There are over 900 historic homes and buildings in the National Historic District.  Visitors are invited to stroll along the wide tree-lined streets where picturesque Victorian homes display the charm of years gone by. Apalachicola's rich history and a maritime culture are complimented by the area's bountiful natural resources. The Apalachicola River and Bay provide great fishing opportunities for both fresh and salt water fishing buffs. Outdoor enthusiasts can explore the endless bays and waterways by kayak, canoe, riverboat or sailboat

 

Visitors can also spend time browsing through the City's unique galleries, stores and antique shops or touring the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Center. Apalachicola was established in 1831. Shipping cotton was Apalachicola's big industry and it soon became the third largest port on the Gulf of Mexico. By the 1850s, the waterfront was lined with brick warehouses and broad streets to handle the loading and unloading of cotton. Steamboats laden with cotton came down the River and were unloaded. Then small shallow draft schooners (lighters) shuttled the cargo to ships moored offshore. As the railroads expanded throughout the United States, a new industry took shape in the city. Home to large cypress forests, Franklin County developed several big lumber mills in the late 1800s. Lumber magnates built many of the magnificent historic homes that line our streets. By the end of the 19th century, oysters and seafood became an important industry.

 

Today Franklin County harvests more than 90% of Florida's oysters and 10% of the oysters consumed in the nation. Shrimp, blue crab and finfish are also very important commercially, bringing in over $11 million worth of seafood to Franklin County docks annually.

 

Prior to establishment of the Port of Apalachicola in 1822, the county was occupied by Native Americans (primarily near the mouth of the Apalachicola River) for 10,000 years.

Named for Benjamin Franklin, Franklin County was established in 1832.   

 

Shipping cotton was the area’s first industry, helping to establish Apalachicola in 1831, and ensuring prosperous growth through the 1850s when Apalachicola became the third-largest port on the Gulf of Mexico.  With railroad expansion into Florida, large lumber mills were built to process lumber harvested from the area’s vast cypress forests.  Lumber magnates built luxurious homes in Apalachicola; many of these homes, in addition to cotton warehouses and other historic buildings, comprise the 200 buildings listed on the National Register in Apalachicola.

 

Oysters and other seafood including shrimp, fish and crabs also became an important industry in the late 1800s.  Today, Franklin County’s seafood industry accounts for $11 million annually, and more than 1,000 people are employed by the oyster industry in Franklin County (representing almost 10 percent of the county’s population).

 

 

 

 

Franklin County offers two lighthouses for your viewing pleasure, the Cape St. George Light on St. George Island and the Crooked River Lighthouse in Carrabelle. Both lighthouses boast rich histories of guiding mariners through Franklin County waters.

 

For nearly 100 years the Crooked River Lighthouse stood as a guiding light for ships, fishermen, and oystermen navigating the treacherous pass between Dog and St. George Islands. The 103 foot iron and steel structure was decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1995 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

The replica of the Crooked River Lighthouse Keeper’s House is under construction and should be opened as a museum in March, 2009. The project is funded by a grant from the Florida State Legislature and financial support from the City of Carrabelle. Plans for the original Crooked River Lighthouse Keeper’s house were used by Ken Smith, architect, to design the construction plans for the replica. The beauty of the project is that the museum will look like the original structure, but it will meet all current building codes and ADA (American with Disabilities Act) compliance.

 

A ribbon cutting and reception is planned for spring, 2009, when the building is completed. A grant from the Franklin County Tourist Development Council will assist with operating expenses. The museum will contain display spaces, a gift shop and a meeting room for educational presentations. Once the museum is open, the Crooked River Lighthouse will be open to the public on a regular basis for climbing. The museum is the final project to complete the Carrabelle Lighthouse Park, which already includes the restored and lighted Crooked River Lighthouse, a Pirate ship recreational playground, and a picnic pavilion, all nestled in a North Florida Forest habitat.

 

The Cape St. George Light which stands at the center of St. George Island, is the fourth reconstruction of the historic lighthouse that was originally built on what is now Little St. George Island.

 

In 1831 Congress appropriated $11,400 for the construction of a lighthouse to guide ships into the thriving port of Apalachicola. The first lighthouse was erected in 1833 near West Pass, but was difficult to see for maritime traffic approaching from the east. After suffering storm damage, it was ultimately dismantled and its bricks were used in the construction of a new tower, completed in 1848 at Cape St. George.

 

The second lighthouse fell during a hurricane in 1851. 

 

  The third lighthouse was completed in 1852, again using materials from its predecessor, but positioned this time 500 yards inland from the water’s edge.  For 153 years the Cape St. George Light valiantly served mariners well, but beach erosion ultimately resulted in its collapse on October 21, 2005.  

In a dramatic team effort involving private contractors, local volunteers, and government funding, the pieces of the Light were salvaged and moved to a storage site on the mainland. The St. George Lighthouse Association acquired the 1852 plans

 

from the National Archives and led the effort to reconstruct the lighthouse on St. George Island.   Volunteers gathered on weekends to carefully clean the old mortar off the salvaged bricks, and more than 22,000 original bricks were used in the rebuilding effort. Original granite door jambs and window lintels were re-installed in the reconstructed lighthouse. The iron lantern room, twisted beyond hope in the fall, was reforged using the original pieces as patterns.   With extensive community support and public and private funding, the Cape St. George Light was successfully rebuilt and opened to the public on December 1, 2008. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Sunday 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.  

 

 

There are plenty of places to visit, stay at or to enjoy a meal.  Take a weekend this summer and visit Apalachicola, Florida

 

 

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