Baker

Formed February 8, 1861 (38^th county)

Baker County (28,263), Macclenny (7,306)                

A Classical Revival style red brick, columned structure is the courthouse in this county.  It was built in 1948 on Macclenny Avenue between 2^nd and 3^rd streets.  Macclenny Avenue is United States Highway 90 coming through the city.  Roy A. Benjamin is the architect.  The courthouse was renovated in 2002.  There was a 1908 version of the courthouse in Macclenny.  Sanderson (1861) and Macclenny (1886) have been the county seat.  Judge James McNair Baker provided his name to Baker County.  Macclenny was named for settler H. C. Macclenny.  Baker County was created on February 8, 1861 from Bradford County as the 38^th county. 

Baker County government consists of a manager, sheriff, and appraiser (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Twelve Circuit Court Judges serve Baker, Alachua, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy, and Union counties and a County Court Judge, clerk, and county attorney serve Baker County (judicial.)  The county is in extreme north central Florida on the border with Georgia.  Tallahassee, Florida is west and Jacksonville, Florida is east of the county.  Georgia is on the northern border.  The center of the county is 12.4 miles Northwest of Macclenny nearer Sanderson.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Georgia and Nassau, Duval, Clay, Union, Bradford, and Columbia counties. 

The area of the county is 585 square miles.  It is 46 out of 67 counties in the state.  It ranks 51 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 48.3 persons per square mile making it 51 out of 67 in the state.  Baker County has 27.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 10 goes east to west through the county from Duval County to Columbia County.  United States Highway 90 parallels Interstate Highway 10 from Duval County to Columbia County.  The county is shaped like a chair.  Macclenny is in the southeast quarter of the county.  Macclenny is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 25.9% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced MAK-KLEN-EE.  This county is in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area.