Nassau County, Florida

Nassau County is the northeasternmost county of the U.S. state of Florida. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the county's population was 101,501 on July 1, 2023, up from 90,352 at the 2020 census.

The designated county seat is Fernandina Beach. Nassau County is a constituent of the Jacksonville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which accommodates around 1.68 million inhabitants as of the year 2022. The county is situated in Northeast Florida with a land area of 726 sqmi. The county's population has surged by more than 40,000 residents since the year 2000, driven by factors such as Nassau's nearness to downtown Jacksonville, the emergence of fresh residential projects, agricultural output, prominent tourist destinations, and a broadening tax foundation through the influx of novel industrial and business enterprises to the county. Nassau County is also a favored residential destination for military personnel stationed at bases in the adjacent Duval County, Florida (Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport) and Camden County, Georgia (Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay). Nassau County will celebrate 200 years with its bicentennial celebration in 2024.

History
Nassau County was created in 1824 from Duval County. It was named for the Duchy of Nassau in Germany.

The Battle of Alligator Bridge took place in Nassau County around Callahan on June 30, 1778, and was the only major engagement in an unsuccessful campaign to conquer British East Florida during the American Revolutionary War.

In 1817, the short-lived Republic of the Floridas was established on Amelia Island. It was one of several attempts to wrestle Florida from Spanish control into the growing United States.

Some of the men from the county had formed a militia unit called the Davis Guards leading up to the Civil War. This unit would be organized as Company K of the 2nd Florida Infantry Regiment in the Confederate army.

Law and government
The primary entity overseeing environmental and agricultural matters is the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District, which maintains close collaboration with various other regional agencies.

County commissioners
Nassau County operates under the administration of the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners, comprising five members. These commissioners are elected by the voters to serve four-year terms, with the election cycle structured such that either three or two commissioners are subject to election every two years. The following individuals constitute the Nassau County Commissioners:

Ocean Highway & Port Authority
The Ocean Highway & Port Authority (OHPA) functions as an autonomous governmental organization within Nassau County, Florida, responsible for the ownership and management of the seaport infrastructure at the Port of Fernandina. OHPA was founded in 1941 by the Florida Legislature. The current Executive Director of OHPA is David Kaufman.

The Port of Fernandina operates as a terminal for handling various commodities, including pulp and paper, steel exports, machinery, automotive components, chemicals, beverages, building materials, and food items. The port's container lines facilitate shipping routes to destinations such as Colombia, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Aruba, Curaçao, and Bermuda. Notably, in 2020, the port was awarded a substantial grant exceeding one million dollars from the United States Department of Transportation to initiate a barge service.

OHPA Commissioners
 * District 1: Miriam Hill (Chair)
 * District 2: Danny Fullwood
 * District 3: Justin M. Taylor (Vice-Chair)
 * District 4: Ray Nelson
 * District 5: Michael Cole

Police
The Nassau County Sheriff's Office offers essential services to the residents of Nassau County. It bears the responsibility of upholding both the provisions of the Florida Constitution and the laws and statutes of the state of Florida, ensuring the protection, security, and welfare of its populace. This commitment is fulfilled by furnishing law enforcement solutions, managing operations at the Nassau County Jail and Detention Center, and ensuring court security. The central operational hub of the Nassau County Sheriff's Office is situated in Yulee. the Sheriff is Bill Leeper.

Court houses
The Nassau County Courthouse in Fernandina Beach stands as a historic edifice, characterized by its two-story construction of red brick, dating back to its erection in 1891.

Located in Yulee, the Robert M. Foster Justice Center was established in 2004 to complement the historical Nassau County Courthouse site. Spanning an extensive 111,000 square feet, this facility was realized at a construction cost surpassing $20 million.

