APALACHICOLA, FL. and GOOD-BYE TO FLORIDA

Bridge to and from Apalachicola from Carrabelle Beach.

In my last post we stopped at the bridge that links Eastpoint to Apalachicola, the town that inadvertently evoked the tagline "The Forgotten Coast'.  Although small (pop. 2,500) we found Apalachicola to be so charming and picturesque it seemed to me it needed its own little posting rather than be clumped in with Franklin County as a whole.

Driving west to Apalachicola, you cross an almost 6 mile/10 km bridge that is actually a causeway then a bridge another causeway then another bridge. Florida has lots of water in one form or another and a huge ragged coast line; you can pretty much bet you will be crossing a bridge of some kind or other when traveling.

Although it's a small town (very small), Apalachicola, the County Seat of Franklin County, has quite a lot to do and some pretty interesting history.  In 1827, the town was incorporated with the name West Point; hmm now we know why there is a town called Eastpoint to the east. The name was changed to Apalachicola in 1831. Before the development of railways in the Gulf states, Apalachicola was the third busiest port in the Gulf of Mexico (behind New Orleans and Mobile).  In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the sponge trade, led by Greek immigrants, was a major industry in town. Apalachicola is still the home port for a variety of seafood workers, including oyster harvesters and shrimpers. It is said that more than 90% of Florida's oyster production is harvested from Apalachicola Bay.

Part causeway.

Being lovers of seafood, this makes Erik and me very happy indeed. We have purchased flounder, oysters, shrimp, and grouper and it is fresh. Very fresh. Apalachicola is the Oyster Capital of the World, according to their welcome sign and who are we to argue the point.

Apalachicola offers tourists maritime history, a still-working waterfront plus great restaurants that serve only the freshest seafood on the Gulf Coast. Again, who are we to argue with this claim.
We spent a day there, a day when the sun was shining and you know everything looks good with a blue, blue sky and bright sunshine. The town makes you think of a movie depiction of how a happy little town in the 1950s would look; comfy, cozy, amiable, friendly with pretty houses sitting on wide lawns. Everyone is happy and it's so delightful to eat lunch outside.

There is an award-winning historic district to explore and shopping in many one-of-a-kind boutiques. According to the hype that you read about this small town, there are many places of interest to visit and as many as 900 historic homes that have been preserved and continue to be lived in today. I spent some time taking photos of a few, but 900, nope, couldn't get them all.

This was one of the few old homes that looked as if it has been neglected.

Wrap-around verandahs and porches feature in most of the houses.

Just needs a mint julep to be perfect.

This elegant home is now a bank.

This is a popular Inn.

A picture of some shops. Typical of  the downtown area.

Apalachicola’s Dixie Theatre has been a cultural landmark for almost 100 years. The Dixie Theatre opened in 1913 and featured a front marquee that glowed with more than 100 electric lights, a ticket office and a sunken pit for the orchestra. In 1929 The Dixie opened its doors to the town’s first talking picture. A major renovation by the Partington family brought this cultural icon back to life in 1998. Today, the theatre hosts annual season theatre and music performances. I think this is an amazing feat for a town with a population of 1,500 and only 11,600 in the entire county.

This is where we had lunch. Crab cakes and the best potato salad for me and Gumbo for Erik. Delicious.

Erik patiently waiting while I take a photo. This is where we sat outside in January.

This guy sits outside of a store that specializes in sponges and all things sponge.

A local mico-brewery.

And now it's time to leave Florida and move west into Alabama, Mobile to be exact. We are looking forward to experiencing the 'deep South' for ourselves and being served up some Southern hospitality.