Green Cove Springs by the Numbers: 2,200 Gallons a Minute, 9,786 People and a Town Since 1874

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. - Green Cove Springs has a natural spring the city estimates flows at about 2,200 gallons per minute, counted 9,786 residents in the 2020 census and officially incorporated as a town on Nov. 2, 1874. The Clay County seat will mark its 152nd incorporation anniversary Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, following decades as a resort destination, a Navy installation and a riverfront community. Today, its history stretches from the spring and former waterfront hotels to a municipal pool, public pier and former military base. Here are 20 numbers that explain the city's history, geography, growth and public attractions, based on city records, census figures reported by Wikipedia and other published sources.

1. 2,200 Gallons Per Minute From the Natural Spring

The City of Green Cove Springs estimates that its natural spring releases approximately 2,200 gallons of water per minute from the Floridan Aquifer. The spring, also called "The Boil," is one of roughly 600 springs in Florida. The city calls it a "warm mineral spring," and the water flows from there into the municipal pool.

2. 3.2 Million Gallons of Water Per Day

Using the city's estimated flow of 2,200 gallons per minute, the spring produces approximately 3,168,000 gallons over 24 hours. Water flows into the west side of the municipal pool and exits the east side through a stream leading to the St. Johns River. The daily total is a Jax Times calculation based on the city's published flow estimate.

3. 9,786 Residents in the 2020 Census

Green Cove Springs recorded 9,786 residents in 2020, according to census figures reported by Wikipedia. That represented an increase of 2,878 people, or 41.7%, from the 2010 population of 6,908. The city's published July 2022 estimate put the population at 10,042, another 256 residents above the 2020 count.

4. 82% Population Growth Over 20 Years

The city's population stood at 5,378 in 2000 and reached 9,786 by 2020, according to historical census figures reported by Wikipedia. That amounts to an increase of 4,408 residents, or approximately 82%, over two decades. The increase from 2010 to 2020 alone accounted for 2,878 of those additional residents.

5. 151 Full Years Since Incorporation

Green Cove Springs officially incorporated on Nov. 2, 1874, according to the city's historical account. As of Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, the municipality has completed 151 full years since incorporation. Its 152nd anniversary arrives Monday, Nov. 2, three days after this article's publication.

6. 155 Years as Clay County's Seat of Government

Green Cove Springs became the Clay County seat in 1871, three years before the town officially incorporated. The city's history page says it has served as the county's seat of government continuously since that year. That gives the community 155 years of county-seat history in 2026.

7. 1816 Marks the Start of Its Early Development Timeline

According to the city, George I. F. Clarke established a sawmill on a Spanish land grant in 1816. David Palmer and Sarah Ferris developed White Sulfur Springs in 1854, and the community adopted the name Green Cove Springs with its first post office in 1866. The city explains that "Green" refers to its vegetation, "Cove" to a river bend offering safe mooring and "Springs" to its natural spring.

8. 3 Resort-Era Nicknames

The city identifies three historical nicknames: "The Saratoga of the South," "The Parlor City" and "Watering Hole for the Rich." Riverboats transported visitors from Jacksonville to hotels including the Clarendon, Qui-si-Sana, St. Elmo and Magnolia Springs Hotel. The city's history also credits Green Cove Springs with Florida's first trolley system connecting riverbank piers with hotels.

9. 1895 and the End of a Resort Era

The city says Flagler's railroad later pulled tourists farther south. Wikipedia adds that the Great Freeze of 1895 destroyed citrus and that tourism all but ended. Together, those changes altered the community's earlier role as a destination for resort visitors.

10. 1883 and Florida's Early Women's Club History

The Ladies Village Improvement Association incorporated in Green Cove Springs in 1883, according to the city. The organization later became Florida's first Federated Women's Club, and its 1915 building housed the town's first public library. That building also appears among the historic structures identified in the city's preservation records.

11. 1908 and a Dairy That Expanded to 10,000 Acres

Gustafson's Farm began its dairy operations in Green Cove Springs in 1908, according to the city's history. The farm now operates on about 10,000 acres south of the city. Both the city's historical account and Wikipedia identify the dairy as part of the area's development.

