By the mid-20th century, as tourism and real estate development expanded throughout Florida, attention turned to barrier islands like St. George. The construction of the St. George Island Causeway in the 1960s gave developers easier access to the island’s western half, leading to condos, vacation homes, and resorts. However, the eastern end of

As Florida became part of the United States in 1821, Apalachicola developed into a major cotton port in the 19th century, ranking third in the U.S. at its peak. The island, though isolated, played a supporting role. Timber Rafts and Fishing Camps St. George Island's waters became corridors for floating timber rafts, which traveled down the Apalac

Long before settlers and developers set foot on St. George Island, it was part of the extensive homelands of Native American peoples, particularly the ancestors of the Apalachee and other tribes that lived near the Gulf coast. Ancient Use and Subsistence Archaeological evidence shows that Native Americans used the island for seasonal hunting and

Introduction Stretching nine miles along the eastern end of St. George Island in Franklin County, Florida, Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park is more than just a serene escape of white sand beaches and coastal pine forests. It is a living historical landscape, rich in Indigenous legacy, colonial rivalry, environmental resilience, and