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Liberty County, Florida

71 topographic sheets cover 30 settlements here, and 1 property is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

1 National Register listing published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Florida within the United States
Liberty County within Florida

What the record shows

  • 412 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 1 property here is on the National Register of Historic Places, listed as a building.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 30 populated places in this county; 30 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

1

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Hosford School and Gymnasiumbuilding2020100005392

The county from the air

36 shown

Flown 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 1,610 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 36 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.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1980-03-22, scale 1:80000
1980-03-22, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1980-03-22, scale 1:80000
1980-03-22, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1942-11-03, scale 1:43100
1942-11-03, scale 1:43100. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1942-11-03, scale 1:43100
1942-11-03, scale 1:43100. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1942-11-03, scale 1:43100
1942-11-03, scale 1:43100. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1942-11-03, scale 1:43100
1942-11-03, scale 1:43100. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-03-22, scale 1:43200
1947-03-22, scale 1:43200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-03-22, scale 1:43200
1947-03-22, scale 1:43200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-03-25, scale 1:43200
1947-03-25, scale 1:43200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-03-25, scale 1:43200
1947-03-25, scale 1:43200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-02-04, scale 1:60000
1951-02-04, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-02-04, scale 1:60000
1951-02-04, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-02-04, scale 1:60000
1951-02-04, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-02-04, scale 1:60000
1951-02-04, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-01-09, scale 1:20500
1970-01-09, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-01-09, scale 1:20500
1970-01-09, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-01-09, scale 1:20500
1970-01-09, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-01-09, scale 1:20500
1970-01-09, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-02-01, scale 1:20500
1975-02-01, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-02-01, scale 1:20500
1975-02-01, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-02-01, scale 1:20500
1975-02-01, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-02-01, scale 1:20500
1975-02-01, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-10, scale 1:80000
1976-01-10, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-10, scale 1:80000
1976-01-10, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-10, scale 1:80000
1976-01-10, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-10, scale 1:80000
1976-01-10, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1978-03-05, scale 1:80000
1978-03-05, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1978-03-05, scale 1:80000
1978-03-05, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1978-03-05, scale 1:80000
1978-03-05, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1978-03-05, scale 1:80000
1978-03-05, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-11-15, scale 1:64125
1979-11-15, scale 1:64125. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-11-15, scale 1:64125
1979-11-15, scale 1:64125. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-11-15, scale 1:64125
1979-11-15, scale 1:64125. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-11-15, scale 1:64125
1979-11-15, scale 1:64125. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1980-03-22, scale 1:80000
1980-03-22, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1980-03-22, scale 1:80000
1980-03-22, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

7 stations, 5 gages

The 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.

The 1950 census, district by district

6 districts

Who 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.

  • 39-1Commissioner's District 1
  • 39-2Commissioner's District 2 - Bristol, unincorporated (See boundaries shown on aerial photo GS - AB)
  • 39-3Commissioner's District 2 - That part outside the unincorporated place of Bristol (See aerial photo GS - AB for boundaries of Bristol)
  • 39-4Commissioner's District 3
  • 39-5Commissioner's District 4
  • 39-6Commissioner's District 5

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

600 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 600 of them, burning about 65,390 acres. 248 started naturally and 74 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Natural248
Debris and open burning97
Missing data/not specified/undetermined78
Arson/incendiarism74
Equipment and vehicle use30
Smoking17
Recreation and ceremony17
Railroad operations and maintenance16
Misuse of fire by a minor11
Power generation/transmission/distribution9
Other causes3

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Five of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
11 February 2008Missing data/not specified/undetermined10,458 acresNational Forests in FloridaGUM BAY
26 March 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined7,498 acresNational Forests in FloridaVILAS
25 May 1992Arson/incendiarism7,400 acresNational Forests in FloridaPOST OFFICE BAY
4 May 2000Arson/incendiarism6,679 acresNational Forests in FloridaLONG BAY
23 October 2005Arson/incendiarism4,385 acresNational Forests in FloridaBEETLE
29 April 2001Arson/incendiarism2,983 acresNational Forests in FloridaSPOT
8 January 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined2,614 acresNational Forests in FloridaYANKEE
26 April 2000Arson/incendiarism2,367 acresNational Forests in FloridaCLIFF LAKE

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1962 to 2026

60 of 137 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 137 reports for this county, causing 1 death, no injuries and about $1,096,030 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind72
Hail22
Tornado19
Flash Flood10
Wildfire6
Lightning3
Heavy Rain3
Funnel Cloud2

