Harold, Florida

Harold is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Santa Rosa County, in the U.S. state of Florida.^[2] Its population was 909 at the 2020 census,^[3] up from 823 at the 2010 census.^[1] It is part of the Pensacola—Ferry Pass—Brent, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. A satellite field for Training Air Wing FIVE at Naval Air Station Whiting Field called OLF Harold is located here.

Harold, Florida
Unincorporated community
The Harold Store in Harold, Florida.
Harold, Florida Show map of Florida Harold, Florida Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 30°39′33″N 86°52′49″W
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Santa Rosa
Area [1]
• Total	14.729 sq mi (38.15 km2)
• Land	14.689 sq mi (38.04 km2)
• Water	0.040 sq mi (0.10 km2)
Elevation	148 ft (45 m)
Population  (2020)[1]
• Total	909
• Density	62/sq mi (24/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	850
GNIS feature ID	287350[2]

History

Harold was originally known as Oscar.^[4] Oscar was first settled sometime around 1881, when its post office was established. Oscar's population increased upon the completion of the Pensacola and Atlanta Railroad in 1883. William D. Chipley purchased land for lumber in the early 1890s. It was around this time that the community became known as Harold.

A post office called Harold was established in 1909, and remained in operation until 1995.^[5] An early postmaster gave the community the name of his son.^[6] Another history behind the name involves Kansas congressman Ebenezer F. Porter, who purchased land for lumber in the area in the 1890s, renaming it for his son, Harold (1891-1962).

References

1. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files - Places: Florida". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
2. "Harold". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
3. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
4. The Heritage of Santa Rosa County, Florida. Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc. 2003. ISBN 1-891647-69-5.
5. "Santa Rosa County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
6. The Whole & True Discouerye of Terra Florida: A Facsimile Reprint of the London Edition of 1563, Together with a Transcript of an English Version in the British Museum. Florida state historical society. 1927. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8130-0544-7. ...for the son of the postmaster.