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Sinkholes in Gilchrist County, FL | Florida Sinkholes

Gilchrist, FL Sinkhole Map

Sinkhole Count: 45

Gilchrist County, FL FAQs

Gilchrist County, FL

Gilchrist is a rural community formerly known as “The Western End” as a part of Alachua County.  Formed in 1925, Gilchrist was the last county to be formed in Florida. It became the state’s 67th county after the local residents successfully petitioned the State Legislature to split their community from Alachua essentially because they are being left out in growth and development in the former setup.  

This county is named after Albert W. Gilchrist, the Florida governor from 1909 to 1913. The county seat of Gilchrist is Trenton, which is also its largest city. The county’s jurisdiction also covers the town of Bell, the census-designated place Spring Ridge and part of the city of Fanning Springs, which is likewise partly in Levy County.

Gilchrist County is counted in the Gainesville Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is in a landlocked territory bounded northeast by Columbia County, east by Alachua, south by Levy, southwest by Dixie, northwest by Suwannee and Lafayette counties.

Land and Water Assets

Gilchrist County has an area 355 square miles, with 350 square miles land territory. Its water resources feature several natural springs that feeds into the historic Suwannee River and the Santa Fe River close to this county. Given these natural assets, Gilchrist prides itself as the “Springs Capital of the World.”

Some extreme adventures could be enjoyed at Gilchrist’s Hart Springs and Ginnie Springs which offer world-class cave diving. Other tourist spots in the county provide relatively tamer activities, such as swimming, snorkeling, canoeing, kayaking and fishing in meandering streams through hardwood wetlands. Local destinations to try for these pastimes include Blue Springs, Ellie Ray’s Springs, and Otter Springs where camping is another recreational pursuit to consider.

Living in Gilchrist County appeals to folks who want a small-town setting with a laid-back lifestyle. This county has a population count of about 18,000. Growth in number of residents between 2015 and 2016 has been quite moderate at 0.24 percent, an indication that Gilchrist isn’t likely to lose its quiet and relaxed rural ambiance perfect for retirees.

Rosy Economy

Gilchrist’s population mix consists of 87.3 percent White, 5.99 percent Black, and 5.34 percent Hispanic. Just 4.4 percent of residents in the county speak a non-English language, and 98.3 percent of local folks are U.S. citizens.

As a rural economy, Gilchrist mainly provides employment opportunities in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting. Homeownership rate in the county is at an estimated 82.4 percent.

The real estate market in Gilchrist County offers some great opportunities to home buyers. With the growing number of the baby boomer generation going into retirement, this quiet nook in Florida has the potential for rising home values. Available residences for sale in Gilchrist County include single-family and mobile homes, with prices typically starting from $10,000.

Overall, the median residential property value in Gilchrist County is at an estimated $94,400. Expect million-dollar pricing for the acreages of horse farms, ranches, dairy farms, timber tracts, and waterfront properties.

References:

TRENTON, FL
April 2017 – A 10-year-old pug named Cookie fell into a giant sinkhole that opened after Tuesday’s rains. It took rescuers five hours to dig her free and lift her to safety. The hole was 30-foot deep.

TRENTON, FL
April 2011 – An experienced well driller died late Saturday after a sinkhole opened beneath him and his truck fell in on top of him. Smith was drilling near Trenton, in North Florida. The sides of the 35-foot sinkhole kept collapsing, making recovery of the body difficult. Smith was buried under five feet of dirt.

TRENTON-FANNING SPRINGS, FL
June 2005 – A sinkhole on State Road 26 in Gilchrist County has grown to be the largest that Florida Department of Transportation employees have worked on in North Florida. The hole was estimated to have grown to 48 by 36 feet with an average depth of 30 feet.

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