Penney Farms, FL

Tucked into the rural center of Clay County along State Road 16, Penney Farms is a quiet, tree-shaded town roughly eight miles west of Green Cove Springs. Department store founder J. C. Penney established the settlement in the 1920s, originally envisioning a large-scale farming cooperative. When economic conditions shifted, he redirected his efforts toward building a peaceful retirement haven for ministers and church workers. That unique history shaped the community into the calm, distinctive enclave it is today.

ATTREbyabe / CC BY-SA 3.0

The heart of the area remains the historic Penney Retirement Community, known for its picturesque cottages and stone memorial church set beneath canopies of massive live oaks. While the town maintains its own small municipal government and local services, the overall feel is slow-paced and tight-knit. It offers residents a genuine country setting while keeping shopping, dining, and healthcare in nearby Green Cove Springs and the greater Jacksonville area well within reach.