Green Cove Springs, Florida, United States

🇺🇸 Green Cove Springs is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, Florida, United States. The city is named after the portion of the St. Johns River upon which it is built. The river bends here, and the area is sheltered by trees that are perennially green.

History The area was first inhabited over 7,000 years ago by Native Americans by the warm mineral spring. The hydrological spring of the same name, locally known as the "Original Fountain of Youth", attracted guests in the 19th century; more than a dozen hotels were near the spring. Today, the sulfur-scented spring water feeds an adjacent public swimming pool before flowing the short distance to the St. Johns River. The Green Cove Springs area was first developed by George J. F. Clarke in 1816 when he was provided land, under a Spanish land grant, to build a sawmill. Green Cove Springs was established in 1854 as White Sulfur Springs. Renamed in 1866, it became the Clay County seat in 1871.

Agriculture and tourism were two of the primary economic ventures until the end of the 19th century, when Henry Flagler's railroad began taking tourists further south into Florida. In 1895, the Great Freeze destroyed the area's citrus crops, and tourism all but ended. The 1920s had renewed development, with automobile traffic bringing in tourists again. The Great Depression of the 1930s was the end of growth again for the city.

The first women's club in the state of Florida was established in Green Cove Springs in 1883. The Village Improvement Association led local efforts to beautify the town, and established its first public library.

The period immediately before and during World War II again brought new growth to Green Cove Springs. On September 11, 1940, the U.S. Navy opened Naval Air Station Lee Field in honor of Ensign Bejamin Lee, who had lost his life in a crash at Killinghome, England, during World War I. In August 1943, the facility was renamed Naval Air Station Green Cove Springs and consisted of four 5,000-foot (1,500 m) asphalt runways. One of the Marine Corps aviators training in the F4U Corsair Operational Training Unit at Lee Field in early 1945 was eventual television personality Ed McMahon. After the war, NAS Green Cove Springs was downgraded in status to a Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) as part of the greater NAS Jacksonville complex. Thirteen piers were constructed along the west bank of the St. Johns River adjacent to NAAS Green Cove Springs to house a U.S. Navy Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida "mothball fleet" of some 500 vessels, primarily destroyers, destroyer escorts, and fleet auxiliaries. In 1960, the Navy decommissioned NAAS Green Cove Springs and the pier facility. Some of the mothballed vessels were transferred to foreign navies, while others were relocated to other Reserve Fleet locations.

In 1984, the city annexed the former naval base into the city to use it for further growth and development as the Clay County Port and Reynolds Industrial Park. The air station is now a private airfield known as Reynolds Airpark (FAA airfield identifier FL60) with a single 5,000-foot (1,500 m) asphalt runway currently operational, although reportedly in poor condition. Though the original air traffic control tower is still standing, attached to one of the former Navy aircraft hangars, the airfield remains an uncontrolled facility.

Green Cove Springs is the birthplace of Charles E. Merrill (1885–1956), one of the founders of Merrill Lynch. The town's spring is described by his son James Merrill in the poem "Two From Florida", published in The Inner Room (1988).

Green Cove Springs is also the birthplace of Augusta Savage (née Augusta Christine Fells, February 29, 1892 – March 26, 1962). Savage was an African-American sculptor associated with the Harlem Renaissance.

Locally, the community is known as the home of Gustafson's Farm, a brand name of milk and dairy products sold throughout Florida. The main Gustafson Dairy Farm is located in Green Cove Springs and is one of the largest privately owned dairy farms in the Southeastern United States. Started in 1908, the main farm occupies nearly 10,000 acres (40 km²) adjacent to the city limits. Gustafson's has many bottling plants across the state, stretching from Tallahassee in the west to Tampa and Cocoa in the south. All Gustafson products have the picture of the husband-and-wife founders, Frank and Agnes Gustafson (also known as Mama and Papa Gus), who along with their first cow on their farm (named "Buttercup") are prominently featured on the packaging of the dairy's products.

Historic places These sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: • Clay County Courthouse • Green Cove Springs Historic District • St. Mary's Church.

Geography Green Cove Springs is located on the eastern border of Clay County along the St. Johns River.

U.S. Route 17 passes through the centre of town as Orange Avenue and leads north 28 miles (45 km) to downtown Jacksonville and south 26 miles (42 km) to Palatka. State Road 16 departs west from the centre of the city and leads 27 miles (43 km) to Starke. SR 16 leaves eastbound from US 17 south of the city centre and crosses the St. Johns River by the Shands Bridge, leading to St. Augustine 25 miles (40 km) to the east. By the late 2020s, the First Coast Expressway, a major toll bypass road connecting I-10 and I-95, is expected to pass to the west and south of Green Cove Springs.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²), of which 7.4 square miles (19.1 km²) are land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²), or 25.35%, are covered by water.

Green Cove Springs is the Clay County seat. The Greater Green Cove Springs area consists of the unincorporated communities of Fleming Island, Black Creek, Pier Station, and Lake Asbury.

Demographics As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,786 people, 2,997 households, and 2,046 families residing in the city.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 6,908 people, 2,379 households, and 1,737 families residing in the city.

As of the census of 2000, there are 5,378 people, 1,987 households, and 1,402 families residing in the city. The population density was 789.0 inhabitants per square mile (304.6/km²). The 2,199 housing units averaged 322.6 units per square mile (124.6 units/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 71.55% White, 24.40% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.34% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races. 5.08% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,987 households in 2000, 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were not families. About 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51, and the average family size was 2.96.

In 2000, in the city, the population distribution was 23.7% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $33,487, and for a family was $40,443. Males had a median income of $28,097 versus $22,040 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,673. About 14.6% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.2% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.

Religion Sacred Heart Catholic Church, part of the Diocese of St. Augustine, was founded as a mission back in 1874, and now serves the city.

The oldest Protestant church in Green Cove Springs is Hickory Grove Baptist Church. Other Baptist churches include First Baptist, First African Missionary Baptist and Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist.

St. Mary's is the main Episcopal Church in Green Cove Springs.

United Methodist Church and Mount Zion African Methodist are the two Methodist churches.

The CCUS has a Congregationalist church in both Green Cove and Penney Farms.

Education Green Cove Springs is part of the Clay County School District. The city is home to Charles E. Bennett Elementary School, Green Cove Springs Jr. High School, and the Bannerman Learning Center. Clay High School lies just feet outside of the western city limits.

Clay County Public Library has the Green Cove Springs Library.

Culture: Museums • Clay County Historical Society Museum • Military Museum of North Florida.