C-Bro pages Cover,pg4,pg5:Layout 1 10/14/08 9:48 AM Page 1 'S VISITOR GUIDE GATEWAY TO THE GULF CARRABELLE • LANARK BEACH • ALLIGATOR POINT • DOG ISLAND • ST. GEORGE ISLAND C-Bro pages 1-10:Layout 1 10/11/08 11:22 AM Page 2 C-Bro pages 1-10:Layout 1 10/11/08 11:22 AM Page 3 C-Bro pages Cover,pg4,pg5:Layout 1 10/14/08 9:48 AM Page 2 Whether Looking to Invest, Live, Work or Play. There’s Never Been a Better Time to Come to Carrabelle. We Make Buying and Selling a Breeze – Customer Service is Our Specialty! • Residential • Commercial • Investment • Property Management • Vacation and Long Term Rentals Give Us a Call Today - We Do It All! 84 tallahassee St. • Carrabelle, FL 32322 • 850.697.5300 • www.mysandybeach.com ROYCE ROLSTAD PHOTOGRAPHY GEMENTS DINGS • ENGA WED NS IAL OCCASIO RAITS • SPEC FAMILY PORT m adphotography.co • www.roycerolst 1-850-653-5586 C-Bro pg5:Layout 1 10/14/08 1:10 PM Page 1 Carrabelle Visitor’s Guide The Official Publication of The Carrabelle Area Chamber of Commerce. Carrabelle offers white sand beaches unlimited opportunities for fishing, great places to shop and excellent restaurants. But there is a difference - here you will find virtually no traffic or crowds, a quiet coastal community - truly one of the last unspoiled destinations in Florida. Carrabelle, Florida Gateway to the Gulf 5 Traveling to Carrabelle 6 History Of Carrabelle 7 Carrabelle-Great Place to Play, Live and Work! 9 Discover Carrabelle Beach 11 Parks in the Carrabelle Area 12 The Crooked River Lighthouse 17 St. James Bay Golf Resort 19 The World’s Smallest Police Station 21 Tate’s Hell State Forest 23 Cape St. George Lighthouse 25 Things To Do Around Carrabelle 31 Nourishing the Spirit 32 Contents Events 33 Boating and Fishing 35 Dog Island 37 Birding 39 Aligator Point 41 Camp Gordon Johnston Museum 43 St. George Island 45 Membership Directory 47 Pho to Credit: Front Cover: Royce Rolsta John B. Spoh d Phot rer, Jr.: ography: Debbie www.forgo www.roycerolstadphotog Hooper Aerial ttencoastoutdoors.com Carra Rod T. Photograp raphy.com bel le Gasche,Stephan hy: www.joebay.com Area C Concept ie Park P.O. hamb er & Desig er, Mark Myrick, Drawer of Com Ad n: Contact Ron DD mer Sales: Sheila Kathy Fo Dickey, • Carrabelle, ce Hauser rd-Boyd Brothers Sheila Hauser (850) 697-2585 FL 32322 Printing at Officers 850.510.6665 www.carrabellechamber.org Presid Exe ent: Sheila Haus cutive Director: er Secreta [email protected] Sha Suzanne Zim ry: Carol Zurawka ron Thoman, S merman Direc Treasurer: kip Frink, Carol tors: Paula Caru Paul Marxsen Zurawka, Paul thers, Ann Wils Marxsen, Ron Gempel on, David Butler, and Dan Cox. Cheree Wood, Cheryl Ann Griffin, Barney Crutchfield C-Bro pages 1-10:Layout 1 10/11/08 11:23 AM Page 6 Carrabelle, Florida Gateway to the Gulf “This area is like no other I've seen. Fresh water, salt water, rivers, lakes, ocean, bay, marsh, forest, beach..... they're all literally just minutesfrom you, if not in your backyard” . Located in the Panhandle just southwest of Tallahassee, Carrabelle is the last vestige of Old Florida, a haven for discriminating people who love the coastal outdoors but shy away from crowds. Three pristine rivers converge at Carrabelle and connect with the Gulf of Mexico, providing access to unstressed salt and freshwater fishing grounds. Tarpon, Redfish, Grouper, Snapper, Trout, Cobia; just a sample of the species that inhabit our waters. Carrabelle’s waterfront combines the authenticity of a working waterfront with the fun of recreational fishing and boating. Charter fishing is readily available. Carrabelle connects to 750,000 acres of public forest for hunting, hiking, birding, trail-riding- or just enjoying the passage of eagles, deer, blue heron, osprey and black bear. White sand beaches at Carrabelle Beach and Dog Island beckon beachcombers, swimmers and snorkelers. A full–service airport provides for recre ational flying as well as easy access to the area. In Carrabelle you experience “Old Florida”. There are no high rise hotels and con dominiums blocking your view, no four lane traffic congestion, just beautiful beaches, rich river marshes, boundless wildlife and a genuine welcoming spirit. Carrabelle invites you ...... Relax, kick back and join the fun! 5 C-Bro pages 1-10:Layout 1 10/11/08 11:23 AM Page 7 dle ulf of Mexico in Florida's Panhan Carrabelle is located along the G g 0 miles East of Panama City. velin Tallahassee and 8 Tra s southwest of and 55 mile s which features more than 200 mile rabelle is part of Franklin County Car barrier islands elle ped shoreline including the four Carrab