Grand Opening of a New Exhibit on “Shipwrecks of Dog Island”

The Carrabelle History Museum is excited to announce the grand opening of a new exhibit on “Shipwrecks of Dog Island.” This Grand Opening Celebration will start on Wednesday, October 12 at 12 noon and run through December 10 at 6 pm. The exhibit will then become a permanent installation. There is no charge for admission but donations are gladly accepted. The museum and exhibit are open Wednesdays 12-5 pm, Thursdays thru Saturdays 10 am – 5 pm and Sundays 12 – 5 pm.

This exhibit will explore Dog Island’s rich maritime history, and especially focus on those shipwrecks that resulted from the Category 5 direct hit, the “Carrabelle Hurricane” in 1899 through amazing photographs. Dog Island was a safe harbor for European explorers, smugglers, fishermen and lumbermen. In 2018, Hurricane Michael uncovered parts of two ships that were wrecked during the 1899 event. Learn why these ships were visiting Carrabelle and which of our exports they took back to Europe.

An original video featuring expert underwater archaeologist Chuck Meide describes the process of identifying the sunken ships. It informs visitors about what to do when they come across an artifact on public land whether that’s a piece of a shipwreck, an arrowhead, or a piece of pottery. This exhibit was funded in part as a heritage education project by the Florida Department of State, Division of Historic Preservation and the State of Florida.

This exhibit created by curator Joan Matey is the first to be installed in the museum’s refurbished upstairs. Please note that the upstairs currently can only be accessed by stairs and is therefore temporarily not accessible to those with mobility issues. An elevator has been funded through a grant and through dedicated fundraising efforts and will be installed by next summer. A special video program will also make it possible to learn about the Shipwrecks of Dog Island exhibit from downstairs to accommodate all visitors during this transition period.