27-638: Bonifay is a city in Holmes County , Florida , United States. As of the 2020 census , the population was 2,759. It is the county seat of Holmes County. Bonifay was founded in 1882 when the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad was built across the Florida Panhandle , and was named by P&A executive W. D. Chipley for Frank Bonifay, member of a prominent family who had a brickmaking factory in Pensacola, where
54-552: A 5-mile (8.0 km) stretch from US 98 northward to the intersection of SR 79 and SR 388 at West Bay. North of this completed stretch construction continues to a point just north of the Ebro Greyhound Racetrack. As of 2023, after ten years of work construction from north of Ebro to Interstate 10 has not been completed. A dangerous section in Vernon has been abandoned by crews for years and left with cones diverting traffic on
81-480: A female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.10% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
108-513: Is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida , in the Panhandle . As of the 2020 census , the population was 19,653. Its county seat is Bonifay . Holmes County was created in 1848. The county's namesake is a point of debate. Holmes Creek – the county's eastern boundary – bore that name before the county was created, but it was originally named Weekaywehatchee (a Creek Indian name meaning "spring creek"). One claim
135-684: Is a K-12 Combination School in Northeastern Holmes County and Bethlehem High School is a K-12 Combination School in the Bethlehem Community. The Holmes County Public Library is the county's library system. It is located at 303 North J. Harvey Etheridge Street, Bonifay, Florida 32425. The library is open Tuesday-Friday 8:00am–5:00pm, and Saturday 8:00am–12:00pm and offers public computers with internet access, free wi-fi, programming for all ages, and access to e-books, e-audiobooks, and numerous online databases and resources. Holmes County
162-496: Is a major hurricane evacuation route from the coastal area. It is one of few designated routes northward between Pensacola and Panama City. As of June 1, 2009, the route between US 98 (Back Beach Road) at Panama City Beach and SR 20 at Ebro was being expanded to four lanes. A second bridge over the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at West Bay has been completed and is now open making the four lane complete for about
189-591: Is a north–south highway in the panhandle of Florida. It is a popular route for tourists to and from the Panama City Beach area. The route begins at Alabama State Route 167 at the Alabama–;Florida border and runs to its southern terminus at US 98 in Panama City Beach, Florida . Currently, the highway is being expanded to four lanes north of Panama City to the junction with Interstate 10 . SR 79
216-589: Is also a part of the Panhandle Public Library Cooperative System . PPLCS also includes Calhoun and Jackson counties. Holmes County has one railroad line. The primary one is the CSX P&;A Subdivision , a line formerly owned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad that served Amtrak 's Sunset Limited . This service formerly went to New Orleans , but in 2005 service was truncated by
243-597: Is land and 10 square miles (26 km ) (2.1%) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in Florida by total area. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 19,653 people, 7,137 households, and 4,939 families residing in the county. As of the census of 2000, there were 18,564 people, 6,921 households, and 4,893 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15 people/km ). There were 7,998 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6.6/km ). The racial makeup of
270-495: Is that the county was named for Thomas J. Holmes, who came from North Carolina to settle in the area about 1830. Another is that it is named after Holmes, an American Indian chief who settled in the area with his band of Red Stick Creek Indians after 1814. He was subsequently killed in 1818 by a raiding party sent by Andrew Jackson during the First Seminole War. Holmes County has had four county seats in its history. The first
297-521: The Köppen Climate Classification system, Bonifay has a humid subtropical climate zone, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 2,759 people, 1,116 households, and 664 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 2,793 people, 1,130 households, and 618 families residing in the city. In 2010, there were 1,090 households, out of which 33.6% had children under
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#1732884374376324-617: The poverty line , including 25.70% of those under age 18 and 17.90% of those age 65 or over. The so-called " Dominickers ", a number of related mixed-race (white, black, and Euchee Indian ) families, lived for decades after the Civil War and well into the twentieth century in a rural area near Ponce de Leon, with a separate church and segregated public elementary school. Although considered a separate ethnicity from both whites and blacks, many Dominickers married into local white families, so that group boundaries blurred; some descendants still live in
351-507: The Bureau of Secondary Education showed that 56.73% of Holmes County high school graduates go on to secondary education. Of these, 38.03% of those go on to complete a bachelor's degree, furthermore 12.60% of these students who receive a bachelors go on to receive a masters or doctoral degree. As of August 2008, all educational facility improvements shall be done in a financially feasible manner to address all Level of Service (LOS) needs as described by
