Starke is a town in North Central Florida with a population of about 6,000, between Gainesville and Jacksonville.

Understand

Downtown Starke

History

The origins of the town's name are disputed; it was probably named after local landowner and slaveholder Thomas Starke. The town grew rapidly during the late 19th century, following the American Civil War.

A number of government institutions are near Starke, including National Guard base Camp Blanding and the Florida State Prison. The establishment of Camp Blanding in 1940 brought a massive population increase to Starke, as some 800,000 soldiers were trained there through the course of WWII. Hence the population boomed during the war and post-war, rising from less than 1,500 in 1940 to almost 5,000 at the 1960 census.

The town became an unlikely destination for filmmaking due to nearby Camp Blanding, with filming for G.I. Jane, Tigerland, and Basic occurring at the base. Why Do Fools Fall in Love was filmed in Starke itself. Military and government-related TV shows have also been filmed in the Starke area.

Climate

As a northern Florida town, Starke experiences a stark contrast between summer and winter weather. The two main seasons are the dry and wet seasons. The dry season lasts from fall, around November, to May, with the driest months being November, December, and April. Heavy rain arrives in June and persists throughout the summer, when temperatures reach the 90's (mid-30's) and the air is humid. Winters tend to be cool but are variable, with cold fronts from the Deep South causing temperatures to near freezing a few times a year.

Get in

By car

The main way to access Starke is via US-301. If approaching from Jacksonville, exit I-10 to go south at Baldwin. If traveling from Gainesville, take FL-24 to Waldo, where it meets US-301 to go north to Starke.

Get around

By car

US-301 splits on both sides of Starke. One route is an expressway and bypasses Starke to the west, while the old route forms a T-junction with the new route and goes through Temple Ave through Starke. Downtown Starke is designed on an approximately grid road format.

See

• 1 Coca Cola Plant, S Thompson St (junction of S Thompson St and Madison St). Part of the University of North Florida's George L. Taylor collection of notable sites. (updated Dec 2021)
• 2 Eugene Matthews Historical Museum (Old Bradford County Courthouse), 209 W Call St (junction of Thompson St and Call St). Newspaper editor and Democratic Party politician Eugene Matthews spent four terms in the Florida State Legislature during the early 20th century, served as House speaker briefly in 1907, and was on the state's railroad commission for over twenty years. He was also responsible for connecting Starke to the state's highway network. The courthouse was built in 1902 in the Romanesque style and added to the National Register of Historic Places in late 1974. (updated Dec 2021)
• 3 Reforestation Mural, Jefferson St. 1940 painting on the Starke Post Office during the era of public works projects. (updated Dec 2021)
• 4 Woman's Club of Starke, 201 N Walnut Street (junction with Walnut St), ☏ +1 904 364-5233, starkewc@gmail.com. The Woman's Club obtained a lease for the building in 1921 and the building was completed almost two years later in 1922. The building has also been used for other purposes, such as a library and the Army YMCA, due to its proximity to Camp Blanding. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 and a plaque was added to the site twelve years later. The Woman's Club continues to exist at the site. (updated Dec 2021)

Do

• 1 Florida Twin Theatre, 101 W Call St (junction of Call and Walnut), ☏ +1 904 964-5451. Adults $7; children and seniors $6 (cash only). (updated Dec 2021)

Buy

• 1 The Shoppes at Thompson Street (Pete’s Antiques & Precious Metals), 118 S Thompson St, ☏ +1 352 445-0709. Tu–Sa 10AM–5PM. (updated Dec 2021)

Eat

• 1 Downtown Grill, 301 E Call St, ☏ +1 904 964-9253, downtowngrillstarke@yahoo.com. M–Sa 11AM–9PM, Su 11AM–3PM. (Facebook link). (updated Dec 2021)
• 2 Call Street Cafe, 111 W Call St, ☏ +1 904-368-9922, jacksonclanllc@gmail.com. M-Sa 6AM–3PM, Su 7AM–3PM. (updated Dec 2021)

Sleep

• 1 Best Western Starke, 1290 N Temple Ave, ☏ +1 904 964-6744. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Dec 2021)

Go next

• Gainesville is a large college town to the southwest.
• Jacksonville, officially the largest city in Florida, is to the northeast on the St. Johns River.