Secretary Byrd Recognizes Florida Main Street’s Newest Community

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. –

Today, Secretary of State Cord Byrd recognized Main Street of Fort White as Florida’s newest Main Street community. This community is now eligible to receive technical assistance from the Florida Main Street Program to support local revitalization and historic preservation efforts.

“I am excited to welcome Main Street of Fort White into the Florida Main Street program,” said Secretary of State Cord Byrd. “This organization exhibits the pride and passion we seek in our Main Streets, and I look forward to their success and achievements in the years to come.”

Secretary Byrd designated Main Street of Fort White on February 3, 2025, following a meeting of the ad hoc Florida Main Street Advisory Committee, which recommended the designation. Composed of seven members, the committee included representatives from 1000 Friends of Florida, Chattahoochee Main Street, the Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of Commerce, Florida League of Cities, Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, and Stuart Main Street.

Photographs provided by the Town of Fort White

Fort White, a small town in Columbia County, Florida, was established in 1836 as a fortification during the Second Seminole War. The fort protected the Cow Creek settlement and steamboats on the Santa Fe River.  In 1888, the Live Oak, Tampa, and Charlotte Harbor Railroad reached Fort White, which bolstered the local economy based on phosphate mining, turpentine, and agriculture. By 1900, the town’s population reached 2,000.

Like many of their neighbors in northern and central Florida, the residents of Fort White faced major challenges in the late 1800s and early 1900s, including devastating freezes in 1894-95, the depletion of local phosphate deposits, and boll weevil infestations. By 1979, the population was down to only 365 residents. However, the development of neighboring Ichetucknee Springs as a tourist attraction and its designation as a State Park in 1971 began to revitalize the town.

Growth in the decades that followed prompted the need for new educational facilities, including Fort White High School, which opened in December 2000. New community amenities such as a library and a sports complex followed in 2005.

Main Street of Fort White seeks to use its historic and natural assets to draw visitors downtown. With consistent recreational activity at the nearby springs, the Main Street of Fort White organization is working to expand on its downtown amenities for visitors to enjoy while exploring the area. For example, the historic train depot, originally constructed by the Live Oak, Tampa, and Charlotte Harbor Railroad before being acquired by the Atlantic Coast Line, will serve as the official Main Street of Fort White office and visitor’s center located in Mayor’s Park.

To learn more about Main Street of Fort White, visit FortWhiteFL.com or Facebook Main Street of Fort White

To learn more about the Florida Main Street and how the program supports these communities, visit FloridaMainStreet.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram. 

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About Florida Main Street

Florida Main Street is a program administered by the Division of Historical Resources under the Florida Department of State, which currently oversees 54 communities throughout the state. By implementing the National Main Street Center’s Four-Point Approach, Florida Main Street encourages economic development within the context of historic preservation through the revitalization of Florida’s downtowns—the community’s heart and soul.