BlockFrom the record
8 National Register listings published here, 1 of them a National Historic Landmark.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Franklin County, Florida
105 topographic sheets cover 30 settlements here, and 8 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 517 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 8 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 3 buildings, 2 districts, 2 structures and 1 site.
- 5 of the 8 listings were added during the 1970s.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 30 populated places in this county; 30 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
Places on the National Register
8Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Apalachicola Historic District | district | 1980 | 80000951 |
 | Cape St. George Light | structure | 1974 | 74000625 |
 | Crooked River Lighthouse | structure | 1978 | 78000941 |
| Downtown Carrabelle Historic District | district | 2024 | 100009459 | |
 | Fort Gadsden Historic Memorial | site | 1972 | 72000318 |
 | David G. Raney House | building | 1972 | 72000316 |
 | Saint Paul A.M.E. Church | building | 2025 | 100011954 |
 | Trinity Episcopal Church | building | 1972 | 72000317 |
Photographs from libraries nationwide
7 of 33 shownSelected from the Digital Public Library of America's 33 image records catalogued for this county. Every one shown here carries a public-domain status or a licence that permits reuse on a site that carries advertising; non-commercial, share-alike and restricted images are excluded. The selection is spread across the county's towns (at most eight per town), so no single institution's bulk upload crowds out the rest. Each opens the holding library's record, and the complete set at the Digital Public Library of America is one click away.
The county from the air
43 shownFlown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 1,405 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 43 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.
Weather records
8 stations, 2 gagesThe thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.
- CARRABELLE 1 NNW 1893 to 1974, hottest 40.0 C, coldest -13.9 C
- APALACHICOLA AP 1931 to 2026, hottest 39.4 C, coldest -12.8 C
- APALACHICOLA AP 1998 to 2026, hottest 38.9 C, coldest -6.7 C
- CARRABELLE 0.4 NE 2001 to 2013
- ST. GEORGE ISLAND 2.2 ENE 2002 to 2018
- APALACHICOLA 0.8 WNW 2013 to 2024
- EASTPOINT 1.4 NW 2016 to 2021
- EASTPOINT 5.8 SSE 2018 to 2023
- APALACHICOLA RIVER NR SUMATRA,FLA. 1977 to 2026
- HUCKLEBERRY CREEK NEAR APALACHICOLA FL 1984 to 1988
The 1950 census, district by district
13 districtsWho lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.
- 19-1Commissioner's District 1
- 19-2Apalachicola city - That part in Commissioner's District 2
- 19-3Apalachicola city - That part comprising Commissioner's District 3
- 19-4Apalachicola city - That part in Commissioner's District 4, northwest of Ave. J and north of 10th
- 19-5Apalachicola city - That part in Commissioner's District 4 south of 10th and southeast of Ave. J
- 19-6Apalachicola city - That part in Commissioner's District 4 south of Ave. E.north of Ave. D and east of 7th
- 19-7Commissioner's District 2 - That part outside Apalachicola city, including part of St. George Island and all other islands in this enumeration district, and excluding Cape St. George U.S. Lighthouse
- 19-8Cape St. George U.S. Lighthouse (In Commissioner's District 2) (Remainder of Commissioner's District 2 is in Apalachicola city)
- 19-9Commissioner's District 4 - That part outside Apalachicola city (Remainder of Commissioner's District 4 is in Apalachicola city)
- 19-10Commissioner's District 5: Carrabelle city - That part Bounded by City limits; City limits; Division; Fifth
- 19-11Carrabelle city - That part Bounded by City limits; Fifth, Division, Berry; Curtis Avenue; City limits
- 19-12Carrabelle city - That part Bounded by Curtis Ave., Berry, Division; City limits; City limits; City limits
- 19-13Commissioner's District 5 - That part outside Carrabelle city, including part of St. George Island and all other islands in this enumeration district
Wildfire, 1992 to 2020
746 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 746 of them, burning about 34,881 acres. 186 started naturally and 45 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Natural | 186 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 122 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 116 |
| Debris and open burning | 98 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 83 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 45 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 35 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 22 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 21 |
| Smoking | 11 |
| Fireworks | 4 |
| Other causes | 3 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 March 2000 | Debris and open burning | 3,000 acres | National Forests in Florida | BOUNDARY ROAD |
| 13 May 2008 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2,100 acres | Florida Forest Service | (19) PASTURE FIRE |
| 4 July 2019 | Natural | 1,620 acres | Florida Forest Service | WIMICO (19-5) |
| 6 April 2007 | Debris and open burning | 1,500 acres | Florida Forest Service | (19) BOX R RANCH ESCAPE FIRE |
