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Florida Trips Magazine™ Feature Story
Orman House State Park – Apalachicola
by SueAnn Carpenter
Photos © 2012 Orman House State Park
Orman
House State Park is located in the downtown historical section of
Apalachicola. Some believe this whole area is haunted because of the
Native Americans that once lived here. In 1706 they were relocated to
the Savannah River area in Georgia and then moved further inland to the
Oklahoma Territory in 1833 and 1834 after the Indian Removal Treaties
purchased land in exchange for resettlement outside the then-existing
United States. So if you like the spookier side of things and are in
search of a “coast ghost,” one of the best-known haunted houses in
Apalachicola is Orman House.
Ghostly
apparitions, orbs, and sprite lights have been reported, as well as
doors rattling, knobs shaking, plus footsteps and strange noises coming
from upstairs. Local legend holds that some of the Ormans were less than
willing to leave this beautiful house. No matter your experience or
belief, the history is enticing.
In
the 1820s along the Apalachicola River and its tributaries--the
Chattahoochee, Flint, and Chipola--the cotton boom had begun. Riverboats
stacked high with bales of cotton came down from the upriver landings.
The bales were transferred to ocean-going vessels at Apalachicola for
transport to the cotton mills of New England and Europe.
Thomas
Orman was a merchant supplying goods to ships in harbor and up river to
plantations and mercantile stores. He traded and bartered salt, citrus,
tobacco, sugar, corn, cotton and liquor, and finished goods. In the
process he accumulated a fortune and changed this tiny town. By the late
1830s Apalachicola was the third busiest port on the entire Gulf Coast
and in 1838 Orman desired and constructed this home befitting his
status. There was continuous family occupation for 156 years. It’s
possibly the oldest of its type on the Florida coast and sits atop a
bluff overlooking the Apalachicola River and Bay.
This
magnificent Greek Revival home was built with elements of the Federal
style still popular then. While the lumber for the walls, floors,
ceilings and framework of the house was cut and cured in Florida, the
windows and doors - along with the other finish wood-work - were
manufactured in New York and shipped down aboard sailing ships. This
house features details of both Federal and Greek revival styles with
wooden mantelpieces, molded plaster cornices and wide heart-pine
floorboards.
When
finished, the Orman House was a showplace and the scene of parties and
grand balls. At the time Apalachicola was a prosperous city with
consulates from many European nations and boasted a social life second
to none. The Orman House was a focal point of activity in the city and
visitors over the years included Robert E. Lee, Dr. John Gorrie (who
invented a refrigeration and ice machine) and Dr. Alvin Wentworth
Chapman (noted botanist), as well as numerous political and business
leaders of Florida, the United States and key European nations.
When
you pull into the parking lot at the Orman House State Park, everything
is within walking distance. Pathways link you with the bronze Three
Soldiers Monument, a replica of the DC memorial honoring soldiers
serving in the Vietnam War, the Orman House, and the Chapman Botanical
Garden where Monarch butterflies return in November as they make their
annual migration to Mexico. This is a great outdoor space to have a
picnic, family gathering, or a special event.
Dr. Alvin Wentworth Chapman was one of the premier botanists of the 19th century who undertook expeditions to the wild in order to catalog and research unique plant species. His 1860 book, The Flora of the Southern United States, was an instant classic and is still popular today.
In
the '80s, the residents created The Chapman Botanical Garden to honor
his legacy. There was a major rejuvenation in 2008 when the city
transferred the care to the state Park Service, and today it is one of
the finest available in any small city in the South.
An
entrance pavilion leads into the garden, with walking paths branching
from it. These fit the terrain and loop through the garden, passing
natural settings and planted examples of landscape architecture,
creating a peaceful mood.
At
the end of the garden loop, a footbridge crosses a marshy area—a prime
example of what “Old Florida” looked like when the first settlers came
here in 1821. This area is a reminder of both life and death in early
Florida. The marshes are natural filters, cleaning the water as it flows
through, allowing the shrimp and oyster beds of Apalachicola Bay to
thrive. But they also served as breeding grounds for mosquitoes—which
spread malaria and yellow fever epidemics here in the 1800s.
The
hammocks bordering the marshes are lush and dark in their beauty of
trees and plants. Keep following the path and it brings you back into
the sunshine to the butterfly garden, where plants attract swarms of
butterflies in the spring and fall.
There are no promises
whether you’ll find ghosts when you visit Orman House State Park, but
you’ll discover that this spiritual pocket of beauty can rejuvenate and
refresh your soul.
Orman
House State Park is located in historic downtown of Apalachicola. It is
open Thursday through Monday, 10 am-5 pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas
and New Year’s Day. It’s closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Cost is $2 with
children under 6 admitted free. Join Ranger Mike Kinnett for a guided
tour of Orman House, which are offered hourly, except noon. Admission to
Chapman Botanical Garden is included in the price and it is open from 8
am until sunset. The grounds may be rented for special events. Call
850-653-1209 for more information or go to: www.floridastateparks.org/OrmanHouse
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October 2012 Vol. 2 Issue 10