Apalachicola Tourist Attractions
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The little town of Apalachicola in the Panhandle of Florida has a charming old Historic District. It is now the centre of Florida's oyster fisheries (Apalachicola Bay). Within easy reach of the town are the offshore St George Island with its beautiful beaches; St Vincent Island, a nature reserve (turtles, various species of birds); and the St Joseph Peninsula, an unspoiled region with magnificent beaches. Two areas popular with nature-lovers are the Apalachicola National Estuarine Reserve (the estuary of the Apalachicola River) and, farther inland, the Apalachicola National Forest. On the southern edge of the Apalachicola Forest is Fort Gadsden (1814).
Apalachicola Maritime Museum
The Apalachicola Maritime Museum has been re-founded to commemorate the maritime history of Apalachicola in the form of a maritime museum. Highlights include active sailing, boat building and restoration, and educational programs, which provide insight into the rich history of the Gulf coastal region and river systems. The museum was reborn with the arrival of the L. Francis Herreschoff designed 58' wooden ketch, Quark, into Apalachicola bay. The Quark has since been renamed to Heritage of Apalachicola and offers sailing trips.
John Gorrie State Museum
John Gorrie moved to the area in the 1800s and served as mayor, postmaster, city treasurer, council member, bank director and founder of Trinity Church while living in Apalachicola. He was a young physician who invented a machine that lay the groundwork for modern refrigeration and air-conditioning. Gorrie died in 1855, unable to witness the impact of his invention.
