Event Details

Public Archaeology Lecture: Shipwrecks of Northwest Florida

Time: 11:00 am til 12:00 pm

Location: Gulf County Public Library, 110 Library Dr, Port St Joe, FL 32456

Description: Join us in celebrating Florida Archaeology Month with a free public presentation at the Gulf County Public Library!

The Panhandle of Florida is the site of hundreds of historic shipwrecks, the result of centuries of maritime commerce, conflict, and travel. Three of these wrecks are featured in this presentation: USS Massachusetts, the nation’s oldest battleship sunk for target practice off Pensacola; SS Tarpon, a merchant vessel famous for its weekly trips between Mobile and Panama City until it was lost in a gale; and Vamar, sunk at Port St Joe under mysterious circumstances during World War II.

FPAN is co-hosting this event.

Public Lecture: "Pirates! Last Scourge of the Gulf"

Time: 2:00 pm til 3:00 pm

Location: Charles Whitehead Wewahitchka Public Library, 314 N Second Street, Wewahitchka, FL 32465

Description: Two centuries ago, a massive wave of piracy struck the Gulf of Mexico and terrorized shipping along the Gulf coast. Florida was especially dangerous for travelers. Jean Lafitte and Charles Gibbs, two of the most notorious pirates from this period, had close ties to the Florida panhandle. One case of piracy even wound up in the court of West Florida in Pensacola and made newspaper headlines across the nation. This talk examines some of the broader aspects of piracy during the early 1800s in the Gulf and Caribbean. It also focuses on the current archaeological evidence for possible pirate ships from this period that wrecked beneath the waters of the Gulf.

This event is free and open to the public!

FPAN is co-hosting this event.