Worthington Springs, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Worthington Springs, Florida
Town
Town of Worthington Springs
Motto(s):  "Gateway to Union County"
Location in Union County and the state of Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Union
Settled	c. early 1800s
Incorporated	1963
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
Area
• Total	0.97 sq mi (2.51 km2)
• Land	0.96 sq mi (2.48 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation	118 ft (36 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	378
• Density	394.16/sq mi (152.22/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	32697
Area code	386
FIPS code	12-78775
GNIS feature ID	0293538

Worthington Springs is a small town in Union County, Florida, United States. It is known for its natural spring and is part of the North Florida area. In 2020, about 378 people lived there.

History of Worthington Springs

The town gets its name from an early settler named Sam Worthington. He arrived in the area before the First Seminole War (1814–1819). The natural mineral spring by the Santa Fe River was thought to have special healing powers. Because of this, many people visited the spring from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.

The Spring as a Resort

In the early days, swimming at the spring was organized so that men and women used the spring at different times. In 1906, a new owner built a concrete box around the spring. This helped direct the water into a large concrete pool. The pool was divided by a wall, creating separate areas for men and women to bathe. The resort also had a hotel, a recreation hall, and a bathhouse.

Community Celebrations

Independence Day was a very special event at the springs. Thousands of people from nearby towns would come together. They would have picnics, swim, talk about politics, and visit with friends. A special train even brought people from Jacksonville just for the holiday fun.

Changes Over Time

In 1908, a bridge was built across the river. This made it easier to get to and from the south side. This bridge was later replaced in 1937 with the concrete one you see today. In the middle of the 1900s, the spring's water flow started to decrease. Eventually, it stopped flowing completely. When this happened, the resort closed down. The area around the Santa Fe River often floods, and the spring's water flow can change a lot. In 1972, the spring was measured to flow about 233,280 gallons of water per day.

Town Incorporation

The Town of Worthington Springs officially became a town in 1963. It has a Mayor–council government, which means it's led by a mayor and a group of council members. After it became a town, street lights were put in, and a playground was built in the town park. In 1975, a Community Center was built. This building also housed the town's government offices, acting as the City Hall.

Geography

Worthington Springs is located at coordinates 29.933836 degrees North latitude and -82.424370 degrees West longitude.

The town is situated along the Santa Fe River. It is right on the southern border of Union County with Alachua County.

The United States Census Bureau states that the town covers a total area of about 0.4 square miles (1.0 square kilometer). All of this area is land.

Climate

The weather in Worthington Springs has hot, humid summers. The winters are usually mild. According to the Köppen climate classification system, the town has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). This means it has warm temperatures and plenty of rain throughout the year.

Population Information

Population Changes (2010 and 2020)

The United States Census counts the number of people living in an area every ten years. Here's how the population of Worthington Springs changed between 2010 and 2020:

In 2020, the census showed that 378 people lived in Worthington Springs. These people lived in 126 households, and 89 of these were families.

In 2010, there were 181 people living in the town. They lived in 46 households, and 42 of these were families.

See also

In Spanish: Worthington Springs para niños