Monroe

Formed July 3, 1823 (6^th county)

Monroe County (82,879), Key West (26,446)

The Classical Revival style red brick courthouse looks like a county courthouse.  It was built in 1890 on Whitehead Street between Fleming and Southard streets.  United States Highway 1 is Whitehead Street in this part of the city.  John R. Scott provided the designs.  A Judicial Center Annex was added in 1966 and a Justice Center in 1987.  The county was established on July 3, 1823 from St. Johns County as the 6^th county.  St. Augustine served as the county seat until 1828 when Key West took over.  The county’s name comes from President James Monroe.  Key West comes from the Spanish for “the key, Cayo Hueso, Bone Island.”  The county was later divided to provide Lee and Collier counties. 

Monroe County government consists of a manager, sheriff, and appraiser (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Four Circuit Court Judges and Four County Court Judges, clerk, and county attorney serve Monroe County (judicial.) Monroe County is divided into the key islands and southwest tip of Florida.  Miami, Florida is northeast of the majority of the county.  The Gulf of Mexico touches or surrounds most of the county.  The center of the county is 57 miles Northeast of Key West nearer Marathon in the Gulf of Mexico.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Collier and Dade counties and the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.  

The area of the county is 997 square miles.  It is 17 out of 67 counties in the state.  It ranks 38 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 83.1 persons per square mile making it 42 out of 67 in the state.  Monroe County has 53.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 1 enters from Dade County, north, and terminates at Key West.  The mainland part of the county looks like half a vase.  The barrier islands form a hook.  Key West is on the further west island in the chain.  Key West is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 31.9% of the county population.  This county is in the Key West Micropolitan Statistical Area.