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 2008LightningRock Bluff1 killedA young girl was struck and killed by lightning while sitting at a campsite picnic table at Torreya State Park.
April 2023Tornado (EF2)Hosford$500,000A large tornado touched down on the southwest side of Hosford, FL just west of NE Shadow Lane. The tornado snapped or uprooted several trees on NE Chester Street and NE Liberty Circle. There was some minor roof damage in this quadrant of town and a few damaged outbuildings. In the center of town, near the intersection of SR 20 and SR 65, a gas station and adjacent building suffered minor roof damage. Most damage in these areas was consistent with EF0 or EF1 winds. The tornado continued northeastward along SR 65 where the the highest concentration of damage was found. Damage to homes and snapped trees were noted on both sides of the highway with the trees felled in opposite directions on either side of the road. Several outbuildings were destroyed or heavily damaged. Several homes sustained roof damage on either side of the road. The most significant damage occurred just north of NE Granny Annie Road on SR 65. One single family home had the roof and back porch completely removed. An adjacent home on the same property had the roof of a second story bedroom removed with partial collapse of the walls. The tree damage in this area was also extensive. Winds in this location were estimated to be 125 mph, which justifies an EF2 rating. The tornado was also rather wide with a width around one-half mile at times. The tornado continued to the northeast along SR 65 for a short while, snapping trees along the way before potentially lifting. It is possible the tornado continued east of SR 65 for a ways, but there was no way for the survey team to access these areas. Damage cost was estimated.
September 2004Tornado (F1)Wilma$100,000A tornado uprooted hundreds of trees along its path through the Apalachicola National Forest. Reported by the Liberty County EMA.
August 2008LightningSweetwater$75,000Lightning struck a large oak tree adjacent to a single-story wood frame home. The fire spread from the tree into the home. The home was destroyed.
September 2024Flash FloodSumatra$50,000Flash flooding in the Sumatra area inundated one home.
March 2005Thunderstorm WindSumatra$50,000The Liberty County Sheriff reported minor damage to homes, as well as downed trees and power lines.
August 2001Flash FloodSoutheast Portion$25,000Floodwaters undermined County Road 67 south of FH113 to the Franklin county line. A nearby bridge was washed out. Reported by the Liberty County EMA.
April 1973Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
March 1972Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
December 1969Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
January 2017Thunderstorm WindBristol$20,000Roof damage occurred in Bristol and a large tree was blown into the road. Damage cost was estimated.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindWilma$20,000Widespread power outages with scattered debris was reported across the county. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate.
February 2007Tornado (EF1)Hosford$15,000An EF-1 tornado briefly touched down and destroyed a large newly constructed shed. A roof was blown off a house. Numerous pine trees were snapped.
December 2005Funnel CloudSoutheast Portion$15,000A funnel cloud was reported near the Ochlockonee Landing area by the Liberty County EMA.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindTelogia$15,000A 150 X 70-yard swath of large trees were uprooted along Telogia Creek just south of Highway 20. A mobile home sustained minor damage from a fallen tree. Reported by the Florida Emergency Operations Center.
January 2023Tornado (EF0)Estiffapulga$10,000A short-lived EF0 tornado touched down near the intersection of NW Ray Kever Road and County Road 333 in far Western Liberty County. Minor damage was reported to a single family home, with an adjacent outbuilding flipped into a nearby tree line. Max winds were estimated at 80 mph.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindHosford$10,000Four trees were blown down along State Highway 65 just north of Hosford. Two homes suffered minor roof damage from fallen trees.
February 2007Thunderstorm WindHosford$10,000The Liberty County EMA reported some downed trees. A roof was blown off a house.
January 2006Tornado (F0)Sumatra$10,000A tornado touched down briefly and tossed an unoccupied trailer. It also downed some power lines. Reported by the Liberty County EMA.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindSumatra$10,000Trees fell on power lines. Subsequent power outage disrupted water supply to the Sweetwater community. Reported by the Liberty County Sheriff.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindHosford$10,000no account filed
May 2024Thunderstorm WindOrange$5,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across Liberty County.
April 2021Thunderstorm WindBristol$5,000Numerous trees were blown down throughout Liberty county.
October 2014Tornado (EF0)Sumatra$5,000Trees were blown down and a roof was blown off a shed in the vicinity of Sumatra. A tornadic debris signature was also seen by KTLH radar. This tornado was rated EF0 with winds of 65 to 75 mph. Monetary damage was estimated.