Climate
Similar to a significant portion of the southern Atlantic region in the United States, Nassau County experiences a humid subtropical climate (Köppen classification Cfa). This entails moderate conditions in the winter months and warm, humid conditions throughout the summer. Precipitation patterns show a concentration of rainfall during the warmer months spanning from May to September, whereas the drier period falls between November and April. Owing to Nassau County's proximity to the coast and its lower latitude, frigid temperatures are infrequent, resulting in typically temperate and sunlit winters.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 726 sqmi, of which 649 sqmi is land and 77 sqmi (10.6%) is water. The city of Fernandina Beach is on Amelia Island, the county's one inhabited island. Fernandina Beach municipality extends across the Intracoastal Waterway along A1A to Yulee.

Topography
There are 12 distinct topographical zones in Nassau County. Most of these zones run in narrow bands stretching from north to south, although this is less true as one approaches the Atlantic coast.
 * 1) Directly against the western border with Baker County, the topography ranges from fairly flat to slightly elevated. Drainage is poor and the soil is sandy.
 * 2) Moving east, there are some areas (mostly in the northern and central county) of higher ground with much better drainage.
 * 3) East of these areas are some lower places, especially in the south, that are level and have extremely poor drainage.
 * 4) Eastward again, there is a stretch that ranges from a few miles in the extreme northern areas to about 6-8 mi wide in the southern area, including Hilliard and much of County Road 108 and State Road 301. This area again has very poor drainage, low-lying land, and fairly sandy soil.
 * 5) East of this are scattered areas of high, sandy land with spotty or poor drainage.
 * 6) East of this, there is an area including Callahan with very sandy soil on top, and clay underneath. This section of the county is heavily permeated by small creeks and rivers, which bring with them low, poorly drained soils. This zone extends across the entire county from north to south at a fairly consistent width of about 3-4 mi, except in the north, where it widens to nearly 6 mi across.
 * 7) East of this area is a large band of land with a consistent width of about 8 mi. The land is low and level with extremely poor drainage, and it is permeated by small creeks and rivers. In the northern section, this is where some tributaries join the St. Marys River, while in the south a number of tributaries drain into the Nassau River, which flows into the Nassau Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.
 * 8) East of this area is a section of land about 3 mi in width that has extremely sandy soils with bad drainage all around.
 * 9) Further eastward is a large area, including Yulee and O'Neil, about 4 mi in width, with poor drainage and sandy soil at higher elevations, pockmarked by large areas of low lands with even worse drainage.
 * 10) To the south is an area of low-lying, organic soils which are essentially marshes and wetlands along the northern bank of the Nassau River, continuing into the Nassau Sound.
 * 11) Still eastward and somewhat to the north is a large area of marshes and organic soils which characterize area wetlands. There are many small islands in this area, and it is permeated by the Bells River and Jolly River, which empty into the Cumberland Sound to the north, just below Cumberland Island.
 * 12) Amelia Island, the easternmost section of the county, is characterized by poor drainage in the west and better drained, higher, sandier land as one travels eastward towards the beach. The northern area of the island features salty marshlands surrounding Egan's Creek, which runs directly beneath Atlantic Boulevard in Fernandina Beach.

Adjacent counties

 * Camden County, Georgia – north
 * Duval County – south/east
 * Baker County – southwest
 * Charlton County, Georgia – west

Airports

 * Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport
 * Hilliard Airpark

Major highways

 * (Interstate 95)
 * (Interstate 10)
 * (County extension of SR 2)
 * (County extension of SR 2)
 * (County extension of SR 2)
 * (County extension of SR 2)
 * (County extension of SR 2)
 * (County extension of SR 2)
 * (County extension of SR 2)

Railroads
The main railroad line through Nassau County is the CSX Nahunta Subdivision, which runs parallel to the west side of US 1 and 23 from the Jacksonville Terminal through the bridge over the Saint Mary's River in Boulogne. It also has a junction with the CSX Callahan Subdivision which runs parallel to US 301 from the Duval County Line almost to Callahan. This line also once had an extension to the Fernandina Subdivision, as well as a second extension to Gross, which were abandoned in 1954 and 1985 respectively.

