Lawtey, Florida
Lawtey, Florida | |
|---|---|
| City of Lawtey | |
Lawtey, Florida along US 301, August 2020 | |
| Mottoes: | |
Location in Bradford County and the state of Florida | |
| Coordinates: 30°02′54″N 82°04′21″W / 30.04833°N 82.07250°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Bradford |
| Settled | c. Mid-1800s—1877[2][3][4] |
| Incorporated | 1905[4][5] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| • Mayor[4][6][7] | Jimmie L. Scott |
| • Vice Mayor[6][7] | Debra Jordan-Norman |
| • Councilors[6][7] | Virginia Warner, Joshua Bell, and Amy Blom |
| • City Clerk[4][6][7] | Lisa Harley |
| • City Attorney[6][7] | Dan Sikes |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.51 sq mi (3.92 km2) |
| • Land | 1.51 sq mi (3.92 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 157 ft (48 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 636 |
| • Density | 420.4/sq mi (162.32/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 32058 |
| Area code | 904 |
| FIPS code | 12-39700[10] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404898[9] |
| Website | www.cityoflawtey.org |
Lawtey is a city in Bradford County, Florida, United States. The population was 636 at the 2020 US Census, down from 730 at the 2010 US Census.
The City of Lawtey has received national attention and earned the dubious distinction of being one of only two official speed traps designated by the American Automobile Association (AAA), (the other being Waldo a few miles to the south). However, the label was removed by AAA in August 2018 after reforms by police chief Shane Bennett.[11]
Geography
The City of Lawtey is located in northern Bradford County 7 miles (11 km) north of the county seat, Starke, by U.S. Route 301. To the north it is 18 miles (29 km) to Interstate 10 at the town of Baldwin.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.7 km2), all land.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, the City of Lawtey has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 492 | — | |
| 1920 | 372 | −24.4% | |
| 1930 | 554 | 48.9% | |
| 1940 | 427 | −22.9% | |
| 1950 | 576 | 34.9% | |
| 1960 | 623 | 8.2% | |
| 1970 | 636 | 2.1% | |
| 1980 | 692 | 8.8% | |
| 1990 | 676 | −2.3% | |
| 2000 | 656 | −3.0% | |
| 2010 | 730 | 11.3% | |
| 2020 | 636 | −12.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] | |||
2010 and 2020 census
| Race | Pop 2010[13] | Pop 2020[14] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 432 | 375 | 59.18% | 58.96% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 262 | 198 | 35.89% | 31.13% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 3 | 0 | 0.41% | 0.00% |
| Asian (NH) | 3 | 3 | 0.41% | 0.47% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 5 | 0 | 0.68% | 0.00% |
| Some other race (NH) | 1 | 3 | 0.14% | 0.47% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 9 | 42 | 1.23% | 6.60% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 15 | 15 | 2.05% | 2.36% |
| Total | 730 | 636 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 636 people, 296 households, and 219 families residing in the city.[15]
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 730 people, 365 households, and 249 families residing in the city.[16]
2000 census
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 656 people, 259 households, and 182 families residing in the city. The population density was 476.8 inhabitants per square mile (184.1/km2). There were 295 housing units at an average density of 214.4 per square mile (82.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 64.79% White, 32.16% African American, 1.22% Native American, 0.46% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.68% of the population.
In 2000, there were 259 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.04.
In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $23,875, and the median income for a family was $27,375. The per capita income for the city was $14,122. About 21.2% of families and 22.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.0% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Volney Job Shipman, Union Army officer and Republican gubernatorial candidate (1888 Florida gubernatorial election)[17]
See also
- Speed traps:
- Coleman, Florida, the American Automobile Association (AAA) named it the nation's biggest speed trap city in 1966[18]
- Hacienda Village, Florida, a former village that was disincorporated in 1984 for their excessive abuse of speed traps and corrupt government[19]
- Hampton, Florida a town that was almost disincorporated in 2014, in part due to "speed trap" behavior[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]
- Ludowici, Georgia, another Deep South municipality that was notorious for speed traps and merchant fraud in the 1950s and 1960s[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]
- New Rome, Ohio, a former village that was disincorporated in 2004 for speed traps and corrupt government[27][36][37][38]
- Patton Village, Texas, a city known for its speed trap and government corruption[19][27][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]
- Waldo, Florida, much like Lawtey, it was also a Florida city previously known as a speed trap by the American Automobile Association (AAA) before August 2018[27][46][47][48][49][50]
References
- ^ "City of Lawtey, Florida (Homepage)". Archived from the original on March 29, 2025. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
- ^ a b "Our History: Establishment of Lawtey". Archived from the original on February 19, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
- ^ "Old Train Depot, Lawtey, Fl". Archived from the original on January 9, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "MUNICIPAL DIRECTORY: City of Lawtey". Archived from the original on August 12, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
- ^ "FLORIDA CITIES BY INCORPORATION YEAR WITH INCORPORATION & DISSOLUTION INFO" (PDF). www.flcities.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "City Commission". cityoflawtey.org.
