When you stroll its quiet streets, it’s hard to believe that quaint Apalachicola, Florida was once one of the most important ports in America. Along the Gulf Coast, it actually ranked third behind New Orleans and Mobile before the rise of the railroads replaced rivers as the preferred means to transport goods. It’s a town that offers rare glimpses into the past as well as an opportunity to observe its current seafood industry.
Apalachicola Bay produces some of the world’s best oysters, though numbers have declined drastically for a number of reasons.
One of Apalachicola’s most prominent citizens, Dr. John Gorrie, invented the machine that would become refrigeration and air conditioning in an attempt to keep his Yellow Fever patients cool during an epidemic.
