Franklin County Maritime Heritage Museum

A Heritage Project to Memorialize Seafood and its Workers

The Franklin County Maritime Heritage Museum exhibit raises awareness of the importance of Florida’s maritime-related history and helps future generations remain passionate about preserving it for the future.

The Franklin County Maritime Heritage Museum exhibit is located within the former Lombardi Oyster Plant. The facility, dating back to the 1940s, sits on 3.4 acre parcel and features a restored oyster processing facility, boat launching facilities and scenic boardwalk.

In 2019, the building was renovated, and the park was dedicated to Olan “Buddy” Ward, an Apalachicola seafood business owner and lifelong advocate for the seafood industry.

In 2023, Franklin County received funding from the Department of State Division of Historical Resources to create and install a maritime heritage exhibit within the building. The purpose of the exhibit is to preserve the maritime history of Franklin County that has played an important role in the county’s development.

The Ward Family

The Franklin County Maritime Museum and the Olan “Buddy” Ward Seafood Park commemorates Buddy Ward, a longtime Franklin County commercial fisherman who died in 2006. He and his family have operated Buddy Ward and Sons 13 Mile Seafood and Trucking Company since 1957. The Ward family still operates 13 Mile Seafood in Apalachicola. An offshore artificial reef also commemorates Buddy Ward’s maritime heritage contributions.