Baldwin, Florida

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Baldwin is a town in Duval County, Florida, United States. When the majority of communities in Duval County consolidated with Jacksonville, Florida in 1968, Baldwin, along with Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, and Neptune Beach, Florida, remained quasi-independent. Like the other towns, it maintains its own municipal government but its residents vote in the Jacksonville mayoral election and have representation on the Jacksonville city council; unlike the others Baldwin no longer supports its own police force. The population was 1,634 at the 2000 census.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Baldwin is located at 30°18′14″N, 81°58′30″W (30.303788, -81.975029)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.5 km² (2.1 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 1,634 people, 628 households, and 432 families residing in the town. The population density was 296.2/km² (767.3/mi²). There were 702 housing units at an average density of 127.3/km² (329.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 67.07% White, 30.91% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.

There were 628 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 22.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the town the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $28,603, and the median income for a family was $31,023. Males had a median income of $28,350 versus $23,056 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,560. About 17.6% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.8% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

The Town of Baldwin was first settled under the name of Thigpen in 1846. The name was changed to Baldwin in honor of Dr. Abel Seymour Baldwin, the president of the Florida Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad, a railroad that ran from Lake City to Jacksonville.

Florida State Law in 1948 required new school buildings be placed on lots not less than ten acres in size. As the existing lot was not large enough, a property search began and the present day site on Mill Street was chosen. A $50,000 school was erected during the winter and summers of 1948 and 1949. In 1950, an auditorium was completed. At that time the school enrollment was 365. In 1964, a Music Suite was added.

In 1967 Baldwin became the first Duval County School to be integrated. In April 1975, Community Education came to Baldwin under the direction of Mr. Michael Minton.

The First Baptist Church of Baldwin was built in 1904 as a small frame building on two lots deeded to the church by Mr. and Mrs. D.J. Parish at 97 Center Street.