Chattahoochee, Florida

Chattahoochee is a city in Gadsden County, Florida, United States. Its history dates to the Spanish era.[4][5] The population was 3,652 as of the 2010 census,[6] up from 3,287 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Tallahassee, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Chattahoochee sits on the banks of the Apalachicola River, and is separated by the Apalachicola and Victory bridges from neighboring Sneads, Florida, which is in Jackson County. Chattahoochee has its own police force with over ten sworn officers and a police chief. Chattahoochee is a name derived from the Creek language meaning "marked rocks".

Chattahoochee, Florida
The Hooch
Chattahoochee City Hall
Chattahoochee City Hall
Motto(s): 
"A Great Place to Live and Retire"
Location in Gadsden County and the state of Florida
Location in Gadsden County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 30°42′N 84°50′W
Country United States
State Florida
County Gadsden
Government
  TypeCity Council
  City ManagerRobert Presnell
Area
  Total5.79 sq mi (15.01 km2)
  Land5.60 sq mi (14.51 km2)
  Water0.19 sq mi (0.50 km2)
Elevation
236 ft (72 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total2,955
  Density527.58/sq mi (203.71/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
32324
Area code850
FIPS code12-11800[2]
GNIS feature ID0280346[3]
Websitewww.chattgov.org

History

The area was inhabited by indigenous peoples who built mounds in the area (Chattahoochee Oanding Mounds). Chattahoochee was established as Mount Vernon in the 1820s. A British Fort, Nicolls' Outpost was built in the area. The Scott Massacre of 1817 took place. A ferry was established.[7]

Geography

Chattahoochee is located in the northwest corner of Gadsden County at 30°42′N 84°51′W (30.703, –84.847).[8] It is bordered to the west by the Apalachicola River, formed by the juncture of the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers within Lake Seminole just north of the city. The northern border of Chattahoochee follows the Florida–Georgia state line, and the Apalachicola River forms the Gadsden–Jackson county line.

U.S. Route 90 passes through the middle of Chattahoochee as Washington Street; it leads southeast 19 miles (31 km) to Quincy, the Gadsden County seat, and west 5 miles (8 km) to Sneads and 24 miles (39 km) to Marianna. Tallahassee, the state capital, is 43 miles (69 km) to the southeast. Main Street (Little Sycamore Road outside the city limits) leads south 6 miles (10 km) via Flat Creek Road to Interstate 10 at Exit 166.

The southern part of the city includes the community of River Junction at 30°41′N 84°50′W (30.686, –84.841). In the mid-1880s, River Junction was established as a railroad connection point between the Florida Central & Western, later the Seaboard Air Line, and the Pensacola & Atlantic. The connecting track survives.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Chattahoochee has a total area of 5.7 square miles (14.7 km2), of which 5.5 square miles (14.2 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2), or 3.30%, is water.[6]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1890383
19305,624
19407,11026.4%
19508,47319.2%
19609,69914.5%
19707,944−18.1%
19805,332−32.9%
19904,382−17.8%
20003,287−25.0%
20103,65211.1%
20202,955−19.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

2020 census

Chattahoochee racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic)[10]
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 1,208 40.88%
Black or African American (NH) 1,491 50.46%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 5 0.17%
Asian (NH) 22 0.74%
Pacific Islander (NH) 2 0.07%
Some Other Race (NH) 4 0.14%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 80 2.71%
Hispanic or Latino 143 4.84%
Total 2,955

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,955 people, 940 households, and 552 families residing in the city.

The median household income was $40,000. 9.4% of the population over 25 years old had a Bachelor's degree or higher. There was an employment rate of 28.1%. 29.5% of the population lived without healthcare coverage.

Historic places

On January 6, 1861, 4 days before Florida delegates formally seceded from the Union as part of the American Civil War, state troops seized the federal Arsenal located in the town.[11] The former arsenal and current Administration Building of Florida State Hospital is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (Building - #73000578).[12] Florida State Hospital, the hospital involved in the famous United States Supreme Court decision O'Connor v. Donaldson, is located within the City. The hospital was featured in a 1989 movie, Chattahoochee, starring Gary Oldman and Dennis Hopper, in which a war hero, Chris Calhoun, is involuntarily committed to Florida State Hospital where he sees doctors at the hospital humiliating patients and experiences filth and abuse.[13]

Government and infrastructure

The U.S. Postal Service operates the Chattahoochee Post Office.[14]

The Chattahoochee Volunteer Fire Department operates one fire station.[15]

The Gadsden Connector, a bus route operated by Big Bend Transit, has a stop in Chattahoochee.[16]

Education

Gadsden County School District operates public schools.

The community is served by Chattahoochee Elementary School. In Fall 2018 it will become a Pre-K to Kindergarten early learning center. Students in grades 1–3 will move to Greensboro Primary School and students in grades 4–5 will move to West Gadsden Middle School.[17] The sole public high school of the county is Gadsden County High School (formerly East Gadsden High School).

Until 2004 Chattahoochee High School served as the community middle and high school. That year it consolidated into West Gadsden High School.[18] As of 2017 East Gadsden became the only remaining zoned high school in the county due to the consolidation of West Gadsden High's high school section into East Gadsden High School.[19]

Notable people

In film

The sign for Chattahoochee on U.S. Route 90

The 1989 film "Chattahoochee" is based on the Florida State Hospital and allegations of abuse on residents. The movie, which starred Gary Oldman and Dennis Hopper, was not shot in Chattahoochee, however.

Footnotes

  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. Nestor, Sandy (May 7, 2015). Indian Placenames in America. ISBN 9780786493395.
  5. "City of Chattahoochee".
  6. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Chattahoochee city, Florida". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  7. "Chattahoochee, Florida - Historic Sites & Points of Interest".
  8. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  10. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  11. The War of the Rebellion : a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. Washington D.C.: United States War Department. 1880–1901. p. 332. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  12. "National Register of Historic Places - Gadsden County, Florida". Retrieved October 3, 2007.
  13. "Chattahoochee". imdb.com. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
  14. "CHATTAHOOCHEE." U.S. Postal Service. Retrieved on April 7, 2017.
  15. "Fire Station Locations Archived 2017-04-07 at the Wayback Machine." Gadsden County, Florida. Retrieved on April 7, 2017.
  16. "Big Bend Transit | COORDINATED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OF GADSDEN COUNTY". www.bigbendtransit.org. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  17. "SCHOOL MERGERS NOT POPULAR AT WEST GADSDEN". Havana Herald. March 3, 2017. Archived from the original on April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  18. "About the School." West Gadsden High School. Retrieved on April 5, 2017.
  19. Jiwanmall, Stephen (April 4, 2017). "Gadsden County Schools to Consolidate in 2017-18". WTXL. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
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