of relatively undevelo to d. St. George and St. Vincent Islan of St. George, Dog Island, Cape Carrabelle can be essible via US Highway 98. By air, Carrabelle is acc ty rts in Tallahassee and Panama Ci reached through commercial airpo elle at 850.697.2727. and the private airport in Carrab CITIES: MILEAGE FROM SELECTED emphis, TN 574 Atlanta, GA 351 M iami, FL 561 Birmingham, AL 334 M ontgomery, AL 244 Chicago, IL 933 M ashville, TN 525 Columbia, SC 532 N ew Orleans, LA 388 Dallas, TX 884 N rlando, FL 334 Detroit, MI 1055 O ensacola, FL 162 Houston, TX 712 P t. Louis, MO 831 Indianapolis, IN 811 S allahassee, FL 80 Jackson, MS 436 T ampa, FL 298 Little Rock, AR 707 T Here: Getting Panama City-Bay County International Airport (PFN) 850/763-6751 Approximately one hour and 40 minutes, by car, from Franklin County; Weather: served by ASA Delta Connection, Chautauqua Airlines, ComAir, Freedom Airlines and Northwest Airlink. Car rental agencies include: Carrabelle weath er is generally tempera Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National. sum te, even on the hottest mer days you can gene rally catch a cooling s The winters ar ea breeze. Tallahassee Regional Airport (TLH) e wonderful – brisk nigh ts and sunny cool days. 850/891-78007800850-891-7802 Approximately one hour and thirty minutes by car to Franklin Month Air Temp Water Tem County; served by Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest January p 54 64 Airlink and US Airways Express. Car rental agencies include: February 56 64 Alamo, Avis, Dollar Rent A Car, Enterprise, Hertz and National. March 61 72 Classic Limo and Sedan Service: (850/421-1933) April 68 73 May Apalachicola Municipal Airport (AAF) 74 79 June 850/653-8861 80 82 Located two miles northwest of downtown Apalachicola; offers three July 81 83 concrete runways in excess of 5,000 feet long and 150 feet wide. August 81 83 FBO services include jet fuel; aircraft cleaning, rental, sales and service; September hangar storage; maintenance; pilot lounge; secure ramp; tiedown 79 83 October and weather radar. 71 81 November 61 73 Carrabelle-Thompson Airport December 56 70 850.697.2727 Located .03 miles West of Carrabelle on Airport Road and is owned by the City of Carrabelle The concrete runway is 4,000 feet long. FBO services include jet fuel. 6 C-Bro pages 1-10:Layout 1 10/11/08 11:23 AM Page 8 History of Carrabelle Carrabelle is located on St. James Island, although you may never realize it unless you look closely at a map of the area. The “Isle of St. James” is surrounded by bays, rivers, and an offshore barrier island known as Dog Island. The history of Dog Island and Carrabelle includes a wonderful mix of Indians, shipping, bootlegging, logging and war. Rio Carrabella was the name of the town recognized by the first post office in this area and was said to mean “beautiful river”. Early settlers in the area, both Indians and early Europeans, hunted the bountiful game for food and furs, which were then shipped out of St. Marks. Carrabelle’s boom time came after the Civil War when lumber and naval stores were the most important commodities. In 1875 the first lumber mill was established - cutting pine and cypress from up river and in the swamps, and shipping it to the north. Ships, mainly schooners, would come through the pass and drop anchor behind Dog Island in Ballast Cove, so named because the ships would drop their ballast be - fore sailing into Carrabelle to pick up their cargo. You may to this day, find ballast rock in the cove. By 1893 there were many lumber and saw mills along the Carrabelle River and the downtown area was es - tablished around Coombs Mill, close to the mouth of the river. The town was incorporated in May, 1893 and during this time, the area flourished - docks were stacked high with lumber and turpentine. There was a railroad station from which trains carried salted down mullet and other goods to points north, as well as bringing in needed supplies for the residents. The railroad also brought tourists from Tallahassee to stay at the Lanark Springs Hotel, a luxurious resort hotel. A disastrous hurricane hit the town head on at the turn of the century and it was at this time that the downtown area was moved to its present location. The town was rebuilt, and many of today’s larger buildings were built during the early part of the 1900’s. This was a boom time for Carrabelle. Lumber and turpentine were king. During a short period, Greek sailors came and began a flourishing sponge industry. Between World War I and World War II, Carrabelle went into a severe economic slump.