W / 27.337222; -82.535278
Seminole Created 1913	Sanford	1913		28°47′22″N 81°16′32″W / 28.789444°N 81.275556°W / 28.789444; -81.275556
Sumter Created 1853	Adamsville	1853		28°47′59″N 82°01′14″W / 28.799722°N 82.020556°W / 28.799722; -82.020556
	Leesburg	185?		28°48′38″N 81°53′00″W / 28.810556°N 81.883333°W / 28.810556; -81.883333
	Sumterville	1881	Changed by referendum on 15 October 1881. Courthouse destroyed by fire on 30 January 1909.	28°44′51″N 82°03′50″W / 28.7475°N 82.063889°W / 28.7475; -82.063889
	Bushnell	1912	Changed by referendum in 1912 after political fighting arose after the courthouse fire at Sumterville.	28°39′50″N 82°06′51″W / 28.663889°N 82.114167°W / 28.663889; -82.114167
Suwannee Created 1858	Houston	1858		30°15′25″N 82°54′09″W / 30.256944°N 82.9025°W / 30.256944; -82.9025
Suwannee Created 1858	Live Oak	186?	Located at the junction of the Florida spur of the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad and the Florida, Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad.	30°17′40″N 82°59′09″W / 30.294444°N 82.985833°W / 30.294444; -82.985833
Taylor Created 1856	Perry	1856		30°06′52″N 83°34′57″W / 30.114444°N 83.5825°W / 30.114444; -83.5825
Union Created 1921	Lake Butler	1921	Formerly the county seat of Bradford County from 1860 until 1887.	30°01′21″N 82°20′23″W / 30.022602°N 82.339643°W / 30.022602; -82.339643
Volusia Created 1854	Enterprise	1856	Formerly the county seat of Orange County from 1843 to 1846.	28°52′09″N 81°16′00″W / 28.869167°N 81.266667°W / 28.869167; -81.266667
Volusia Created 1854	Deland	1888		29°01′44″N 81°18′02″W / 29.028889°N 81.300556°W / 29.028889; -81.300556
Wakulla Created 1843	Port Leon	1843	Declared county seat on 11 March 1843 Devastated by a hurricane on 13 September 1843.	30°07′52″N 84°11′42″W / 30.131111°N 84.195°W / 30.131111; -84.195
	Newport	1843	Residents of Port Leon moved to Newport following the devastation of the hurricane.	30°11′58″N 84°10′51″W / 30.199421°N 84.180700°W / 30.199421; -84.180700
	Crawfordville	1865/6		30°10′34″N 84°22′31″W / 30.176111°N 84.375278°W / 30.176111; -84.375278
Walton Created 1824	Alaqua	182?
	Eucheanna	184?	Courthouse destroyed by fire in 1885.
	DeFuniak Springs	1886	Changed by referendum on 16 February 1886.	30°43′00″N 86°07′00″W / 30.716667°N 86.116667°W / 30.716667; -86.116667
Washington Created 1825	Vernon	1825		30°37′18″N 85°42′42″W / 30.621667°N 85.711667°W / 30.621667; -85.711667
Washington Created 1825	Chipley	1927		30°46′45″N 85°32′21″W / 30.779167°N 85.539167°W / 30.779167; -85.539167

History

County seat listing

See also

References