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 1933 during the Depression as a work program to employ locals. The museum has exhibits rooms to display collections, a large entry hall for special displays, and a workroom/office for the volunteers to process the incoming artifacts. We have several displays that highlight Local Heroes; 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.
SHIPWRECKS OF DOG ISLAND
Saturday, January 15, 2022, at 10 am - 12 pm
The Carrabelle History Museum is presenting a fascinating history program about the Shipwrecks of Dog Island. This program features Florida historian, Chuck Meide, and will be held in the upstairs room at C-Quarters Marina, 501 St. James Ave (Hwy 98), Carrabelle, FL.
This presentation will explore Dog Island’s rich maritime history, and especially focus on those shipwrecks that resulted from the Category 5 direct hit, the “Carrabelle Hurricane” in 1899. In prehistory Dog Island was used as a campground by Paleo-Indians. It served as a safe harbor for European explorers and smugglers and later for fishermen and lumber tradesmen. Dog Island served as an amphibious training site during World War II. Most recently, Hurricane Michael uncovered parts of two ships that were shipwrecked during the 1899 event.
Chuck Meide is a maritime archaeologist and the Director of Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program (LAMP) for over 15 years. LAMP is a program by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum to conduct research and maritime archaeology in St. Augustine and the State of Florida. Chuck has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Anthropology with a focus in underwater archaeology from Florida State University and has undertaken Ph.D. studies in Historical Archaeology at the College of William and Mary.
There is no fee for this program. Donations are gladly accepted to defray costs.
Sponsored by C-Quarters Marina, Sunset Isle RV Resort and Shaun Donahoe Realty. Funding in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.
Seating will be limited and masks are optional. Attendees are asked to follow health guidelines including social distancing and sanitizing hands. For more information, contact 850-697-2141.
Sponge Diving in Carrabelle and the North Gulf Coast of Florida
Exhibit Extended!
Funded in part by Franklin County Tourist Development Council