Palatka

Seat of Putnam County, northeastern Florida, USA, on the St Johns River, 42 km/26 mi southwest of St Augustine; population (1990) 10,200. A river port and railway hub, it is a shipping point for lumber, wood products, foodstuffs, and other goods. Industrial activities include wood and paper milling, and furnituremaking. Commercial fishing is important, and local seafood, citrus, and vegetables are processed and packed. Palatka is celebrated for its azalea gardens and for its many restored 19th-century buildings. It is the seat of St Johns River Community College (1957).

Built on the site of an American Indian village, Palatka was founded as a trading post in 1821. It became a military outpost in the Seminole Wars, and developed as a distribution centre and resort in the late 19th century.