Orman House
History Remembered on the Forgotten Coast
Do you have a love for the rich history and culture of old Florida? The Florida prior to mouse ears, sky high condominiums and endless seas of golf resorts? We do!
It is so much fun to explore the standing museums of the past that are preserved when old homes are protected in our state parks.
Our two kiddos went back to school this month.
The end of summer went so fast for us. It was a whirlwind, really. With the craziness we’re all experiencing, and trying to squeeze in a few last minute adventures, it seemed it was over in the blink of an eye. Now that they’re back in school and the house is a little more quiet, I’m reminiscing about the many non-traditional learning experiences we enjoyed together over the summer.
One of our very favorite trips took us through the heart of the Forgotten Coast, on our way through the Florida Panhandle during our road trip to Missouri. That’s where we left off in our last post of the summer, and that’s where I’m picking up again today.
While the natural beauty of the Forgotten Coast is undeniable, there are a couple of historical state parks that stole our hearts on the way through. These parks offered snapshots of times and cultures long past.
My kids love learning about history… especially when it is tangible to them. They love to imagine themselves in a particular setting, at a particular time, and the state park we’re talking about today makes that incredibly easy to do.
The Orman House Historic State Park
The Orman House Historic State Park might be one of the most imagination spurring homes we’ve seen in Florida. This intricately decorated, fully furnished, historically preserved home gives incredible fodder to the imagination of how life might have been in the mid 19th century in this part of Florida.
Disclaimer:
If your children touch and climb on everything, this house will be YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE. The house is furnished from end to end, top to bottom, with period accurate furniture, both reproduction and antique, some of which was actually original to the house. (Be still my antique loving heart.)
On top of that, literally every surface was decorated as it would have been for a visit with formal guests. Fine china on the dining table, tea sets and candelabras in the parlor, cooking and serving utensils in the kitchen, and so on... with no velvet ropes blocking access! This was a dream come true for me, because I adore immersive historical experiences like this, but it was also pretty stressful.
Our wild Florida children are very well behaved, but...
it took took constant vigilance and plenty of reminders to reign in their inherent curiosity, and to keep me from having a legit conniption fit. Say it with me - “We look with our EYES, not our hands.” This is our common phrase we repeat over and OVER again in these situations, and I might have been hoarse at the end of this tour.
Tip: Another great reminder word is "Pockets" for if your children are wearing pockets, or "Hands" if not. My son is particularly good about keeping his hands in his pockets or behind his back so he doesn't accidentally reach out and touch something.
The ranger who welcomed us right before closing time absolutely LOVES his job, and graciously gave us the full run-down and history of the house even though it took him past closing time to do so. If I had it to do over, I would probably politely ask for a SHORT intro and if we could explore the house prior to the full spiel. We must have been in the foyer for a good 25 minutes or more before beginning the actual tour. And rightfully so, because there is a lot of very interesting history to share about the family who lived here! But - for those of us with more than just adults in the group, that comes at the price of fidgety kids. Notice our little E on the stairs to the right. It was all we could do to bring her back to earth about 50 times or so during our history lesson.
Now parents, all three floors of this house are open to tour.. That’s unheard of! Nine times out of 10, upper floors in historic homes are off limits due for safety and storage reasons.
But not here! Gold mine! And all three floors are FULLY FURNISHED. So much historical eye-candy! But that means 3 floors of being on your children like white on rice. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
What a treat! Some of the Orman ladies' actual clothing is on display in two of the upstairs rooms. How fun to be able to see such iconic pieces of the era and know they belonged to women who once lived in this home. Anyone else play dress-up as a kid and long to wear corsets and carry parasols? This girl right here did. So dreamy to see these pieces in their own setting.
Other styles exhibited show how ladies' fashion changed over time, and for different occasions. This museum really helps showcase a snapshot of what life would have been like in the mid 1800's for an upper-class family in Florida.
And there's more!
Once you tour the Orman House, or while you're waiting for your tour to start, be sure to visit the Chapman Botanical Garden, which is just adjacent to the home. These beautiful gardens, named after 19th-century botanist Dr. Alvin Chapman, offer the most lovely quiet spaces to sit and relax, and take in the beauty of a wide variety of native and ornamental plants of the southeastern United States. The gardens are small and quaint, and you can see the all of them by walking a short, easy, half-mile loop.
Photo from floridastateparks.org
While you're in Apalachicola...
be sure to stop by a couple other places of historical interest and importance.
The John Gorrie Museum and State Park are just down the street from the Orman House, and are dedicated to the father of refrigeration, Dr. John Gorrie, who made his mark on history by inventing the ice machine. Be sure to check before you go though, because as of our last trip, and as of this posting, the John Gorrie Museum is closed due to Covid (it's a small place) and some ongoing restoration efforts. Who knows, once it reopens it may be even coolerthan the Orman House. See what I did there? Refrigeration. Cooler. I crack myself up.
The sweet little town of Apalachicola has so many neat shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and cool historical experiences. Plus, its the home of the Annual Florida Seafood Festival, which takes place on November 5th and 6th this year! Make sure you book your stay here WAY in advance. We didn't plan ahead couldn't find a place to stay when we were passing through!
As always, thank you so much for following along with our Wild Florida Family adventures. We hope you enjoy, and are inspired to get your family out and about in wild, historic, culturally rich, and naturally beautiful Florida!
Just the Details:
Orman House Historic State Park
177 Fifth St.
Apalachicola FL 32320
Park Office: 850-653-1209
Hours of Operation: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Th-Mon; closed Tues and Weds
Guided tours are offered hourly, except noon.
Fees: $2 per person, museum admission. Children 5 and younger admitted free.
Admission includes an hour long history presentation as well as a tour of the whole house.
