Bradford County is a county located in the northeastern part of Florida in the United States. It is part of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is named after Captain Richard Bradford, who fought and died during the American Revolutionary War. According to gradinmath, the county seat is Starke.
Bradford County has a total area of 300 square miles, with 285 square miles being land and 15 square miles being water. The terrain consists primarily of rolling hills interspersed with lakes and rivers. The county is bordered by Union County to the north, Alachua County to the east, Clay County to the south, and Baker County to the west.
The climate in Bradford County is humid subtropical with hot summers and mild winters. Average temperatures range from 40 degrees Fahrenheit in January to 88 degrees Fahrenheit in July/August. Precipitation averages around 52 inches per year with most rain falling during summer months between June and September.
The county seat of Bradford County is Starke which had an estimated population of 5,448 as of 2019 according to US Census Bureau estimates. Other notable towns include Brooker, Hampton, Lawtey, Graham and Baldwin which together make up most of the population living within Bradford County’s borders.
Bradford County has a rich history that dates back to before it was even established as a county back in 1861 during the American Civil War era when it was still part of Alachua/Columbia counties prior to its establishment as an independent entity in 1861 when it was carved out from parts of Alachua/Columbia counties allowing for more local control over decisions related to taxation and law enforcement among other things pertaining to local governance matters within its boundaries.
Today, Bradford County serves as a rural community providing services such as education (public schools K-12), healthcare (hospitals & clinics), recreation (parks & trails) along with economic development opportunities for businesses looking to establish themselves within its borders or take advantage of its proximity to larger cities like Gainesville or Jacksonville for further expansion opportunities beyond what can be found here locally.
School districts in Bradford County, Florida
Bradford County, Florida is served by three public school districts: Bradford County Schools, Union County Schools, and the Alachua/Bradford Vo-Tech Center. Bradford County Schools consists of seven schools: Starke Elementary School, Southside Elementary School, Brooker Elementary School, Lawtey Elementary School, Hampton Elementary School, Bradford Middle School and Bradford High School. All seven of these schools are located in the county seat of Starke. Union County Schools consists of four schools: Lake Butler Elementary School, Lake Butler Middle/High Combined School and two charter schools: Lake Butler Virtual Instruction Program (LBVIP) and the Union County Charter Academy. The Alachua/Bradford Vo-Tech Center is a joint venture between Alachua and Bradford counties that serves both counties. It offers career and technical education to high school students from both counties as well as adults looking to gain job skills.
All seven of the schools within the Bradford County Schools district are accredited by AdvancED/Southern Association of Colleges & Schools (SACS). These schools offer a variety of courses in academics such as math, science, English language arts, social studies and foreign languages; along with electives such as art and music; career-focused courses such as business education; technology education; physical education; health education; family & consumer sciences; agricultural education; marketing education & entrepreneurship. Additionally, they offer extracurricular activities including sports teams for basketball, football and baseball to name a few; along with clubs such as debate club or student council which helps develop leadership skills among students.
Union County Schools has four schools within its district all accredited by AdvancED/Southern Association of Colleges & Schools (SACS). These include Lake Butler Elementary school which serves preschool through fifth grade students focusing on core academic subjects such as math, science & language arts while also providing enrichment classes like music & art along with after school programs like robotics club or chess club to name a few. Lake Butler Middle/High Combined school serves sixth through twelfth grade students focusing on core academics including math science language arts social studies history & foreign language while also offering electives like computer science business technology physical education health family consumer sciences agriculture marketing entrepreneurship culinary arts etcetera along with extracurricular activities including sports teams for basketball football baseball etcetera along with clubs like debate team student council etcetera helping develop leadership skills among students. The two charter schools are LBVIP which offers virtual instruction program for elementary middle school & high school students allowing them to take classes online at their own pace while still receiving quality curriculum that meets state standards alongside personalized support from teachers mentors coaches etcetera. The other charter school is Union County Charter Academy which offers homeschooling option for families looking for more flexible educational options that meet their individual needs.
The Alachua/Bradford Vo-Tech Center offers career and technical training programs in areas such as automotive technology welding machine shop drafting culinary arts cosmetology masonry carpentry plumbing electrical engineering HVAC certification business management hospitality tourism computer networking information systems medical coding medical office administration office management paralegal studies legal office assistant homeland security public safety firefighting EMT first responder nursing assistant pharmacy technician construction management construction engineering civil engineering criminal justice corrections officer law enforcement security guard private investigator real estate appraisal real estate finance real estate law surveying etcetera. Students can choose from certificate diploma associate’s bachelor’s master’s doctorate degree programs depending on their individual needs in order to gain job skills necessary for various occupations. They also have an adult basic literacy program designed specifically for those who have not completed high school or want to further improve their reading writing math problem-solving communication skills etcetera in order to help them become more employable.
