Some people say living in a small town is difficult because there is not much to do, but I say living in Baker County gives you the best of both worlds, large and small. You will enjoy all the friendliness and hospitality that is part of a small town, while at the same time a quick 30 minute drive brings you all the amenities that Jacksonville has to offer.

If you enjoy relaxing with family and friends, you will have many options in Baker County. If your favorite activities include swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, camping, hunting, or grilling out, we’ve got you covered. You might choose Shoals Park, over 1600 acres of hiking, ATV, and equestrian trails or Ocean Pond, an 800 acre lake in western Baker County, with picnic areas and modern camp sites. You could also choose the St. Mary’s River or Little St. Mary’s River, pristine water ways that will take you back to nature. Or, you might choose the Osceola National Forest, a federally managed forest of 220,000 acres, which provides some of the best hiking and hunting in Florida.

We are very proud of our school system in Baker County. We have a fully accredited public school system that provides quality education from Pre-K through high school. Add to this Florida Gateway College at Lake City, Florida State College and the University of North Florida, both in Jacksonville, and the University of Florida in Gainesville, all within a 45 minute drive, and your educational opportunities are without limits.

Baker County has many options to meet your needs for goods, services and entertainment. If what you stand in need of is not currently available in Baker County, don’t be discouraged. We will see many new options available as the economy continues to improve and our population continues to grow.

The Chamber of Commerce is glad you have chosen Baker County. Our organization represents more than 245 businesses that support our community with goods, services, and jobs. If you are new to this area, we have information available to assist you as you settle into our community. If you are already established in our community, we invite you to stop by and let us know what we can do to help Baker County continue to be the place where people want to live, work and play.

Even though the overall economy has been depressed, businesses are still choosing Baker County as the location for new ventures or the expansion of their existing locations. While no one can look into a crystal ball and say 2011 will definitely be the year to invest in a new business venture, I believe that there are signs that things are going to be better.

The residential real estate market started to correct itself in the last half of 2010 and appears be setting the base for what could be a strong 2011. When anyone considers moving to northeast Florida, Baker County will continue to be a very attractive option as a great place to live. As our population continues to grow, new businesses will choose to locate here and that will give residents new options for goods, services and entertainment.

Baker County also continues to work toward the creation of large industrial parks that will become job centers for our region. Developers have received approvals for 12.5 million square feet of industrial space in Baker County. This will be the base of what we can become in the future as manufacturing and distribution facilities, related to the expansion of JaxPort, choose to locate here.

Baker County will reach its 150th birthday in 2011. As we pause to celebrate our founding fathers and our heritage, we will also continue to work harder than ever to make our county stronger and more self sufficient than it has ever been.

I want to encourage locals to do your part in supporting the Baker County business community. When you are in need of a service provider or are considering making a purchase, do you consider local options? Why not keep your money where your house is? When you support local businesses, you are also supporting your local government, and the money you spend will most likely be used by that business again in our local economy and it just might find its way back to you and your business.

When you have a choice, SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES!

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Christmas festivities and parade, Saturday, December 3 beginning at 10:00 am. Crafts, food, shows, food, and more food. Lighted Christmas parade at dark. For additional info, booth or parade entries, contact the Macclenny Fire Department @ 259-3331.