| 24 March 2009 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1,351 acres | National Forests in Florida | BRICKYARD |
| 3 June 2011 | Natural | 1,307 acres | St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge | C-4 |
| 21 August 2015 | Natural | 1,301 acres | St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge | DRY BAR FIRE |
| 8 August 1993 | Natural | 1,196 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1950 to 2026
60 of 192 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 192 reports for this county, causing 6 deaths, 10 injuries and about $5,940,780 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 90 |
| Tornado | 48 |
| Flash Flood | 16 |
| Hail | 12 |
| Waterspout | 11 |
| Heavy Rain | 8 |
| Wildfire | 3 |
| Lightning | 1 |
| Storm Surge/Tide | 1 |
| Flood | 1 |
| Funnel Cloud | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1989 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | 3 killed, 4 hurt, $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| May 1951 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | 3 killed, $250,000 | no account filed |
| September 1969 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | 3 hurt, $25,000 | no account filed |
| November 1961 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | 1 hurt, $25,000 | no account filed |
| October 1996 | Tornado (F1) | Apalachicola | 1 hurt, $10,000 | no account filed |
| October 2001 | Lightning | Carrabelle | 1 hurt, $5,000 | Lightning struck the Franklin County Jail and disabled the 911 dispatch telephone system for several hours. The Franklin County EOC was activated and utilized as a back-up 911 dispatch center until the communication system was repaired. One employee, a 911 dispatcher, suffered minor injuries. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| October 2006 | Tornado (F1) | Apalachicola | $1,000,000 | A waterspout came ashore near U.S. Highway 98 and 26th Street. The tornado then tracked northeast through Apalachicola, and lifted near Water Street and Avenue G. A few boats at a marina were capsized. Four homes were destroyed and four dozen others were damaged. Hundreds of trees were either knocked down or had their tops sheared off, and numerous utility poles were down. The main electrical power substation was damaged, causing a citywide power outage. All telephone and TV cable lines were down. A restaurant along U.S. Highway 98 sustained heavy damage to its roof and outbuildings. An elementary school received minor roof damage. The city's hospital suffered heavy damage. A portion of the hospital's roof collapsed, winds blew out numerous windows, and two air handling units were torn from the roof. A local state of emergency was declared. Reports were provided by the Franklin County EMA and Sheriff, and damage surveyed by the NWS. |
| September 2002 | Storm Surge/Tide | Carrabelle Beach | $500,000 | Storm surge heights of four feet combined with large battering waves eroded sand up to five feet deep at Dog Island. Two homes partially collapsed. At St. George Island, moderate beach erosion occurred. Overwash undermined a portion of Highway 98 near Carrabelle Beach. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| October 2001 | Tornado (F1) | Apalachicola | $325,000 | An F1 tornado touched down on St George Island. It destroyed a house at 320 Marks Street, and moderately damaged a neighboring house. Ten other houses on Marks Street sustained minor damage. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| October 1972 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| September 2000 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $200,000 | Between six and ten inches of rain from Tropical Storm Helene inundated the county. Several homes were flooded in Apalachicola, including Bluff Road near the Apalachicola River, 17th Street and Brownsville Road west to the municipal airport. A portion of U.S. Highway 98 five miles west of Carrabelle was flooded. Highway 67 from County Road 13 to the Franklin-Liberty county line was flooded. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| September 1998 | Tornado (F1) | East Pt | $150,000 | Six homes suffered moderate to severe damage as an F1 tornado swept across St. George Island. |
| April 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | (Aqq)Apalachicola Ar | $100,000 | Straight-line winds downed numerous trees throughout the county. There was damage to several boats and businesses. The metal roof was peeled off a seafood house and piled along U.S. Highway 98. The winds capsized a shrimp boat at the Apalachicola City Dock. Windows were blown out of several homes. |
| January 2022 | Tornado (EF1) | Carrabelle | $75,000 | A tornado moved across portions of Dog Island early Sunday morning with damage to one residence reported. The roof was partially torn off with significant damage to the porch. This damage was consistent with an EF1 tornado with winds estimated around 95 mph. In addition, damage to trees and power lines occurred with Duke Energy reporting 97 customers without power on the island. A tornadic debris signature (TDS) was evident on TLH radar. |
| February 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Carrabelle | $30,000 | A tree was blown down onto a house near Carrabelle. Damage was estimated. |
