12/24/2025 A Little Info...

I am near the town of Blountstown, Florida. It is located in the heart of Florida’s Panhandle, Blountstown serves as the county seat of Calhoun County.

Just a few minutes south of Interstate 10, it has easy access to larger cities like Tallahassee, about an hour east, and Panama City, about one hour south.

Old Calhoun County Courthouse is a beautiful point in town.

The Apalachicola River, a vital waterway known for its biodiversity and good fishing, borders the city to the east. The population is approximately 2,279.

Blountstown’s history is deeply rooted in Native American heritage and early American expansion.

The area was home to Creek Indians from Georgia and Alabama who settled along the Apalachicola River in the early 1700s.

The city is named for John Blount, a Creek chief who guided General Andrew Jackson during his 1818 invasion of Spanish Florida, targeting Seminole tribes.

This campaign prompted Spain to sell Florida to the United States in 1821 and Blount was granted a reservation along the river in 1823, where he and his tribe traded with American and English companies and raised cattle.

There is a replica of the historical time...

NPanhandlers Village & Park

After the 1832 Treaty of Payne’s Landing, Blount was relocated to Texas, and his land was opened to white settlers.

By 1838, Calhoun County was established, and early settlers, including Shadrick Sutton, purchased parts of Blount’s former reservation.

Cotton planters from the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and Alabama flocked to the fertile river valley, growing cotton and corn.

Sam Atkins Park

Steamboat landings like Ocheesee Landing and Iola thrived until the decline of river transport.

Blountstown became the county seat in 1880, with a courthouse built near the river.

The city was chartered in 1903, and a new courthouse was constructed, now a historic landmark.

The early 20th century saw growth in naval stores and timber, with companies like Neal Lumber employing hundreds.

Blountstown has an Old Florida feel.

The historic downtown features quaint, old-style buildings housing local businesses.

Agriculture and timber remain economic staples, though the town faced devastation from Hurricane Michael in 2018, which destroyed much of these industries and damaged 80% of homes and businesses.

Shopping in Blountstown is modest but charming. While it lacks extensive galleries or antique shops, the downtown area offers some unique boutiques and local eateries.

There are also several chain restaurants such as McDonalds, Burger King and Subway.

One of my favorite is Fiddler's Oyster Bar & Steam house.

The shady side streets in Blountstown have a mix of old Florida cracker style homes and some more modern homes.

There are many vacant lots with the evidence of structures having been demolished and removed after Hurricane Michael.

Blountstown is not a fancy tourist town, but you get the feeling it would not be a bad place to live. I'm here for a few months anyway!

Nana