Apalachicola

“Apalach," as it is known by locals, is far from a typical tourist town.  Visitors to Apalachicola immediately know that they are in a very special place. 

Apalachicola, synonymous with character and authenticity, is a small, rural coastal town located on the Apalachicola River and Bay in Florida's northwest panhandle.  Its colorful and diverse past remains very visible today in its natural setting and its many historic buildings and homes and historic sites.  Selected as one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Dozen Distinctive Destinations in 2008, this city’s residents strongly believe the retention of its historic environment and structures is critical to both its economy and quality of life.

More than 900 homes and buildings are listed in Apalachicola's National Register Historic District.  Wide, tree-lined streets with picturesque historic homes display the wealth and craftsmanship from the 19th and 20th centuries.  The original town plan, developed in the 1830s, remains intact.  Its streets and avenues once featured rows of brick and granite three-story cotton warehouses, a working waterfront and a charming commercial center. 

Ships’ stores, old net factories and a sponge warehouse now house a mix of eclectic and discretely sophisticated shops, restaurants, galleries and meticulously restored hotels, bed and breakfasts and guest houses.  These locally owned and operated businesses create a quaint and friendly atmosphere for visitors, as well as local residents.  A grand old theater lies in the center of town.  Restored in 1997, the Dixie Theatre brings professional theater and music to Apalachicola, January through March.

Noteworthy citizens of Apalachicola include Dr. John Gorrie, who during the yellow fever epidemic developed a machine that produced ice to cool his patients.  His invention laid the groundwork for modern refrigeration and air conditioning.  A contemporary of Gorrie, and a fellow resident of Apalachicola, was botanist Alvan Chapman.  Chapman wrote the monumental and much applauded “Flora of the Southern United States.”

Seafood is an important component of our economy and cultural identity.  Apalachicola is noted for having some of the finest oysters in the world.  Apalachicola harvests 90 percent of the oysters sold in Florida and 10 percent of the nationwide supply.  Shrimp, fish and crabs are also harvested from Apalachicola Bay. 

The waterfront is dotted with fishing vessels that proudly show the patina of years of service.  These ships regularly net for shrimp and fish in our gulf waters.  Smaller bay boats, moored or trailered locally, daily tong for oysters in the many shallow bay areas.  A diverse selection of acclaimed restaurants features fresh, locally harvested seafood that is brought to the docks daily.  Apalachicola Bay and most of its drainage basin encompass what is considered one of the least polluted, most undeveloped, ecologically diverse systems left in the United States.

Apalachicola is buffered from over development by public lands.  More than 87 percent of Franklin County is held in state or federal preserves or forests.  In addition, strict building codes that stress low-density development and a height limit of three stories are maintained throughout the county.  In 1979, the lower river and bay system was designated a National Estuarine Research Reserve by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

The Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, encompassing more than 246,000 acres, is the second largest in the nation.  The reserve includes the bay with its associated tidal creeks, marshes and bayous; portions of the lower 52 miles of the Apalachicola River and its flood plain; and portions of the offshore barrier islands.  The state of Florida also designated the Apalachicola River as an Outstanding Florida Water.  In 1984, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated the reserve a Biosphere Reserve under the International Man and the Biosphere program.

Apalachicola is located on the Big Bend Scenic Byway, a 220-mile scenic byway that traverses upland pine forests and grasslands to coastal marshes, bays and rivers.  www.floridabigbendscenicbyway.com.