BlockLafayette County, Florida
33 topographic sheets cover 13 settlements here.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 117 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 13 populated places in this county; 13 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
The county from the air
32 shownFlown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 755 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 32 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.
Weather records
3 stations, 2 gagesThe thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.
- DOWLING PARK 1 W 1948 to 2018
- MAYO 1949 to 2026, hottest 40.0 C, coldest -15.6 C
- TROY SPRING SP 2007 to 2010
- SUWANNEE RIVER AT LURAVILLE, FLA. 1927 to 2026
- SUWANNEE RIVER AT DOWLING PARK, FLORIDA 1996 to 2026
The 1950 census, district by district
6 districtsWho lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.
Wildfire, 1992 to 2020
681 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 681 of them, burning about 89,558 acres. 199 started naturally and 60 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Natural | 199 |
| Debris and open burning | 125 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 100 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 66 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 64 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 60 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 36 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 9 |
| Smoking | 8 |
| Other causes | 6 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 5 |
| Fireworks | 3 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 May 2001 | Natural | 57,200 acres | Florida Forest Service | DIXIE/LAFAYETTE |
| 15 May 2001 | Natural | 20,000 acres | Florida Forest Service | MALLORY SWAMP |
| 24 February 2000 | Equipment and vehicle use | 4,100 acres | Florida Forest Service | 51 FIRE |
| 8 February 2008 | Debris and open burning | 1,372 acres | Florida Forest Service | 34 - SANDY ROAD FIRE - 0048 |
| 28 May 2001 | Equipment and vehicle use | 1,154 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 23 March 1999 | Equipment and vehicle use | 1,050 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 17 January 2012 | Arson/incendiarism | 428 acres | Florida Forest Service | LA BENNETT ROAD (34) |
| 6 June 2008 | Natural | 377 acres | Florida Forest Service | 34 - CAMP P FIRE #0206 |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1965 to 2026
60 of 137 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 137 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 5 injuries and about $4,438,980 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 93 |
| Tornado | 10 |
| Flood | 9 |
| Hail | 7 |
| Heavy Rain | 7 |
| Wildfire | 5 |
| Flash Flood | 5 |
| Funnel Cloud | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 1975 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | 4 hurt, $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| February 1984 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | 1 hurt, $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 2014 | Flood | Day | $856,000 | Areal flooding occurred across Lafayette county at the end of the month due to a combination of heavy rainfall and already saturated conditions. Many roads in the county sustained damage with damage estimated at $855,857. |
| March 2000 | Wildfire | Southwest Portion | $250,000 | The "Highway 51" wildfire consumed 4,121 acres. Twelve homes were threatened, but no evacuations ordered. Two out buildings were destroyed. A local state of emergency was declared. More than 50 Division of Forestry and local fire department personnel were involved in the containment. Smoke reduced visibilities along U.S. Highway 27 and State Highway 51. Reported by the FL DEM. |
| April 2005 | Tornado (F0) | Midway | $125,000 | A tornado touched down and destroyed four chicken houses, overturned a trailer and twisted roofing tin around trees of the Pickett Lake community. It also uprooted trees, downed power lines and scattered debris. Reported by the Lafayette County EMA. |
| April 2017 | Flash Flood | Mayo Junction | $100,000 | Several houses were flooded in Mayo. A sinkhole developed on Highway 51N that was about 50 ft by 75 ft. Several roads were also washed out. Radar estimated that up to 12 inches of rain fell in about 12 hours. Damage cost was estimated. |
| August 2008 | Flash Flood | San Pedro Junction | $100,000 | Several roads and low lying areas were flooded, including Mayo and Buckville. |
| June 2001 | Tornado (F0) | Day | $75,000 | A F0 tornado briefly touched down at the HBCN Dairy on County Road 251. The barn was lifted nearly 30 feet off the ground. Its roof along with twisted metal and debris were strewn across the field. The feeding and milking barns were damaged. Reported by the Mayo Free Press. |
| February 1980 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| August 1979 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| February 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $15,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed trees and a transformer was struck by lightning. Power outages reported countywide. |
| February 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grady | $10,000 | Roof damage occurred to a house off of Highway 27. Damage was estimated. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $10,000 | A few chicken houses were destroyed. A few large trees were down. Reported by the Lafayette County Sheriff. |
| July 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $5,000 | Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. |
| May 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $5,000 | Several trees and power lines were blown down in Lafayette county near Mayo. |
| February 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cooks Hammock | $5,000 | Several trees were blown down across Lafayette county. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $5,000 | Numerous trees were blown over. One shed had its tin roof torn off and another shed was tossed. Reported by the Lafayette County Sheriff. |
| April 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $5,000 | A thunderstorm moved across the Mayo area downing trees and power lines. A car was seriously damaged by a fallen tree. |
| May 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Midway | $4,000 | Fallen trees or large limbs resulted in power outages along Highway 27 east of Mayo as reported on the Duke Energy outage website. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cooks Hammock | $4,000 | Six trees were blown down across the county, including along county road 357. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. |
| March 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cooks Hammock | $3,700 | Trees and power lines were blown down with power outages reported and debris in the roadway. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. |
| December 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $3,000 | Multiple trees were blown down across Lafayette county. |