Overall, Bradford County provides its citizens access to quality educational opportunities ranging from elementary level all the way up through postsecondary level allowing them to pursue whatever path best suits their individual goals whether it be entering the workforce right away or continuing onto college or graduate level degrees.
Major schools in Bradford County, Florida
Bradford County, Florida is a great area for those looking to receive a quality education. There are several schools located within the county, ranging from elementary level all the way up through postsecondary level, allowing students to pursue whatever path best suits their individual goals.
At the elementary level, Bradford County offers Lawtey Elementary School, Hampton Elementary School, and Southside Elementary School. All three schools offer quality education in a safe and nurturing environment. Each school has dedicated teachers and staff who strive to ensure that each student receives the individual attention they need to excel academically. The schools also offer an array of extracurricular activities such as sports teams and clubs so that students can explore their interests outside of academics.
At the secondary level, Bradford County provides two public high schools: Bradford High School and Union County High School. Both schools offer rigorous academic programs designed to prepare students for college or other postsecondary options after graduation. They also provide a variety of extracurricular activities including sports teams, music programs, drama clubs, art classes, language clubs and more. The schools have strong support systems in place with dedicated counselors who work to ensure that each student is receiving the individualized help they need in order to succeed academically.
For those looking for more specialized educational opportunities beyond high school level there are several options available in Bradford County as well. Santa Fe College provides associate’s degree programs as well as certificate programs in areas such as business management accounting computer science engineering paralegal studies medical office administration nursing assistant pharmacy technician firefighting EMT first responder homeland security public safety criminal justice corrections law enforcement security guard private investigator real estate appraisal finance law surveying etcetera. Santa Fe College also offers adult basic literacy courses designed specifically for those who have not completed high school or want to further improve their reading writing math problem-solving communication skills etcetera in order to become more employable.
The Alachua/Bradford Vo-Tech Center is another option available for those looking for career and technical training programs in areas such as automotive technology welding machine shop drafting culinary arts cosmetology masonry carpentry plumbing electrical engineering HVAC certification business management hospitality tourism computer networking information systems medical coding medical office administration office management paralegal studies legal office assistant homeland security public safety firefighting EMT first responder nursing assistant pharmacy technician construction management construction engineering civil engineering criminal justice corrections officer law enforcement security guard private investigator real estate appraisal real estate finance real estate law surveying etcetera. Students can choose from certificate diploma associate’s bachelor’s master’s doctorate degree programs depending on their individual needs in order to gain job skills necessary for various occupations.
Finally, there are two charter schools located within Bradford County: Bradford Academy of Technology which allows students to learn online at their own pace while still receiving quality curriculum that meets state standards alongside personalized support from teachers mentors coaches etcetera. The other charter school is Union County Charter Academy which offers homeschooling option for families looking for more flexible educational options that meet their individual needs.
Overall, Bradford County provides its citizens access to quality educational opportunities ranging from elementary level all the way up through postsecondary level allowing them to pursue whatever path best suits their individual goals whether it be entering the workforce right away or continuing onto college or graduate level degrees.
Notable people of Bradford County, Florida
According to businesscarriers, Bradford County, Florida has a rich history of notable people. One of the most famous is Dr. Thomas Van Ness, who was born in Starke in 1875. He was a medical doctor and surgeon and served as the president of the Florida Medical Association from 1910 to 1911. He was also a leader in public health reform and advocated for better sanitation standards throughout the state. Another prominent figure from Bradford County is James “Jimmy” Nelson, who was born in Lawtey in 1892. He was an American soldier who fought during World War I and received numerous awards for his bravery and valor. After the war, he returned to Bradford County to start a successful career as a lawyer and businessman. He eventually became mayor of Lawtey from 1936 to 1941 and later served as a judge on the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court until his death in 1965. In addition, there are many other notable people from Bradford County such as John Wainwright, who was born in Starke in 1858; he served as mayor of Starke from 1890 to 1893 and later went on to become state senator for Bradford County until his death in 1925. There is also Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, who founded Bethune-Cookman University located just outside Starke; she became an influential civil rights leader during her lifetime and has been recognized by many institutions for her work with minority education rights throughout Florida. Lastly, there is Reubin Askew, who lived near Starke before becoming Governor of Florida from 1971 to 1979; he worked hard to promote civil rights during his tenure as governor and helped establish many progressive policies that still affect everyday life in Florida today.