| February 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bay City | $25,000 | Several trees and power lines were blown down on Rosemont Drive. Numerous transformers were blown around Apalachicola, Eastpoint, and St. George Island. Power was cut to the stoplight in Apalachicola. Monetary damage was estimated. |
| April 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Eastpoint | $25,000 | A roof was lifted off a gas station and deposited onto a nearby vehicle. |
| September 2000 | Tornado (F0) | St Teresa | $25,000 | A waterspout came ashore at Alligator Point. A home on Gulf Shores Boulevard sustained minor damage and several trees were uprooted. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $25,000 | Franklin County S.O. reported downed power lines at Alligator Point, residential fence damaged byfallen trees at Lanark Village, and a large downed tree damaged a vehicle at Carrabelle. |
| November 1992 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 1983 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| March 1976 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 1974 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 1974 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1963 | Tornado | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| August 1950 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 2013 | Tornado (EF0) | Eastpoint | $20,000 | A waterspout moved ashore and became a weak tornado in the Eastpoint area. Minor roof damage occurred to two mobile homes, and some trees and power lines were blown down. Damage was consistent with an EF0 tornado with winds around 70 mph. Monetary damage was estimated. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bay City | $20,000 | One home was damaged in the vicinity of Old Bluff Road with a tree limb flying through a window. Trees and power lines were also blown down across the county. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. |
| November 2002 | Tornado (F0) | East Pt | $15,000 | A waterspout moved ashore and caused minor damage to an unoccupied house near intersection of 5th and West Gorrie Street on Saint George Island. Reported by the Franklin County Sheriff. |
| March 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $15,000 | Numerous trees and power lines down in Apalachicola, Carrabelle, St. George Island and East Point. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| January 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | $15,000 | Straight-line winds inflicted minor roof damage to a drug store. Several tree tops were snapped off, one which fell onto a vehicle. The flagpole at the National Guard Armory Post was bent horizontally. |
| June 2017 | Tornado (EF0) | Apalachicola | $10,000 | A tornadic waterspout moved onshore western portion of St. George Island, causing minor tree damage and minor roof damage to 3 well-built coastal homes. Video on social media confirms that the tornado was on the ground as it crossed the beach. Damage was supportive of high end EF0 rating with max winds estimated near 85 mph. The survey was conducted with help and data from Franklin County Emergency Management. |
| March 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | (Aaf)Apalachicola Arpt | $10,000 | There were numerous downed trees and power lines across much of the county. |
| September 2004 | Tornado (F0) | Carrabelle | $10,000 | A tornado uprooted numerous trees along its path between Carrabelle and Morgan Place. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| September 2000 | Tornado (F1) | East Pt | $10,000 | An F1 tornado touched down along Highway 65 at the East Bay Tower on the southwest edge of Tates Hell Swamp. Numerous trees and power lines down. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | $5,000 | There were multiple power lines blown down across Highway 98. |
| June 2023 | Tornado (EF0) | Apalachicola | $5,000 | A waterspout made brief landfall on the west end of Saint George Island as a tornado before moving out over the open Gulf of Mexico. Minor damage was reported to a home along Seahorse Lane consistent with an EF-0 rating. The timing and track of the tornado was refined using radar data and photos of the waterspout over Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico from social media. |
| June 2009 | Tornado (EF0) | Royal Bluff | $5,000 | A waterspout came ashore as an EF0 tornado and moved across St George Island State Park. It capsized a boat and downed some tree limbs. |
| August 2001 | Tornado (F0) | Carrabelle | $5,000 | A waterspout came ashore and overturned a vehicle on Lighthouse Road in Carrabelle. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| February 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds blew down large trees onto power lines. |
| August 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Carrabelle | $5,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds blew a porch and roof off a mobile home. |
| January 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lanark Village | $3,000 | Strong winds below debris into power lines, resulting in a power outage to 211 customers in Lanark Village. |
| April 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | $3,000 | Scattered trees and power lines were blown down. |
| January 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Green Point | $3,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down near Highway 65 and Highway 98. |
