Page 13 - 2013 Spring newsletter

Clay County was established on December 31, 1858, from a section of Duval
County. Its name is in honor of Henry Clay, a famous American statesman,
member of the United States Senate from Kentucky, and United States Secre-
tary of State.
Clay County was once a popular destination for tourists visiting from the
northern states. The therapeutic, warm springs and mild climate were major
draws for visitors. Steamboats brought them to various hotels in Green Cove
Springs – the St. Elmo, Clarendon, and the Oakland. President Grover Cleve-
land was the most prominent of such tourists; he had spring water shipped to
the White House. Clay County’s popularity among tourists peaked during the last three decades of the
19th century. It was later eclipsed by Henry Flagler’s extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to
points such as Palm Beach and Miami.
The military has also played an important role in Clay
County history. In 1939, Camp Blanding opened on
Kingsley Lake in central Clay County. The Florida Na-
tional Guard developed this 28,000 acre complex. Dur-
ing World War II, it trained over 90,000 troops and be-
came the fourth largest ―city‖ in the state. In Green
Cove Springs, Lee Field was a flight training center. Af-
ter World War II, Lee Field became a base for the
mothball fleet. Although Lee Field closed in the early
1960s, Camp Blanding continues to operate today. Clay
County is also a popular choice of residence for military
personnel who are stationed on bases in nearby Duval County.
COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: CLAY COUNTY
Hon. Roger A. Suggs, CFA,
AAS, CCF
13
Hon. Roger Suggs was first elected in 2009 | Number of Employees: 32 | Total Square
Miles: 643, 6.62% of which is water | Website: www.ccpao.com
2012 Tax Roll At-A-Glance
Real Property Parcels 88,536
Tangible Accounts 5,045
Just (Market) Value $12,423,346,985
Taxable NS Value $7,939,080,171
Highest taxable value (TPP+RP)
Clay Electric Co-Op, Inc.
$164,720,727
Spring 2013 Newsletter of the FCIAAO
Spring Park, Green Cove Springs