Madison

Formed December 26, 1827 (15^th county)

Madison County (17,970), Madison (2,913)

The tan brick courthouse with the large clock dome looks the part of a courthouse.  It was built in 1913 on a square at Range, Base, Shelby, and Pinckney streets.  United States Highway 90 is Base Street in Madison.  Bishop and Greer designed the Classical Revival courthouse.  The building was remodeled in 1988.  The clock is working in the dome and veteran memorials are across the street.  There was an 1880 courthouse previously in Madison and San Pedro was the first county seat until 1840 when Madison assumed the role.  Madison County was formed on December 26, 1827 from Jefferson County as the 15^th county.  The county and county seat’s names come from President James Madison. 

Madison County government consists of a manager, sheriff, and appraiser (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Seven Circuit Court Judges serve Madison, Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Suwannee, and Taylor counties and a County Court Judge, clerk, and county attorney serve Madison County (judicial.) Madison County is in the north part of the state on the border with Georgia.  Tallahassee, Florida is to its west and Jacksonville, Florida is east.  The center of the county is 1.9 miles South-Southwest of Madison.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Georgia and Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Taylor, and Jefferson counties. 

The area of the county is 692 square miles.  It is 35 out of 67 counties in the state.  It ranks 56 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 26.0 persons per square mile making it 58 out of 67 in the state.  Madison County has 22.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 10 crosses from Suwannee County, east, to Jefferson County, west.  United States Highways 19/27 cut the southwest corner from Jefferson County, west, to Taylor County, south.  United States Highway 90 parallels Interstate Highway 10 from Suwannee County to Jefferson County.  United States Highway 221 comes from Leon County in the northwest and goes into Taylor County in the south.  A very fat capital letter J lying on its face best describes the county.  The county seat is located slightly east of center in the county.  Madison is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 16.2% of the county population.