12. 600-Plus Ships in the Navy's Mothball Fleet

The city says more than 600 reserve ships once occupied the former naval installation along the St. Johns River, which it describes as the world's largest "Mothball Fleet." Thirteen concrete piers extended approximately 1,500 feet into the river to accommodate the vessels. Wikipedia uses a lower estimate of approximately 500 ships, so the larger figure is attributed specifically to the city.

13. 1940 to 1960: Two Decades of Naval History

Benjamin Lee Field opened Sept. 11, 1940, according to Wikipedia, and became Naval Air Station Green Cove Springs in August 1943. The installation had four runways measuring 5,000 feet each, while its waterfront later supported the reserve fleet. The Navy decommissioned the facility in 1960, according to the city's historical account.

14. 1,500 Acres of Former Military Property

The city identifies approximately 1,500 acres of former naval property that became associated with Reynolds Industrial Park and the Clay County Port. Wikipedia reports that Green Cove Springs annexed the former base in 1984. The installation's former airfield now operates as the private Reynolds Airpark, according to Wikipedia.

15. 198 Historically Significant Structures Identified

A 1989 historical survey identified approximately 198 structures of historical significance in Green Cove Springs, according to the city. Its preservation history describes two National Register districts with roughly 70 to 75 contributing structures and names sites including the former Clay County Courthouse, the former County Jail and St. Mary's Episcopal Church. The Green Cove Springs Historic District was listed March 28, 1991, with 78 historic buildings and one structure.

16. $5 Adult Admission at the Municipal Pool

The City Pool and Splash Pad is located at 229 Walnut St., near the natural spring, and the pool has a capacity of 75 people. The city lists cash-only daily admission at $5 for adults, $3 for active military personnel, seniors 65 and older and children ages 2 through 17, while children younger than 2 enter free. The pool closed for the season Sept. 28, 2026, and is scheduled to reopen in May 2027; the free splash pad operates daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

17. 12 Boat Slips at the City Pier

The City Pier at 106 Walnut St. offers a covered pavilion and 12 floating finger boat slips, according to city information. The slips accommodate an approximate draft of 8 to 9 feet and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Dockage costs $5 for up to six hours, $10 for longer than six hours or $20 overnight with electricity and water, subject to a 72-hour limit in any 30-day period.

18. 9.9 Square Miles, About One-Quarter Water

Green Cove Springs covers approximately 9.9 square miles, including 7.4 square miles of land and 2.5 square miles of water, according to Wikipedia. Water accounts for approximately 25.3% of the total using the rounded figures, while Wikipedia reports 25.35% using its underlying measurements. The community sits along the St. Johns River, which has influenced its name, transportation and development.

19. 28 Miles to Jacksonville, 25 Miles to St. Augustine

U.S. 17 (Orange Avenue) connects Green Cove Springs with downtown Jacksonville approximately 28 miles north and Palatka approximately 26 miles south, according to Wikipedia. State Road 16 runs west approximately 27 miles toward Starke and east across the Shands Bridge toward St. Augustine, approximately 25 miles away. The Clay County Supervisor of Elections office is located at 500 N. Orange Ave. in Green Cove Springs.

20. 5 City Council Members and a 2004 City Hall

Green Cove Springs uses a council-manager form of government established under its 1980 charter revision, according to Wikipedia. Five council members serve three-year terms, are elected at large and select the mayor from among themselves. In April 2004, City Hall moved from 229 Walnut St. to a new building on the former Clarendon and Qui-si-Sana hotel site, with architecture modeled after the Qui-si-Sana, according to the city.

## How we did this Jax Times compiled these figures using information from the City of Green Cove Springs at greencovesprings.com, Wikipedia's Green Cove Springs history and census summaries, and the Clay County Supervisor of Elections at clayelections.gov. The source information was verified Oct. 28, 2026, and includes city historical records, public facility details, population counts and geographic measurements. Jax Times independently calculated the population-growth percentages, daily spring-water volume, incorporation anniversary and approximate share of the city's area covered by water; where published figures differ, the article attributes them to their respective sources.