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Bell, Florida

Bell, Florida
Town
Location in Gilchrist County and the state of Florida
Location in Gilchrist County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 29°45′16″N 82°51′42″W / 29.75444°N 82.86167°W / 29.75444; -82.86167Coordinates: 29°45′16″N 82°51′42″W / 29.75444°N 82.86167°W / 29.75444; -82.86167
Country  United States
State  Florida
County  Gilchrist
Incorporated c. 1900
Government
 • Mayor Thomas Brown
Area
 • Total 1.7 sq mi (4.3 km2)
 • Land 1.7 sq mi (4.3 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation 69 ft (21 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 456
 • Density 274/sq mi (105.6/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 32619
Area code(s) 352
FIPS code 12-04975
GNIS feature ID 0278410
Website townofbellflorida.com

Bell is a town in Gilchrist County, Florida, United States. The population was 456 at the 2010 census, up from 349 in 2000. It is situated in the northern part of the county. The middle/high school is home to approximately 750 students.

The town was founded in the 1890s, named after a beauty contest winner, Bell Fletcher. In the early 1900s, a railway was built, passing through the town on its route between Starke and Wannee. A train depot was built circa 1905, and the restored depot building is now the Town Hall.

On September 18, 2014, a man, identified as 51-year-old ex-convict Don Charles Spirit, shot dead his daughter Sarah and her six children. He then committed suicide after police officers responded to the scene of the mass shooting.

Bell is located at 29°45′16″N 82°51′42″W / 29.75444°N 82.86167°W / 29.75444; -82.86167 (29.754443, -82.861712).U.S. Route 129 is the town's Main Street; it leads north 18 miles (29 km) to Branford and south 10 miles (16 km) to Trenton, the Gilchrist County seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2), all land.

Bell is approximately 38 miles (61 km) west of Gainesville.

As of the census of 2000, there were 349 people, 125 households, and 91 families residing in the town. The population density was 213.5 people per square mile (82.7/km²). There were 149 housing units at an average density of 91.2 per square mile (35.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.99% White, 2.01% African American, 0.29% Native American, 1.43% from other races, and 0.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.43% of the population.


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