- ^ a b c d e "Council Meeting: October 6, 2025 (7:00 p.m.)" (PDF). cityoflawtey.org.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lawtey, Florida
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "AAA Going Places Magazine | July - August 2001 | Traveler's Advocate - FL". Archived from the original on December 14, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2004.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Lawtey city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Lawtey city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Lawtey city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Lawtey city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "Col. Volney Job Shipman". Archived from the original on July 21, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
- ^ "The Last Speed Trap?". Archived from the original on March 12, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
- ^ a b Weller, Steve. "Speed Traps Are Nearing Extinction As Hamlets From Hell Go Out Of Business." Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel. June 25, 1989. Retrieved on February 19, 2026.
- ^ Deslatte, Aaron (February 10, 2014). "Lawmakers want tiny town of Hampton abolished over 'cash register justice'". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ Alvarez, Lizette (March 10, 2014). "A Dot on the Map, After Scandal, Could Be Wiped Off". New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ O'Neill, Ann (March 9, 2014). "Speed trap city accused of corruption, threatened with extinction". CNN. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ Dixon, Matt (February 19, 2026). "Gestapo in Hampton". Florida Times-Union. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
- ^ O'Neil, Ann (March 11, 2014). "Barry Layne Moore, mayor of corrupt Hampton, Florida, resigns – from jail". CNN. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ O'Neil, Ann (March 28, 2014). "Has Hampton been scared straight?". CNN. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ O'Neil, Ann (March 29, 2014). "City too corrupt for Florida is spared". CNN. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e CIARAMELLA, C.J. "11 Insanely Corrupt Speed-Trap Towns". reason.com. Reason. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ "The Light That Never Fails". TIME. Time Inc. November 16, 1959. Archived from the original on February 15, 2009.
- ^ Dubivsky, Barbara (June 21, 1964). "No More 'Speed Traps'—But". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ "SPEED TRAP DENIED; Ludowici Mayor Says Town in Georgia Arrests Few". The New York Times. December 30, 1961. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
- ^ Lester Goes to Ludowici
- ^ Miles, Jim (2006). Weird Georgia : your travel guide to Georgia's local legends and best kept secrets. New York, NY: Sterling Pub. Co., Inc. ISBN 1-4027-3388-7. OCLC 69850486.
- ^ "American Scene: Ludowici, Ga." TIME. Monday April 27, 1970. Retrieved on February 19, 2026.
- ^ Knight, Ray (November 7, 1971). "Classical Selections". The Florida Times-Union. Florida Publishing Co. p. D4.
- ^ "Speed trap loses its radar". The Sacramento Union. December 3, 1983.
- ^ Town Without Pity, April 2003
- ^ Lyttle, Eric. "From the Archives : As New Rome Turns". ColumbusMonthly.com. Columbus Monthly. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ Sullivan, Terri. "Driver gets 2 speeding tickets in less than a minute in Village of Brice". ABC6onYourSide.com. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ "Mayor puts brakes on speed trap." The Milwaukee Sentinel. Wednesday May 18, 1988. Page 2, Part 1. Retrieved from Google News (2 of 34) on February 26, 2012.
- ^ "TOWN KNOWN AS SPEED TRAP GETS NEW JUDGE." Associated Press at The Dallas Morning News. Thursday May 26, 1988. News 32A. Retrieved on February 19, 2026.
- ^ "Lobbying against anti-speed trap bill upsets legislator." Associated Press at the Bonham Daily Favorite, Volume 95 No. 85. Thursday May 11, 1989. Page 1. Retrieved from Google Books (1 of 4) on February 19, 2026.
- ^ Oberg, Ted, and Trent Seibert.Houston area speed trap king wants to turn in its crown. ABC 13 Eyewitness News: November 2, 2016. Accessed on February 19, 2026.
- ^ "Loss of Speed Trap May Break Town." Associated Press at The Victoria Advocate. Saturday February 6, 1982. 7A. Retrieved from Google News (7 of 39) on February 19, 2026.
- ^ Nichols, Bruce. "New speed trap law to cut East Texas town's lifeline Patton Village attempting 'turnaround'." The Dallas Morning News. Sunday June 18, 1989. 41A. Retrieved on February 19, 2026.
- ^ "TOWN KNOWN AS SPEED TRAP GETS NEW JUDGE." Associated Press at The Dallas Morning News. Thursday May 26, 1988. News 32A. Retrieved on February 19, 2026.
- ^ "Infamous Speed Trap Town Investigated Over Tickets". ABC News.
- ^ "Waldo Votes to Disband its Police Force" (Archive). Associated Press at WCTV. Retrieved on February 19, 2026.
- ^ "Ex-Waldo police chief cleared in standards investigation". Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ "Lawmakers outlaw traffic-ticket quotas". April 22, 2015.
- ^ "AAA Says Waldo, Lawtey No Longer Speed Traps".