Carrabelle, Florida, a historic working community, is located right on the Gulf of Mexico in the eastern Florida Panhandle. A true fishing village, its people have been harvesting from the sea for more than 100 years. Shrimping, oystering, commercial and recreational game fishing together with lumber, turpentine, flour mills, the railroad and tourism have been the mainstays of Carrabelle’s economic development over the years.
Carrabelle's first boom time came after the Civil War when lumber and naval stores were the most important commodities. Its natural deep water port gave Carrabelle an edge. In 1875 the first lumber mill was established - cutting pine and cypress from upriver and in swamps and shipping it to the north and overseas.
Carrabelle's first boom time came after the Civil War when lumber and naval stores were the most important commodities. Its natural deep water port gave Carrabelle an edge. In 1875 the first lumber mill was established - cutting pine and cypress from upriver and in swamps and shipping it to the north and overseas.
March 10, 2024 Revisit (Facebook Post)
Traveling west from Sopchoppy, we stop in the small, sleepy town of Carrabelle. It was early Sunday morning, so there were no crowds. We walked through the downtown area, and of course stopped at the World’s Smallest Police Station (since 1963). We revisited the iconic bottle home and lighthouse which was made available for the public to explore by a local resident on their personal property. One rule (the sign) "𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒈𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒕."
Then ... Leaving Carrabelle (the town and the Crooked River lighthouse), on our way to Apalachicola, we catch a glimpse of 'artwork' along the roadside. We stop and have a conversation with Lamar Michelle (the Wizard) and see his work. Next stop - an old fishing village and a drive through Mexico Beach to see how they have recovered from Hurricane Michael.
Traveling west from Sopchoppy, we stop in the small, sleepy town of Carrabelle. It was early Sunday morning, so there were no crowds. We walked through the downtown area, and of course stopped at the World’s Smallest Police Station (since 1963). We revisited the iconic bottle home and lighthouse which was made available for the public to explore by a local resident on their personal property. One rule (the sign) "𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒈𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒕."
Then ... Leaving Carrabelle (the town and the Crooked River lighthouse), on our way to Apalachicola, we catch a glimpse of 'artwork' along the roadside. We stop and have a conversation with Lamar Michelle (the Wizard) and see his work. Next stop - an old fishing village and a drive through Mexico Beach to see how they have recovered from Hurricane Michael.
- - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - -
We found the smallest police station in America. Located on Rt 98. It seems years earlier, when the town was young and felt the need for a police presence, they economically provided an office with phone - a phone booth! The story from locals we talked to was that the 'police station' only remained in operation for a short period of time. Residents, it seemed, realized that the officer would be absent from the 'station' periodically to attend to an emergency, leaving the office and phone available.
After photographing the police station, we inquired about the possibility of other interesting sites in town and became aware a home owner that constructed a storage building and lighthouse made out of used bottles. The owner, we were told, did not have a problem with visitors entering their property - all they asked was "please close the gate when leaving".
Photo Ops:
Resources:
Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrabelle,_Florida
History ... www.carrabellehistorymuseum.org/
Things To Do ... carrabelle.org/things-to-do/day-trips/
Official website ... www.mycarrabelle.com/
We found the smallest police station in America. Located on Rt 98. It seems years earlier, when the town was young and felt the need for a police presence, they economically provided an office with phone - a phone booth! The story from locals we talked to was that the 'police station' only remained in operation for a short period of time. Residents, it seemed, realized that the officer would be absent from the 'station' periodically to attend to an emergency, leaving the office and phone available.
After photographing the police station, we inquired about the possibility of other interesting sites in town and became aware a home owner that constructed a storage building and lighthouse made out of used bottles. The owner, we were told, did not have a problem with visitors entering their property - all they asked was "please close the gate when leaving".
Photo Ops:
- hmmmmm - oh! the Police Station
- the bottle House and bottle Lighthouse
- Artifacts in History Museum
Resources:
Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrabelle,_Florida
History ... www.carrabellehistorymuseum.org/
Things To Do ... carrabelle.org/things-to-do/day-trips/
Official website ... www.mycarrabelle.com/
