Chattahoochee, Florida

Geography

Chattahoochee is located in the northwest corner of Gadsden County at 30°42′N 84°51′W (30.703,-84.847). It is bordered to the west by the Apalachicola River, formed by the juncture of the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers within Lake Seminole just north of the city. The northern border of Chattahoochee follows the Florida–Georgia state line, and the Apalachicola River forms the Gadsden–Jackson county line.

U.S. Route 90 passes through the middle of Chattahoochee as Washington Street; it leads southeast 19 miles (31 km) to Quincy, the Gadsden County seat, and west 5 miles (8 km) to Sneads and 24 miles (39 km) to Marianna. Tallahassee, the state capital, is 43 miles (69 km) to the southeast. Main Street (Little Sycamore Road outside the city limits) leads south 6 miles (10 km) via Flat Creek Road to Interstate 10 at Exit 166.

The southern part of the city includes the community of River Junction at 30°41′N 84°50′W (30.686,-84.841). In the mid-1880s, River Junction was established as a railroad connection point between the Florida Central & Western, later the Seaboard Air Line, and the Pensacola & Atlantic. The connecting track survives.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Chattahoochee has a total area of 5.7 square miles (14.7 km²), of which 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²), or 3.30%, is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,287 people, 1,035 households, and 675 families residing in the city. The population density was 602.7 inhabitants per square mile (232.9/km²). There were 1,188 housing units at an average density of 217.8 per square mile (84.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.71% White, 46.73% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.56% of the population.

There were 1,035 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples living together, 23.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the city, the population was spread out with 17.9% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 116.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,250, and the median income for a family was $35,139. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $24,531 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,265. About 21.0% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.5% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

Historic places

Florida State Hospital, the hospital involved in the famous United States Supreme Court decision, O'Connor v. Donaldson, is located within the City. The former arsenal and current Administration Building of Florida State Hospital is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (Building - #73000578) . The hospital was featured in a 1989 movie, Chattahoochee, starring Gary Oldman and Dennis Hopper, in which a war hero, Chris Calhoun, is involuntarily committed to Florida State Hospital where he sees doctors at the hospital humiliating patients and experiences filth and abuse.

Notable person

In film

The 1989 film "Chattahoochee" is based on the Florida State Hospital and allegations of abuse on residents. The movie, which starred Gary Oldman and Dennis Hopper, was not shot in Chattahoochee however.