BlockApalachicola, Florida
17 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1943 and the latest in 1988. It stands in the Apalachicola census division. It lies in ZIP code area 32320. It stands on Apalachicola River. The Survey maps it on the Apalachicola quadrangle. 2,341 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 13 feet above sea level.
Research this city
Then and now
1943 to 1988The same ground, surveyed 45 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.
On record in Apalachicola
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 4 records
Apalachicola Historic Districtlisted 1980
David G. Raney Houselisted 1972
Saint Paul A.M.E. Churchlisted 2025
Trinity Episcopal Churchlisted 1972
Population over time
2 figuresApalachicola grew from 2,231 to 2,341 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2,231 | |
| 2020 | 2,341 | +110 (+5%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
11 surveys from 17 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1943 USGS Apalachicola quadrangle1:31680, 3 printings
- 1943 USGS Apalachicola quadrangle1:24000
- 1944 USGS Apalachicola quadrangle1:24000
- 1949 USGS Apalachicola quadrangle1:250000
- 1957 USGS Apalachicola quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1959 USGS Apalachicola quadrangle1:250000
- 1960 USGS Apalachicola quadrangle1:250000
- 1967 USGS Apalachicola quadrangle1:250000
- 1978 USGS Carrabelle quadrangle1:100000, 4 printings
- 1982 USGS Apalachicola quadrangle1:24000
- 1988 USGS Apalachicola quadrangle1:250000
Fires near this place
75 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 75 fires within 5 miles of Apalachicola between 1992 and 2020, burning about 2,735 acres in total. 7 started naturally. 4 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Equipment and vehicle use | 19 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 13 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 10 |
| Debris and open burning | 10 |
| Natural | 7 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 6 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 4 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 3 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
| Smoking | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 September 2008 | Recreation and ceremony | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | (19) HATHCOCK FIRE |
| 25 September 2008 | Smoking | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | (19) PARADISE FIRE |
| 6 August 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | THE MARSH (19)--0495 |
| 3 August 1999 | Railroad operations and maintenance | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 29 August 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | KEVIN RD (19) |
| 11 August 2016 | Fireworks | 6.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | CIPIO CREEK (19) |
| 10 August 1992 | Equipment and vehicle use | 1.5 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 5 July 2019 | Natural | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | JOHNSON RD (19-5) |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Storms near this place
28 since 1993Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Apalachicola in 28 storm reports between 1993 and 2024: 10 thunderstorm wind, 7 flash flood, 5 tornado, 2 waterspout. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1996 | Tornado (F1) | Apalachicola | 1 hurt, $10,000 | no account filed |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| February 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds blew down large trees onto power lines. |
| April 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | $3,000 | Scattered trees and power lines were blown down. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | $1,000 | A few power poles uprooted. Reported by the Franklin County Sheriff. |
| March 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | $500 | Strong thunderstorm winds uprooted several trees and blew a boat off a trailer. |
| September 2024 | Flash Flood | Apalachicola | - | The public reported that their driveway had ruts 12 inches deep from running water through town down to the bay. You could hear the water running through town down to the bay from the end of Ave C Road. |
| September 2024 | Flash Flood | Apalachicola | - | Submerged boat ramps were reported in Apalachicola due to flash flooding. |
| September 2024 | Flash Flood | Apalachicola | - | Flooding between 8th and 9th Street along Highway 98 resulted in a road closure. |
| September 2024 | Flash Flood | Apalachicola | - | Video on social media showed notable street flooding on Saint George Island Plantation. |
| September 2024 | Flash Flood | Apalachicola | - | Flooding occurred with water over the road on Ave E and 9th Street. |
| September 2023 | Flash Flood | Apalachicola | - | Several roads were reported underwater across St George Island with pictures on social media of flooding as well. An Ambient weather station on 7th St W on St George Island measured 6.94 inches of rain in about 5 hours. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | - | A tree was blown down near Apalachicola. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | - | A traffic light was blown down in Apalachicola. |
| September 2020 | Flash Flood | Apalachicola | - | The public reported via social media that Avenue F along with adjacent yards were underwater in Apalachicola. |
| May 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | - | A 58 mph wind gust was measured at CWOP site CW8103 on Saint George Island. |
| February 2014 | Hail | Apalachicola | - | Hail slightly smaller than a golf ball was reported near Apalachicola. |
| August 2012 | Heavy Rain | Apalachicola | - | A 24 hour rainfall total of 3.79 inches was recorded by APRSWXNET site C8103 located on Saint George Island. |
| October 2011 | Heavy Rain | Apalachicola | - | The Citizen Weather Observer Program station CW8103 located on St. George Island reported a rainfall total of 9.10 in a roughly 16 hour time period. This is not a flood prone area, and no significant flooding was reported. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Apalachicola | - | Several trees were blown down on 12th Street in Apalachicola. |
| May 2006 | Hail | Apalachicola | - | A Franklin County Sheriff deputy reported nickel size hail on the U.S. Highway 98 bridge. |
| June 2001 | Waterspout | Apalachicola | - | A waterspout was sighted over Apalachicola Bay moving northeast toward Apalachicola and East Bay. It passed over the John Gorrie Memorial Bridge between Apalachicola and Eastpoint, then dissipated near Magnolia Bluff. Reported by the Franklin County EMA. |
| July 2000 | Waterspout | Apalachicola | - | A waterspout was sighted just north of the bridge over East Bay. Reported by the Franklin County Sheriff. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two Mile | 1.5 miles | 16 | |
| Franklin | 2.8 miles | 16 | |
| Bay City | 2.9 miles | 16 | |
| Magnolia Bluffs | 4.5 miles | 17 | |
| Tilton | 5.3 miles | 16 | |
| Eastpoint | 5.6 miles | 17 | |
| Achackwaithle (historical) | 7.1 miles | 16 | |
| Saint George Island | 7.2 miles | 17 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Apalachicola | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q617392 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 277920. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
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.
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.