A third CSX line exists closer to the east coast of the state known as the Kingsland Subdivision, which runs parallel to US 17 from the Duval County line to Yulee, where it joins the First Coast Railroad, a class three railroad that runs along the Fernandina Subdivision and the former Kingsland Subdivision north of Yulee.

The other major railroad line in the county is Norfolk Southern Railway's Valdosta District, which spans northwest to southeast from a bridge over the Saint Mary's River in Kent to the Jacksonville Terminal. The Valdosta District has a diamond junction with the Callahan Subdivision in Crawford.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 90,352 people, 33,475 households, and 24,357 families residing in the county.

As of the census of 2000, there were 57,663 people, 21,980 households, and 16,528 families residing in the county. The population density was 34/km2 (88/sq mi). There were 25,917 housing units at an average density of 15/km2 (40/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 90.0% White, 7.7% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 1.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the 2000 Census, the largest European ancestry groups in Nassau County were: English (36.2%), Irish (13.6%) and German (11.7%).

There were 21,980 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.80% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.

As of 2021, the median income for a household in the county was $64,943. The per capita income for the county was $36,553. About 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line.

Economy
Nassau County boasts a diverse economy that encompasses various sectors, ranging from agricultural activities predominantly in the form of tree farms situated in the western and central regions, to a range of endeavors closer to Amelia Island. A significant portion of the tree farming land is under the ownership of Rayonier, a notable local employer and proprietor of a substantial pulp mill located in Fernandina Beach. Historical focal points of the local economy have encompassed tree farming, trucking, and pulp production. Nonetheless, notable expansion is underway in the peripheral small towns of the rural western vicinity, and the demand for residential construction remains robust. Fernandina Beach has established itself as a hub for professional fields like real estate, legal services, and healthcare. Additionally, it stands as the nearest city to two upscale resorts: the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Amelia Island Plantation.

In the central county region, an exclusive property named White Oak Conservation was once privately owned by an affluent family who operated the area as a private zoo, featuring exotic animals such as giraffes and large albino felines. The resort has welcomed several public figures, including former President Bill Clinton, who have chosen the destination for leisurely getaways.

Nassau County has several outdoor festivals and events. The county is home to two world-class golf courses: The Golf Club at North Hampton was designed in part by Arnold Palmer, and is over 7,000 acre, has 18 holes and a 72 par. and the Amelia National Golf & Country Club, designed by Tom Fazio which has 18 holes and a 72 par.

The Nassau County Economic Development Board, which represents all of Nassau County as a desirable place to relocate a business or to expand a business. In November 2017 it was announced that the University of Florida will be building two health and fitness facilities. In January 2018 the large energy company Florida Public Utilities announced that they will be relocating to Yulee and will be building a new 55,000 ft2 corporate headquarters.

In 2017 Rayonier completed building a new corporate headquarters in Yulee. Rayonier also plans to develop a 24,000 acre pine forest in Yulee into a community complete with housing, offices, medical facilities, shopping centers, light industrial facilities and schools. The development, starting with 4,200 acre and is called Wildlight. Rayonier is also working with Nassau County to develop the Wildlight Elementary School at a cost of $26 million which is scheduled to open for the start of the 2017–2018 academic year with 600 students.

Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport, a general aviation airport and former military airbase that is also now used at times by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Air National Guard and is in Amelia Island 3 nmi south of the central business district of Fernandina Beach. It is designated as a reliever airport for Jacksonville International Airport.

Hilliard is the location of a significant facility operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), serving as an Air Traffic Control Center that effectively coordinates the majority of commercial and civilian air traffic spanning the southeastern United States. This FAA center holds a pivotal role in Hilliard's workforce, employing a substantial number of individuals, including numerous retired FAA personnel who have chosen Nassau County as their residence.

Within the county, the Florida Welcome Center serves as a designated "tourist information house," conveniently positioned near the Florida/Georgia state line along I-95. This center offers incoming visitors an array of informative resources pertaining to travel, roadways, sports, climate, lodging, urban centers, outdoor activities, and attractions. As a tribute to Florida's historical citrus industry, which has played a substantial role in the state's economy, every guest is welcomed with a complimentary cup of Florida citrus juice, either orange or grapefruit.

