WELCOME
We opened in April of 2009, and since then, residents of the community have generously shared their pictures, genealogy, memories, household and work items to build our collection. Our first artifact was the medical bag of beloved midwife Tillie Miller, donated by Rita Brown Millender and John Brown. From then Carrabelle History Museum has grown to house thousands of items in its collections. Gratefully, we still receive wonderful local artifacts.
The museum is located in the Old Carrabelle City Hall, built by local mason Marvin Justiss in 1938 during the Depression as a work program to employ locals. The museum has two floors of exhibit rooms and areas to show collections with a large foyer for special displays. We have several exhibits that highlight the Shipwrecks of Dog Island; Carrabelle’s Heroes & Notables; the story of Tate’s Hell Swamp; the Steamship Tarpon, which was key to building our community in the early 1900's; and Carrabelle's "First People", Indigenous people who lived here thousands of years ago.
SPECIAL EXHIBIT: Foundations of Freedom – Carrabelle’s Role in America’s Story
In celebration of America’s 250th birthday, the Carrabelle History Museum presents “Foundations of Freedom – Carrabelle’s Role in America’s Story,” a special exhibit exploring the city’s history, civic leadership, and democratic traditions through artifacts, photographs, and stories. Made possible by a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, the exhibit highlights Carrabelle’s role in shaping local government and community life, featuring historic ballot boxes, election materials, municipal records, founding documents, and the stories of Carrabelle’s mayors through time. Housed in the city’s historic former City Hall, where local government once met and served the community, the exhibit offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience history in the very place it unfolded. The exhibit opens July 4 and runs through September 30, with sneak previews available July 2–3. Admission is free. Learn more details on this exhibit here: Special Exhibit: Foundations of Freedom – Carrabelle’s Role in America’s Story – Carrabelle History Museum
***