population had doubled. Post-World War II, the boom continued and the area continued to see an influx of residents working in the service industry and in its strawberry fields. Bradford County's famous Strawberry Festival was born during this time, and it continues to attract thousands of visitors today. In the late 1980s, the city received national media attention during the proceedings of the Ted Bundy case and his eventual execution at Florida State Prison in nearby Raiford, Florida. It also received attention when Lawton Chiles was Florida governor as a notorious speed trap town, even having warning billboards placed on Interstate 10's exit onto south US 301. Other speed traps on this stretch of US 301 between I-10 and I-75 were Waldo, Lawtey, and Hampton. During this time, controversy would also arise over the cross located on the city's water tower, as national atheist groups condemned the community. In the early 2000s, a court motion was filed by American Atheists against the city to remove the cross, bringing Starke back into the national spotlight. The battle in court would prove contentious, with most city residents staunchly opposed to its removal. In 2007, a district judge ruled against the city, and the cross would later be moved to a location on private property. In later years, American Atheists attempted to have a Ten Commandments monument removed from the courtyard of the Bradford County Courthouse. A compromise was eventually reached however in this case. Geography Starke is located in east-central Bradford County. U.S. Route 301 passes through the center of the city, leading north to Baldwin and Interstate 10 (with Jacksonville through it) and southwest (via State Road 24) to Gainesville. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. Starke is located approximately west of Florida's National Guard base, Camp Blanding, and is approximately southeast of Florida State Prison, Union Correctional Institution, and New River East Correctional Institution. Climate Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 5,593 people, 2,003 households, and 1,350 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,273 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 67.05% White, 29.54% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.25% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were