1/16/2026 Another Day's Adventure

Another day was meandering along coastal Route 98.

Destination was Apalachicola, Florida.

Apalachicola was a small settlement at the mouth of the Apalachicola River when President James Monroe appointed a Port Collector in 1822.

By 1828 steamboats operated between Apalachicola and Columbus, Georgia carrying manufactured goods to upriver towns and plantations and returning with cotton destined for mills in New England and Europe. In 1836, 50,000 bales of cotton were shipped from Apalachicola, making it the third largest cotton port of the Gulf coast after New Orleans and Mobile.

The three decades prior to the Civil War were prosperous ones for Apalachicola. Revenues from the cotton trade built several fine mansions, including the Greek Revival Raney House, which was completed in 1838 by David Greenway Raney.

Raney made his fortune in the cotton trade, and served two terms as mayor.

David and Harriet Raney had three sons who served in the Confederate forces. One son, David G. Raney, Jr., was a marine officer aboard the C.S.S. Tennessee which was captured by Union naval forces in the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864. David was captured but escaped and made his way back to Confederate lines.

Another son, George Pettus Raney, served the state of Florida as Attorney General and then as Chief Justice of its Supreme Court.

Members of the Raney family lived in the house until 1914. The City of Apalachicola purchased it in 1973 and established the Raney House Museum which exhibits their furniture, documents and artifacts of the 19th century.

Next stop was Orman House which is now a State Park.

This gorgeous antebellum home was built in 1838 by Thomas Orman, a cotton merchant and businessman who helped Apalachicola become one of the Gulf Coast’s most important cotton exporting ports during the mid-19th century.

For Architecture buffs like me... The house is supposed to feature both Federal and Greek revival styles with wooden mantelpieces, molded plaster cornices and wide heart-pine floorboards. I really enjoyed the Ranger-led tour that provided a glimpse into this interesting period of history.

The house is open since it restoration showing it opulence.

Adjoining the Orman House Historic State Park is Chapman Botanical Gardens.

Next to the house is the where Hurricanes did play havoc with the Garden.

The gardens are named after Dr. Alvan Chapman, a respected 19th-century botanist. He was the author of “Flora of the Southern United States,” the first book outlining many species of plants in the South. Chapman is also credited with the discovery of various rare plants in Florida, and Chapman oak and Chapman’s rhododendron were named after the botanist.

The gardens feature a variety of areas where you can find peace and solitude. The butterfly garden is an excellent place to simply relax while an array of native and migratory butterflies flutter around you. There are several seating areas located around the garden, including a gazebo.

Veteran’s Memorial Plaza is just in front of the Orman House. The centerpiece of the Veteran’s Memorial Plaza is the Three Soldiers, Detail bronze sculpture. The sculpture is made from part of the original molds and is set on a black granite pedestal.

Another interesting stop was "The John Gorrie Museum State Park" right in Apalachicola too.

The museum contains a replica of the ice machine created and patented by Dr. John Gorrie. Gorrie was a medical doctor working to combat yellow fever. The invention of the ice machine was the basis for the modern ice industry and air conditioning.

It Has Been Wonderful Days In The Neighborhood!

Nana