378-477: The P&;A was headquartered. Frank Bonifay bought a stake in the P&A, which in 1891 was merged into the Louisville and Nashville Railroad , which after several more mergers became part of CSX Transportation in 1986. Bonifay is located in southeastern Holmes County at 30°47′N 85°41′W / 30.783°N 85.683°W / 30.783; -85.683 (30.791, –85.681). U.S. Route 90 runs through
405-627: The Public School Facilities Element in the City of Bonifay 2020 Comprehensive Plan, officially recognized by the state of Florida on September 3, 2008. As of 2016, a new K–8 school is being built in Bonifay to replace Bonifay Elementary and Bonifay Middle. Construction began in 2015, and it was scheduled to be completed in May 2017. Holmes County Public Library is located in Bonifay. While growth of
432-403: The age of 18 living with them, 36.1% were headed by married couples living together, 19.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41, and the average family size was 3.05. In 2010, in the city, 25.1% of
459-581: The area. The 1950 federal census identified 60 members of this group living in Holmes County at that time. Few facts are known about their origins, and little has been published about them. Holmes County is an archetypically " Solid South " county in Florida. It gave the fifth-highest percentage of the vote for segregationist George Wallace of any county in the country during the 1968 election, and apart from Deep South native Jimmy Carter , no Democrat since 1964 has obtained as much as thirty-four percent of
486-482: The center of Bonifay, leading north 13 miles (21 km) to Esto and south 12 miles (19 km) to Vernon . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.7 km), of which 0.1 square miles (0.2 km), or 1.73%, are water. The climate for the City of Bonifay is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to
513-418: The county was 89.79% White , 6.51% Black or African American , 1.01% Native American , 0.39% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.79% from other races , and 1.48% from two or more races. 1.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 6,921 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 10.80% had
540-650: The county's vote in any Presidential election. Holmes County has more registered Democrats than Republicans, but many are descendants of Dixiecrats , Southerners who register as Democrats due to tradition but vote Republican in most elections. Barack Obama earned only 15.2% of the vote in 2012. Hillary Clinton earned less than 10% of the vote in 2016. The Holmes County Times-Advertiser is now owned by Halifax Media. The weekly newspaper publishes each Wednesday. Holmes District School Board operates public schools. Holmes County High School and Ponce de Leon High School are its public high schools. Poplar Springs High School
567-672: The extensive damage in the Gulf area due to Hurricane Katrina . Another former L&N line existed within the northeastern corner of the county. The Georgiana Branch entered the state and county from Highnote, Alabama then ran through Esto and later Eleanor before crossing SR 2 and leaving the county towards Graceville and Campbellton , where it had a junction with the Bay Line Railroad . 30°52′N 85°49′W / 30.87°N 85.81°W / 30.87; -85.81 Florida State Road 79 State Road 79 ( SR 79 )
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#1732884374376594-512: The median income for a family was $ 37,407. Male full-time workers had a median income of $ 41,458 versus $ 35,054 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,830. About 20.7% of families and 28.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over. Holmes District School Board operates public schools. Bonifay is home to three schools Bonifay K-8 School , Holmes County High School and Bethlehem School. A 2004 study by
621-408: The population were under the age of 18, 8.6% were from 18 to 24, 20.6% were from 25 to 44, 25.3% were from 45 to 64, and 20.3% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.4 males. For the period of 2011–2015, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $ 25,060, and
648-415: The southern part of the downtown area, leading east 9 miles (14 km) to Chipley and west 8 miles (13 km) to Caryville . Interstate 10 passes through the southern edge of town, with access from Exit 112 ( Florida State Road 79 ). I-10 leads east 91 miles (146 km) to Tallahassee and west 105 miles (169 km) to Pensacola . SR 79 (Waukesha Street) connects I-10 and US-90 and passes through
675-484: The town of Bonifay has recently been stagnant there is promise of growth in the near future with Florida State Road 79 being converted in to a four lane highway between Bonifay and Panama City Beach. There are currently plans to extend the commercial zone areas of Bonifay south of Interstate 10 to the Washington County line. Official website for the City of Bonifay Holmes County, Florida Holmes County
702-417: Was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 112.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.60 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 27,923, and the median income for a family was $ 34,286. Males had a median income of $ 25,982 versus $ 19,991 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 14,135. About 15.40% of families and 19.10% of the population were below
729-415: Was Hewett's Bluff (later renamed Bear Pen, then Cerro Gordo ), then Pittman's Ferry , then Westville , and finally Bonifay . Bonifay has been the county seat since 1905. Historic places in the county include: Ponce de Leon Springs State Park, Ponce de Leon According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 489 square miles (1,270 km ), of which 479 square miles (1,240 km )
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