| March 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Turkey Point | $3,000 | A communications pedestal was heavily damaged near the intersection of U.S Highway 98 and U.S. Highway 319. A tree was also blown down in the same area. Monetary damaged was estimated. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | St Teresa | $3,000 | A few trees and power lines were blown down near Saint Teresa. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | St Teresa | $3,000 | A few trees and power lines were blown down near Alligator Point. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. |
| February 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lanark Village | $3,000 | The Franklin County EMA reported numerous downed power lines. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Carrabelle | $3,000 | A few fences and a shed were blown over. A few trees were down. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| April 1987 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
| November 1984 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
| February 1974 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
| December 1969 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
| September 1969 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
| March 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Green Point | $2,000 | Shingles were blown off as reported through mPING. |
| March 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Carrabelle | $2,000 | Fallen trees and limbs resulted in a power outage. |
| March 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Eastpoint | $2,000 | Trees and power lines were down on Creamer St in Eastpoint. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mcintyre | $2,000 | Fallen trees or limbs resulted in a power outage along Jeff Sanders Road. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Turkey Point | $2,000 | Fallen trees and limbs resulted in a power outage. |
| December 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Franklin | $2,000 | Fallen trees or limbs resulted in a power outage. |
Mines and quarries
3 recordedThe Survey's mineral resources record lists 3 workings inside this county. None of them still produces: all are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Sand | 3 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dot Tallahassee - 110-Acre Mine | Sand | Unknown | ||
| Dot Tallahassee - C.C. Land Mine | Sand | Unknown | ||
| Dot Tallahassee - Yent Bayou Mine | Sand | Unknown |
Every populated place in the county
30Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.
-
Achackwaithle
Eastpoint census division · Near Saint Marks Island · Jackson River quadrangle
16 sheets, 1943 to 1988
No longer a settlement
-
Apalachicola
Apalachicola census division · 32320 · On Apalachicola River · Apalachicola quadrangle
17 sheets, 1943 to 1988
-
Bay City
Apalachicola census division · 32320 · On Poorhouse Creek · Jackson River quadrangle
16 sheets, 1943 to 1988
-
Big Blackjack Landing
Carrabelle census division · 32322 · Near Saint James Island · McIntyre quadrangle
20 sheets, 1945 to 1988
-
Brickyard
Eastpoint census division · 32321 · On Brickyard Creek · Forbes Island quadrangle
15 sheets, 1944 to 1988
-
Carrabelle
Carrabelle census division · 32322 · Near Timber Island · Carrabelle quadrangle
20 sheets, 1943 to 1988
-
Carrabelle Beach
Eastpoint census division · 32322 · On Boggy Jordan Bayou · Carrabelle quadrangle
20 sheets, 1943 to 1988
-
Carrabelle Lighthouse
Eastpoint census division · 32322 · On Boggy Jordan Bayou · Carrabelle quadrangle
20 sheets, 1943 to 1988
-
Creels
Eastpoint census division · 32328 · On Doyle Creek · Beverly quadrangle
16 sheets, 1945 to 1988
-
Fort Gadsden
Eastpoint census division · 32328 · On South Prong Fort Godsden Creek · Fort Gadsden quadrangle
16 sheets, 1945 to 1988
-
Franklin
Apalachicola census division · 32320 · On Poorhouse Creek · West Pass quadrangle
16 sheets, 1943 to 1988
-
Green Point
Eastpoint census division · 32328 · On Porters Bar Creek · Green Point quadrangle
17 sheets, 1944 to 1988
-
High Bluff
Eastpoint census division · On High Bluff Creek · Green Point quadrangle
17 sheets, 1944 to 1988
-
McIntyre
Carrabelle census division · 32358 · By Lewis Bluff · McIntyre quadrangle
20 sheets, 1945 to 1988
-
Pine Log
Carrabelle census division · 32322 · On Pine Log Creek · McIntyre quadrangle
20 sheets, 1945 to 1988
-
Saint George Island
Apalachicola census division · 32328 · On Saint George Island · Apalachicola quadrangle
17 sheets, 1943 to 1988
-
Southern Dunes
Carrabelle census division · 32346 · Lighthouse Point quadrangle
17 sheets, 1943 to 1988
-
Sun N Sand Beaches
Carrabelle census division · 32346 · Lighthouse Point quadrangle
17 sheets, 1943 to 1988
-
Tilton
Apalachicola census division · 32320 · On Pine Log Creek · West Pass quadrangle
16 sheets, 1943 to 1988
-
Yent Place
Eastpoint census division · 32322 · By Warrens Bluff · Carrabelle quadrangle
20 sheets, 1943 to 1988
The vanished settlements of Franklin County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.
Provenance
- Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
- Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
- Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
- Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
- Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
- Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.