History and culture
Lafayette's county-seat story makes Mayo more than a dot
Lafayette County's move from New Troy to Mayo gives this small Suwannee River county a courthouse story, a fire story, and a clear reason Mayo anchors the map.
Mayo is small, but it sits at the center of a county-seat story with a real turn in it.
Lafayette County was created in 1856 from part of Madison County. At that time, the county also included land that later became Dixie County. The Suwannee River forms the county’s eastern edge, so the local map has long been tied to water, roads, farms, and distance.
The old county seat was New Troy. After the courthouse burned on New Year’s Eve in 1892, the seat moved to Mayo in 1893. Lafayette County now describes Mayo as its only incorporated town. That makes Mayo more than a small dot between bigger places. It is where the public business of the county settled after fire changed the old plan.
If you are passing through, check county pages and local hours before turning it into a history stop. Then give the town a slower look. Courthouse towns often tell their story in plain pieces: the square, the road, the river nearby, the library, the old names, and the reason everyone kept coming back to that spot.
Where to see it
Mayo, Lafayette County courthouse areas, and Suwannee River country nearby. Check county, town, courthouse, library, park, and event details before planning a history stop.
Connected places
These place pages create the local paths back to this note.
Official sources
Last checked against these sources: July 7, 2026.
Related Florida notes
Picked from shared places, counties, topics, or tags.
History and culture
Troy Spring holds a steamboat story under the water
Troy Spring State Park in Lafayette County has clear spring water and the Civil War-era wreck of the Madison below the surface.
Read this note ->Rules and licenses
Lafayette County development starts with Building Department
Lafayette County routes development checks through its Building Department, including permit and zoning files.
Read this note ->Outdoors
Lafayette Blue Springs puts the Suwannee on a small spring map
Lafayette Blue Springs State Park near Mayo ties clear spring water, Suwannee River paddling, cabins, camping, and quiet North Florida shade together.
Read this note ->History and culture
Stephen Foster puts White Springs on the Suwannee song map
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park ties White Springs, folk music, crafts, and the Suwannee River into one Hamilton County stop.
Read this note ->History and culture
Hart Springs is Gilchrist's Suwannee side door
Hart Springs gives Gilchrist County a spring-fed swimming, camping, and river-access story tied to the Suwannee River.
Read this note ->History and culture
Ybor City keeps Tampa's cigar story visible
Ybor City is Tampa's old cigar district, with hundreds of historic buildings still shaping the neighborhood.
Read this note ->