Welcome to the Carrabelle History Museum
Carrabelle’s Old City Hall wins a 2020 Florida Preservation Award
One of the most long standing efforts of the Carrabelle Waterfront Partnership over the past 12 years has been the restoration of Carrabelle’s Old City Hall and its reuse as the Carrabelle History Museum. The partnership between the City of Carrabelle and the Carrabelle Historical Society was recognized on Thursday, July 30 by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation with a 2020 Florida Preservation Award. These Florida Preservation Awards recognize people, organizations and communities who have worked to protect Florida’s extraordinary history and heritage.
The Florida Preservation Award “nominations were made by the public with recipients selected by a jury from around the state representing a variety of backgrounds and experiences” according to the press release from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. “Although we are living in unprecedented times, it was important to us to continue our work recognizing excellence in historic preservation in our state,” said Florida Trust Board President Friederike Mittner. “Thank you to our award winners for all they do for preservation in our state.”
Now home to the Carrabelle History Museum, Carrabelle’s original City Hall was constructed in the 1930s Depression Era by Marvin N. Justiss, a local mason. He used handmade concrete blocks and bricks. The building was described at the time of its construction as one of the finest buildings in the state for a city of this size. The structure is a two story brick vernacular style of that period. “The restoration of this vital part of Carrabelle’s history was and is an important achievement”, says Tamara Allen, Director, Carrabelle Historical Society and Carrabelle History Museum. “The mission of the Carrabelle Historical Society is to preserve the history and culture of Carrabelle and to serve as an inspiration for the future. Rehabilitating the Old City Hall, such a significant anchor in the heart of our historical downtown, is a meaningful part of that mission.”
This project’s success was due to a true cooperative effort of many partners - the Carrabelle Waterfront Partnership, Carrabelle Historical Society, Florida Department of State–Division of Historical Resources, the City of Carrabelle, MLD Architects and Godfrey Builders. According to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, “The project promotes the concept that sustainability of a historic site begins with its ability to engage its community. The Historic Carrabelle City Hall is not only significant for its long-standing association with the history of Florida, but also because of its past and future legacy of a commitment to serve, teach, inspire and support both current and future generations.”
For more information, contact the Carrabelle History Museum at 850-697-2141 or carrabellehistorymuseum@gmail.com or go to https://www.floridatrust.org/post/florida-trust-for-historic-preservation-announces-2020-florida-preservation-awards.
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COVID-19 UPDATE
We are pleased to announce that the Carrabelle History Museum has joined Franklin County's "Pledge to Protect" program in partnership with the Franklin County Department of Health and the Tourist Development Council! We, at the Carrabelle History Museum, are committed to clean and healthy standards for our guests and volunteers to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
As part of this pledge, anyone wishing to visit the Carrabelle History Museum will be required to wear a face mask or facial covering. Many of our guests and volunteers are apt to be in a high-risk demographic. We are implementing this policy as the safety of our visitors and volunteers is our priority. Children younger than 6 are not required to wear a mask. We will also continue our enhanced cleaning and disinfecting practices and following minimized contact and social distancing whenever possible.
For those individuals with medical conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask, the museum would be glad to make reasonable accommodation when necessary to provide access for those with disabilities. An individual in need of an accommodation for a disability can contact us to request a scheduled private tour when we are not open to the public (staff permitting.)
Thank you in advance for your thoughtfulness.
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WELCOME
Welcome to the Carrabelle History Museum. Opened in April of 2009, the Carrabelle History Museum has now turned 10 years old! Residents of the community have generously shared their pictures, genealogy, memories, household and work items to build our collection. The museum’s first artifact was the medical bag of beloved midwife Tillie Miller, donated by Rita Brown Millender and John Brown. From that very first artifact the museum has grown to now house thousands of items in its collections and gratefully the museum is still receiving 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 4 rooms to display its 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", natives who lived here thousands of years ago.
The building has undergone extensive restorations thanks to Museum Director, Tamara Allen. She has written $250,000 in historical preservation grants from the state of Florida for the City of Carrabelle. The building restoration is nearing completion and the museum plans to expand into the newly refinished upstairs exhibit area in 2020.
%20best%20resized%20for%20web.jpg "Carrabelle History Museum 2019 in Old City Hall") |
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| Carrabelle History Museum in the Old City Hall, Carrabelle, FL |
Location
Visit the Carrabelle History Museum at 106 Avenue B, SE, in the heart of downtown. The Museum is one block south of US 98. Turn south on Marine Street and left (east) at the first corner. The Museum is the third building on your left. We are within walking distance to the Carrabelle Visitors Center and the World's Smallest Police Station.
Hours (starting Oct 1, 2018)
We have reopened after our temporary closure due to COVID-19 precautions! The Carrabelle History Museum is open Wednesdays 12-5 pm, Thursdays 10 am-5 pm, Fridays 10 am-5 pm, Saturdays 10 am-5 pm and Sundays 12-5 pm. We gladly open any other day by appointment except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Just call 850-697-2141 or 850-524-1153 to arrange a tour. Field trips and buses are welcome.
Admission Fees
Entry to our Museum is free but donations are always welcome.
Our Mission
The Mission of the Carrabelle History Museum is to preserve the history and culture of Carrabelle as a record of where we have been, how we got here and to serve as an inspiration for the future.
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| City of Carrabelle Tugboat at Lumber Dock, Carrabelle, FL, circa 1880s |
Collaborators and Supporters
The Carrabelle History Museum is a project of the local non-profit organization, Carrabelle CARES. It is sponsored by the Carrabelle History Society and the City of Carrabelle with support from the Franklin County Tourist Development Council with a community partnership from the Franklin County Public Library.
