Blountstown, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blountstown, Florida
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| City of Blountstown | |
Blountstown City Hall
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| Motto(s):
"A River Town"
"The Kingdom Of Opportunity" |
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Location in Calhoun County and the state of Florida
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Florida |
| County | Calhoun |
| Settled | c. 1820 |
| Incorporated | 1903 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.20 sq mi (8.28 km2) |
| • Land | 3.19 sq mi (8.25 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,266 |
| • Density | 711.01/sq mi (274.50/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
32424
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| Area code(s) | 850 |
| FIPS code | 12-06925 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0279006 |
Blountstown is a city in Florida, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Calhoun County. In 2020, about 2,266 people lived there.
Contents
What's in a Name? The Story of Blountstown
Blountstown gets its name from John Blount. He was a Creek Indian chief. Chief Blount helped General Andrew Jackson in 1818. Jackson's forces entered Spanish Florida to deal with Seminoles. These Seminoles sometimes attacked settlements north of Florida. Spain eventually sold Florida to the United States in 1821. Blountstown officially became a city in 1903.
Blountstown's Past: A Look at History
Blountstown was first settled by non-Native American people around the 1820s. It was named after Chief John Blount. He received land nearby from Andrew Jackson for his help. However, Chief Blount and his people were later forced to move to Texas in the 1830s. He passed away soon after this move.
In the late 1850s, there were some disagreements between local families. These disagreements sometimes led to fights in the town square.
Hurricane Michael's Impact on Blountstown
On October 10, 2018, a very strong storm hit Blountstown. It was Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 hurricane. The storm caused a lot of damage to the city. Power was out for almost three weeks. Over 80% of homes and businesses were badly damaged or destroyed.
Blountstown High School was heavily damaged. Blountstown Elementary School was completely destroyed. The storm also ruined the local timber and farming industries. These are the biggest industries in Calhoun County. The damage cost millions of dollars.
Where is Blountstown? Geography and Climate
Blountstown is located in the eastern part of Calhoun County. Its exact location is 30°26′35″N 85°02′43″W / 30.442957°N 85.045402°W.
The city covers about 3.2 square miles (8.28 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. A very small part, about 0.31%, is water.
To the east of Blountstown is Bristol. Bristol is in Liberty County. Blountstown and Calhoun County use the Central Time Zone. However, Liberty County uses the Eastern Time Zone.
Blountstown's Weather
The weather in Blountstown has hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate. Scientists classify it as Cfa according to the Köppen climate classification.
Who Lives in Blountstown? Population Facts
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 546 | — | |
| 1920 | 863 | 58.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,270 | 47.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,931 | 52.0% | |
| 1950 | 2,118 | 9.7% | |
| 1960 | 2,375 | 12.1% | |
| 1970 | 2,384 | 0.4% | |
| 1980 | 2,632 | 10.4% | |
| 1990 | 2,404 | −8.7% | |
| 2000 | 2,444 | 1.7% | |
| 2010 | 2,514 | 2.9% | |
| 2020 | 2,266 | −9.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population Changes in 2010 and 2020
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 1,667 | 1,439 | 66.31% | 63.50% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 698 | 539 | 27.76% | 23.79% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 21 | 16 | 0.84% | 0.71% |
| Asian (NH) | 10 | 9 | 0.40% | 0.40% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 2 | 0 | 0.08% | 0.00% |
| Some other race (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 46 | 153 | 1.83% | 6.75% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 70 | 110 | 2.78% | 4.85% |
| Total | 2,514 | 2,266 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2020, Blountstown had 2,266 people. There were 1,149 households and 647 families living in the city.
About 47.0% of the people had jobs in 2020. The average household income was $37,083. Also, 28.6% of the people lived below the poverty line. The average age in the city was 38.0 years old.
In 2010, there were 2,514 people living in Blountstown. There were 968 households and 610 families.
Learning in Blountstown: Schools
The Calhoun County School District runs the public schools in Blountstown.
There are three schools located right in the city:
- Blountstown Elementary School teaches students from kindergarten to fifth grade.
- Blountstown Middle School is for students in sixth through eighth grades.
- Blountstown High School serves students from ninth through twelfth grades.
Famous People from Blountstown
Many interesting people have connections to Blountstown:
- Patricia Dane: A Hollywood actress from the 1940s and early 1950s. She starred in movies like Grand Central Murder and Johnny Eager. She was married to bandleader Tommy Dorsey and passed away in Blountstown in 1995.
- Corn Griffin: A heavyweight boxer born in Blountstown. His 1934 boxing match was shown in the 2005 movie Cinderella Man.
- Carey Loftin: A Hollywood stuntman and actor. He was born in Blountstown.
- Elam Stoltzfus: An American filmmaker who creates environmental documentaries. He has won awards for his work.
- Fuller Warren: The 30th governor of Florida.
Images for kids
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Sign for Blountstown
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Old Calhoun County Courthouse
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Lake Hilda
See also
In Spanish: Blountstown para niños
