Formed February 4, 1832 (16th county)
Columbia County (69,701), Lake City (12,344)
The stately domed courthouse made of tan brick was built in 1905 and restored and enlarged in 2003. It is located on Hernando Avenue between Orange and Madison streets. United States Highway 90 is one block south of the location. Frank Pierce Milburn is the architect for this Classical Revival courthouse. An Administration Center was added originally built in 1932 as a post office. Columbia County was named for Christopher Columbus. Lake City is named for the numerous lakes surrounding the city. Columbia County was the birthplace of 1 Florida Governor, Frederick P. Cone. Columbia County was created on February 4, 1832 from Alachua County as the 16th county. Newnansville (1832) and Lake City (1859) have been the county seat.
Columbia County government consists of a manager, sheriff, and appraiser (executive). It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.) Seven Circuit Court Judges serve Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor counties and a County Court Judge, clerk, and county attorney serve Columbia County (judicial.) The county is in north central Florida on the border with Georgia. Jacksonville, Florida is east and Tallahassee, Florida is west. The center of the county is in Lake City 2.3 miles North-Northeast of the city center. The county is surrounded clockwise by Georgia and Union, Baker, Alachua, Gilchrist, Suwannee, and Hamilton counties. The Suwannee River forms the northwest border and the Santa Fe River forms the southeast border.
The area of the county is 797 square miles. It is 25 out of 67 counties in the state. It ranks 41 out of 67 in population in the state. It has a density of 87.5 persons per square mile making it 40 out of 67 in the state. Columbia County has 18.6% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 10 crosses east to west in the county, Baker County to Suwannee County. Interstate Highway 75 goes northwest to southeast from Suwannee County to Alachua County. United States Highway 27 crosses the extreme south of the county from Alachua County, east, to Suwannee County, west. United States Highway 41 parallels Interstate Highway 75 coming in from Madison County, north, and going into Alachua County, south. United States Highway 90 parallels Interstate Highway 10 from Baker County to Suwannee County. United States Highway 441 enters from Georgia, combines with United States Highway 41 in Lake City, and exits into Alachua County. The county is shaped like a knife. Lake City is slightly southwest of the center of the county. Lake City is the county seat and the largest city. It is 17.7% of the county population. This county is in the Lake City Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Fort White
Lake City