| May 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Alton | $3,000 | A downed tree resulted in a broken power pole near the Airline Baptist Church. This was reported on the Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative facebook page. |
| September 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cooks Hammock | $3,000 | Power lines were blown down around the county. Monetary damage was estimated. |
| March 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Buckville | $3,000 | A Suwannee Power District spokesperson reported numerous downed trees and power lines. |
| August 1969 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
| March 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Alton | $2,000 | A tree and line were down near County Road 354 and Sun Rose Road. |
| January 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Midway | $2,000 | Fallen trees or limbs resulted in a power outage along SE Komondor Road. |
| April 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grady | $2,000 | Fallen trees or limbs resulted in a power outage. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo Junction | $2,000 | A power line was blown down along County Road 251. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $2,000 | A tree fell onto a power line and resulted in a power outage just southwest of Mayo. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Alton | $2,000 | A tree and a power line were blown down. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grady | $2,000 | Power lines were blown down in the area. |
| April 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Midway | $2,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down. |
| July 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Midway | $2,000 | A tree was blown down onto power lines near SE Walter Henderson Road. |
| July 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grady | $2,000 | A tree was blown down onto power lines along Highway 349. |
| July 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Buckville | $2,000 | A tree was blown down onto a power line. |
| July 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $2,000 | Power lines were blown down. |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $2,000 | Fallen trees or limbs resulted in a power outage on the southeast side of Mayo. |
| June 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Buckville | $2,000 | A power line was blown down along County Road 351. |
| January 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $2,000 | A tree and a power line were blown down on SE Malone Ave in Mayo. |
| September 2007 | Tornado (EF1) | Mayo | $2,000 | The tornado uprooted large oak trees with debris on State Highway 53 and County Road 351. |
| October 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $2,000 | Some trees and power lines down just west and northwest of Mayo. Reported by the Florida DOT. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $2,000 | Downed trees and power lines at the intersection of County Road 355 and State Road 51. Reported by the Lafayette County Sheriff. |
| January 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $1,500 | A tree was blown down onto power lines on East U.S. 27. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $1,500 | Large tree limbs downed power lines. |
| March 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $1,000 | A dead tree limb fell and caused damage to a porch. |
| July 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Buckville | $1,000 | A couple of trees and power lines were blown down along Highway 53. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $1,000 | A power line was blown down on Dees Ct. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Day | $1,000 | The Lafayette County Sheriff reported a few trees and power lines down. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hatchbend | $1,000 | Trees down in Hatchbend. One large tree down in fornt of a residence on Florida Highway 349. |
| January 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Buckville | $500 | A tree was blown down on County Road 534. |
| May 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Townsend | $500 | A large tree was blown down on Highway 27 blocking westbound lanes of traffic. The nearest cross street was County Road 348. |
| May 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cooks Hammock | $500 | A large tree was blown down on South State Road 51. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $500 | The Lafayette County Sheriff reported several trees down. |
| April 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | $500 | The Lafayette County Sheriff reported a few large trees down on County Road 51. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Northeast Portion | $250 | A few large trees down on County Road 420. Reported by NWS Jacksonville. |
| June 1965 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $30 | no account filed |
| February 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Midway | - | Trees were blown down in Lafayette county. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayo | - | Several trees were blown down across Lafayette County. |
Mines and quarries
9 recordedThe Survey's mineral resources record lists 9 workings inside this county. 4 still produce and 5 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Limestone, General | 5 |
| Phosphorus-Phosphates | 2 |
| Stone, Crushed/Broken | 1 |
| Sand and Gravel, Construction | 1 |
| Uranium, Iron, Magnesite, Aluminum, Fluorine-Fluorite | 1 |
| Aluminum, Uranium, Iron, Magnesite, Fluorine-Fluorite | 1 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooks Hammock #1 | Phosphorus-Phosphates, Aluminum, Uranium, Iron, Magnesite, Fluorine-Fluorite | Prospect | 1965 | |
| Cooks Hammock #2 | Phosphorus-Phosphates, Uranium, Iron, Magnesite, Aluminum, Fluorine-Fluorite | Prospect | Surface | |
| Dell Limestone Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Dell Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Anderson Mining - Mayo Mine | Limestone, General | Producer | Limestone | |
| Anderson Mining Corp. - Dowling Pond Mine | Limestone, General | Unknown | Limestone | |
| Denali, Inc. | Limestone, General | Producer | Limestone | |
| Steinhatchee Constr. - Number One Mine | Limestone, General | Producer | Limestone | |
| White Constr. - Dowling Park | Limestone, General | Producer | Limestone |
Every populated place in the county
13Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.
-
Cooks Hammock
Mayo census division · 32066 · On Twomile Branch · Cooks Hammock quadrangle
10 sheets, 1954 to 1978
-
Mayo Junction
Day census division · 32066 · On Fourmile Creek · Day quadrangle
9 sheets, 1954 to 1979
Provenance
- Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
- Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
- Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
- Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
- Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
- Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.