Top employers
According to the Nassau County website as of June 2019, the top employers in the county are:

Public – Nassau County School District
Nassau County Public School District operates public schools. Its schools are below:

Elementary schools:
 * Bryceville Elementary (K-5) – Bryceville
 * Callahan Elementary (PreK-2) – Callahan
 * Callahan Intermediate (3–5) – Callahan
 * Emma Love Hardee Elementary (3–5) – Fernandina Beach
 * Hilliard Elementary (PreK-5) – Hilliard
 * Southside Elementary (PreK-2) – Fernandina Beach
 * Wildlight Elementary (K-5) – Wildlight
 * Yulee Elementary (3–5) – Yulee
 * Yulee Primary (PreK-2) – Yulee

Middle schools:
 * Callahan Middle (6–8) (Mascot: Ramblers) – Callahan
 * Fernandina Beach Middle (6–8) (Mascot: Pirates) – Fernandina Beach
 * Yulee Middle (6–8) (Mascot: Hornets) – Yulee

High schools:
 * Fernandina Beach High (9–12) (Mascot: Pirates) – Fernandina Beach
 * West Nassau High (9–12) (Mascot: Warriors) – Callahan
 * Yulee High (9–12) (Mascot: Hornets) – Yulee

Middle-senior high schools:
 * Hilliard Middle-Senior High (6–12) (Mascot: Red Flashes ) – Hilliard

Private schools

 * Amelia Island Montessori ( Pre Kindergarten-8) – Fernandina Beach
 * Faith Christian Academy (Pre- Kindergarten-12) – Fernandina Beach
 * Fernandina Beach Christian Academy ( Kindergarten-5th (2015)) – Fernandina Beach
 * Nassau Christian School ( Pre Kindergarten-12) – Yulee
 * St. Michaels Academy (Pre Kindergarten-8) – Fernandina Beach
 * Sonshine Christian School( Pre Kindergarten-12) – Callahan

Higher education
The Betty Cook Center, situated in Nassau County near Yulee, serves as a campus of Florida State College at Jacksonville, a constituent of the Florida College System. This state college holds accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, enabling it to confer both associate's degrees and bachelor's degrees.

Libraries
The Nassau County Public Library encompasses a network of 5 branches.

A significant overhaul of the Fernandina Beach branch was successfully executed in 2015, culminating in a grand reopening of the branch in April 2016. This extensive revitalization initiative doubled the library's size to an approximate area of 16,000 ft2. This modernization effort aligned the building, which was originally inaugurated in 1976, with Nassau County's current codes, in accordance with the long-range plan for 2013–2017 devised by the Nassau County Public Library. Furthermore, a resolution was jointly established between the City of Fernandina Beach and Nassau County, delineating ownership of the Library facility and outlining Library operations.

Notably, the Fernandina Beach branch serves as the repository for over one thousand titles belonging to the Amelia Island Genealogical Society. These materials are made accessible to the public for utilization within the library's premises.
 * Bryceville
 * Callahan
 * Fernandina Beach
 * Hilliard
 * Yulee

Media
Nassau County boasts three distinct newspapers. Among them, the prominent Fernandina Beach News-Leader holds the title of the largest. This publication is under the ownership of Community Newspapers Incorporated, a media enterprise helmed by Tom Wood and Dink NeSmith. Another noteworthy publication, the Nassau County Record, also falls within the ownership purview of Community Newspapers Incorporated. Both of these periodicals are accessible to the public through subscription or newsstands.

Concurrently, The Westside Journal functions as an independent newspaper, its publication overseen by Florida Sun Printing. This particular newspaper is distributed for free via mail and typically showcases contributed content from various sources.