March 2007Thunderstorm WindBristol$5,000The Liberty County EMA reported numerous trees down countywide with widespread power outages.
March 2002Thunderstorm WindSumatra$5,000Trees and power lines down on State Highway 65. Reported by the Liberty County Sheriff.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindBristol$5,000Liberty County S.O. reported downed power lines.
August 1999Thunderstorm WindHosford$5,000Liberty County S.O. reported some downed trees and power lines with scattered power outages.
April 2019Thunderstorm WindBristol$3,000A power line was blown down onto Highway 20.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindHosford$3,000Trees were blown down onto power lines near Hosford.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindSweetwater$3,000Several power lines were blown down northeast of Bristol on SR-12.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindTelogia$3,000A tree was blown down onto a power line and leaning against a home along northeast Dewber Road. Monetary damage was estimated.
February 2026Thunderstorm WindBristol$2,000Trees fell onto some dog pens in the Bristol area. The dogs were not harmed.
March 2025Thunderstorm WindSumatra$2,000Power lines were blown down near Highway 65 and Forest Road 181.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindBristol$2,000A power line was blown down near the intersection of Spring Street and NW Baker Street.
August 2023Thunderstorm WindBristol$2,000Around 196 customers lost power due to gusty winds.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindBristol$2,000Trees and power lines were blown down on 3rd Street south of Bristol.
March 2019Thunderstorm WindBristol$2,000A power line was blown down in Bristol.
April 2015Thunderstorm WindEstiffapulga$2,000Power lines were blown down near the Little Gully Creek area of Highway 12.
August 2014Thunderstorm WindHosford$2,000Multiple trees were blown down in the Hosford area.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindLowry$2,000A tree was blown down onto power lines near Blue Creek Road east of Hosford and caused a power outage in the area. Monetary damage was estimated.
June 2006Thunderstorm WindHosford$2,000The Liberty County Sheriff reported a few trees and power lines down on State Road 67.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindBristol$2,000no account filed
September 2018Thunderstorm WindEstiffapulga$1,000A telephone pole was blown down at 25000 NW County Road 333.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindBristol$1,000A tree was blown down onto the Trammell Bridge on Highway 20 with damage to the guardrail. Damage was estimated.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindHosford$1,000At least two trees were blown down in Hosford. Monetary damage was estimated.
July 2009Thunderstorm WindBristol$1,000Several trees were down along State Highway 20 from Bristol to Hosford. Downed power lines caused an outage in Hosford.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindTelogia$1,000Skirting blown off a trailer. Reported by the Liberty County Sheriff.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindHosford$750A tree was blown down near Roberts Road in Hosford. Monetary damage was estimated.
May 2006Thunderstorm WindOrange$500Some downed trees reported east of County Road 379 by the Liberty County Sheriff.
May 2006Thunderstorm WindNorthwest Portion$500The Liberty County Sheriff reported a few trees down throughout the county.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindNorthwest Portion$250A few large trees down. Reported by the Liberty County EMA.
October 1972Tornado (F0)not stated$30no account filed
January 2026Thunderstorm WindHosford-Tree limbs were blown down across Highway 20.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindLewis-A tree was down on CR-379 at Larkins Street.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindBristol-A tree was down on NW Pea Ridge Road near Conyers Road.
February 2026Thunderstorm WindBristol-A tree was blown down and blocking NW Durham Road.
February 2026Thunderstorm WindBristol-A tree was blown down near SR-12 and Garden of Eden Road.
March 2025Flash FloodEstiffapulga-Forest Road 105 near County Road 333 was reported to have a washout.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindSweetwater-A tree blew down across NW Martin L King Road.

Mines and quarries

8 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 8 workings inside this county. 1 still produces and 7 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Clay3
Sand3
Kaolin1
Limestone, General1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Langwood Ind. - Hwy 67 MineLimestone, GeneralProducerLimestone
Unnamed Clay DepositKaolinPast Producer
Liberty Co. Bd of Co. Comm. - Eddie Nobles MineSandUnknown
Milton Shuler - CandisSandUnknown
Milton Shuler - RickSandUnknown
Ralph Whitfield - Whitfield Fill Dirt MineClayUnknown
Unnamed Clay DepositClayPast Producer
Unnamed Clay PitClayPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

30

Named 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.

The vanished settlements of Liberty County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

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.