Lawtey, Florida
15 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1918 and the latest in 1981. It stands in the Lawtey census division. It lies in ZIP code area 32058. The Survey maps it on the Lawtey quadrangle. 636 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 161 feet above sea level.
Then and now
1918 to 1981The same ground, surveyed 63 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.


Population over time
2 figuresLawtey fell from 730 to 636 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 730 | |
| 2020 | 636 | -94 (-13%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
6 surveys from 15 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1918 USGS Lawtey quadrangle1:62500, 5 printings
- 1954 USGS Valdosta quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1958 USGS Valdosta quadrangle1:250000
- 1959 USGS Valdosta quadrangle1:250000
- 1970 USGS Lawtey quadrangle1:24000, 4 printings
- 1981 USGS Lake City quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
325 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 325 fires within 5 miles of Lawtey between 1992 and 2020, burning about 1,897 acres in total. 42 started naturally. 35 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Equipment and vehicle use | 79 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 62 |
| Debris and open burning | 50 |
| Natural | 42 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 35 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 25 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 16 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 10 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 4 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
| Smoking | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 September 2009 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 15 acres | Florida Forest Service | 03-04-BLOCKER HUNT CAMP-1194 |
| 5 September 1994 | Railroad operations and maintenance | 2.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 5 September 1993 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 3 September 2014 | Natural | 17 acres | Florida Forest Service | 265TH ST (04) |
| 24 September 2019 | Equipment and vehicle use | 25 acres | Florida Forest Service | SR 16 NW (04) |
| 24 September 2012 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | NW 55TH AVE (04) |
| 24 September 1993 | Equipment and vehicle use | 6.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 2 September 1993 | Equipment and vehicle use | 4.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
6 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Lawtey: 4 producers, 2 past producers. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Titanium, Metal, Zirconium, Kyanite, Iron, Magnesite, Uranium, Aluminum, Titanium-Ilmenite, Titanium. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E.I. Dupont - Florida Mine | Titanium-Heavy Minerals | Producer | Ilmenite, Leucoxene, Rutile, Zircon, Kyanite | |
| Highland Deposit | Titanium, Metal, Zirconium, Kyanite | Producer | 1946, 1949, 1986 | |
| Highland Deposit | Iron, Magnesite, Uranium, Aluminum | Past Producer | 1946, 1949, 1989 | |
| Highland Operation | Titanium, Zirconium, Aluminum | Past Producer | 1946, 1955 | |
| Trail Ridge | Zirconium, Titanium | Producer | 1946, 1949 | |
| Trail Ridge Placer | Titanium-Ilmenite | Producer | Kyanite, Zircon, Rutile, Leucoxene |
Storms near this place
29 since 2000Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Lawtey in 29 storm reports between 2000 and 2017: 16 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 2 lightning, 2 tornado. The reports record 2 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2007 | Lightning | Lawtey | 2 hurt | Two people were injured in Lawtey from a lightning strike. |
| July 2002 | Lightning | Lawtey | $80,000 | House struck by lightning and destroyed by subsequent fire. |
| October 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | $5,000 | A tree limb was blown through a roof of an occupied residence on County Road 225 near NW 51 Lane. The cost of damage was estimated. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | $2,000 | Numerous power lines were damaged near County Road 225 and County Road 229. The cost of damage was unknown, but estimated for the event to be included in Storm Data. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | $1,500 | Large trees and power lines were blown down. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | $1,000 | Power lines were blown down at County Road 220 and Highway 301. The cost of damage was estimated for the event to be included in Storm Data. |
| October 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | $1,000 | A tree was blocking County Road 225 near Lake Street. The cost of damage removal was estimated. |
| May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | $200 | Large trees down. |
| February 2017 | Tornado (EF1) | Lawtey | - | The Lawtey Elementary School experienced wind damage to the roof. The school was closed the following day due to wind damage. There were also numerous trees and power lines blown down and damaged in the area.||Local broadcast media relayed a report that 2 people were injured in Lawtey when part of a building fell on them. |
| February 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | - | Several power lines were blown down across the county. Lines were blown down at State Road 16 at county road 216 just west of Starke and also at State Road 16 between county roads 233 and 229A. |
| February 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | - | Straight line wind damaged occurred in Lawtey from near the Lawtey Correctional Institution to about 2 miles NE along NE 6th Avenue. Maximum wind gusts were estimated between 80-100 miles per hour. |
| February 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | - | Trees were blown down near 900 Block of NE 223rd Street. |
| August 2015 | Flood | Lawtey | - | Heavy rainfall caused flooding near Carter Road along Highway 301. Part of Highway 301 had to be closed due to flooding. |
| August 2015 | Flood | Lawtey | - | Flooded roadways including parts of Highway 301, Grove Street and Carter Road were closed due to flooding. |
| April 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | - | Around 500 ft of powerlines were damaged due to thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| March 2013 | Hail | Lawtey | - | Baseball size hail was reported 3 miles west of Lawtey near State Road 225. The time of the report was based on radar. |
| March 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | - | Trees and power lines were blown down and blocking the road on County Road 125 at Northwest 63 Avenue. The time of damage was based on radar. |
| March 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | - | A barn was damaged and partially collapsed by severe thunderstorm winds. Vehicles were also damaged due to debris. The time of damage was based on radar. |
| March 2013 | Funnel Cloud | Lawtey | - | A funnel cloud was observed near Lawtey. |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | - | Two barns were destroyed from strong winds. A power line was also blown down. The event occurred near Northeast 7th Ave. |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | - | Trees were blown down and totally blocked County Road 125 near Evergreen Church. |
| October 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | - | A spotter reported tree damage in New River from thunderstorm winds. |
| January 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lawtey | - | Screens on a home were damage along Highway 301 in Lawtey. The top of a maple tree was damaged. |
| July 2007 | Hail | Lawtey | - | Large hail was reported near Highways 233 and U.S. 301 in Lawtey. A tree was also blown down on a home which punctured a hole in the roof. |
| May 2002 | Hail | Lawtey | - | Golfball sized hail reported. |
| June 2014 | Hail | Lawtey | - | no account filed |
| February 2006 | Hail | Lawtey | - | no account filed |
| October 2004 | Flash Flood | Lawtey | - | no account filed |
| August 2004 | Tornado (F1) | Lawtey | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saxton | 2.3 miles | 15 | |
| Heilbronn | 4.5 miles | 13 | |
| Pleasant Grove | 6.1 miles | 16 | |
| Starke | 7.2 miles | 17 | |
| Sampson | 11.4 miles | 16 | |
| New River | 11.8 miles | 11 | |
| Hampton | 12.8 miles | 15 | |
| Hampton Beach | 12.9 miles | 15 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Lawtey | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q2155083 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 285404. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
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.