City

 * Fernandina Beach (county seat)

Towns

 * Callahan
 * Hilliard

Census-designated places

 * Nassau Village-Ratliff
 * Yulee

Other unincorporated communities

 * Amelia City
 * American Beach
 * Andrews
 * Becker
 * Boulogne
 * Bryceville
 * Chester
 * Crandall
 * Crawford
 * Dahoma
 * Dyal
 * Evergreen
 * Franklintown
 * Glenwood
 * Gross
 * Hedges
 * Hero
 * Ingle
 * Italia
 * Keene
 * Kent
 * Kings Ferry
 * Lessie
 * Mattox
 * Nassauville
 * O'Neil
 * Verdie
 * Yulee Heights

Notable people

 * William B. Allen, political scientist who was chairman of the United States Commission on Civil Rights from 1988 to 1989, was born in Fernandina Beach in 1944.
 * Kris Anderson – National Basketball Association player with the Milwaukee Bucks
 * Raymond A. Brown, attorney whose clients included Black Liberation Army member Assata Shakur, boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter and "Dr. X" physician Mario Jascalevich.
 * George Crady – Former member of the Florida House of Representatives
 * Kyle Denney – Major League Baseball catcher
 * Ben "Bubba" Dickerson, professional golfer.
 * John M. Drew – tax collector
 * George Rainsford Fairbanks, a Confederate major in the U.S. Civil War, he was also a historian, lawyer and Florida state senator. The Fairbanks House is listed on the NRHP and is operated as a bed and breakfast lodging establishment.
 * Joseph Finegan, businessman, Brigadier general for the Confederate States Army; resident of Fernandina Beach.
 * Derrick Henry – football, 2015 Heisman Trophy Winner running back at Alabama, and the Tennessee Titans
 * Howie Kendrick, Major League Baseball player for the Anaheim Angels
 * Frank Murphy Jr former NFL football player for the Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins.
 * Apple Pope – American rugby league player who plays for the United States national rugby league team
 * Tom Schwartz – Entrepreneur, model-actor and star of Bravo's 'Vanderpump Rules'
 * D. J. Stewart – baseball left fielder at Florida State University
 * Rick Stockstill, football head coach at Middle Tennessee; raised in Fernandina Beach.
 * Zack Taylor – Major League Baseball player and manager for the St. Louis Browns
 * Daniel Thomas, National Football League player for the Miami Dolphins
 * David Levy Yulee, Florida Territorial representative to Congress and the first U.S. senator from Florida when it became a state, member of the Confederate Congress, builder of Florida's first cross-state railroad (Fernandina to Cedar Key). There is a statue of David Yulee in Fernandina Beach.

Historic places



 * Amelia Island Light
 * Amelia Island Museum of History
 * American Beach Historic District
 * Bailey House
 * Ervin's Rest
 * Fairbanks House
 * Fernandina Beach Historic District
 * Fort Clinch State Park
 * Hippard House
 * Historic Nassau County Courthouse
 * John Denham Palmer House
 * Merrick-Simmons House
 * Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church
 * Original Town of Fernandina Historic Site
 * Tabby House
 * US Post Office, Custom and Court House

Economy

 * Amelia Island Plantation
 * Federal Aviation Administration Air Route Traffic Control Center ZJX
 * Rayonier
 * The Ritz Carlton

Local media

 * Fernandina Beach News-Leader
 * Nassau County Record
 * Florida Times-Union in Nassau County

Cultural

 * Amelia Island Genealogical Society
 * Nassau County Writers and Poets Society
 * Fort Clinch

Government links/Constitutional offices

 * Nassau County Government official website for County Government
 * Nassau County Clerk of Courts
 * Nassau County Board of County Commissioners
 * Nassau County Supervisor of Elections
 * Nassau County Property Appraiser
 * Nassau County Sheriff's Office
 * Nassau County Public Library
 * Nassau County Tax Collector

Special districts

 * Nassau County School District
 * St. Johns River Water Management District
 * Nassau County Economic Development Board
 * Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District

Judicial branch

 * Public Defender, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Duval, Clay, and Nassau counties
 * Office of the State Attorney, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida
 * Circuit and County Court, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida