Lake City and Columbia County

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Lake City was founded in the 1820s as Alligator--named after a Seminole town--and was made the county seat of Columbia County in 1839. The abundance of lakes and pride in the quiet, natural surroundings led to the citizens of Alligator changing the name of the town to Lake City in 1859. During the Civil War, the Battle of Olustee took place a few miles east of Lake City, forever changing the town. After the war, Lake City became an important place for education with the founding of Florida Agriculture College in 1884; the college was the predecessor of the University of Florida, and its location is now home to the Veterans Administration Hospital. In the 20th century, Lake City and Columbia County expanded the area's agriculture, education, and transportation opportunities. Lake City is centrally located in Columbia County at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Interstate 75, marking the city as the gateway to Florida.