Carrabelle History Museum’s April History Talk

Carrabelle History Museum hosts history program:

Florida in World War I

CARRABELLE, FL (March 9, 2021) – The Carrabelle History Museum in partnership with the Camp Gordon Johnston Museum is presenting a fascinating history program entitled, “Florida in World War I”. Learn about the contributions of Florida in WWI as well as the impact of the 1918 pandemic on Florida. This program features author Joe Knetsch and will be held Saturday, April 10, 2021, at 10 am – 12 pm in the upstairs room at C-Quarters Marina, 501 St. James Ave (Hwy 98), Carrabelle, FL. Due to COVID precautions, seating will be limited. There is no charge for this event but reservations are required.

A century ago, sparsely populated and largely rural Florida rallied as America plunged into World War I. The state’s sacrifices and contributions have rarely been awarded their proper due. The proud USS Florida, too often mentioned as a mere adjunct to the Atlantic Fleet, receives a just accounting, as does the utterly devastating loss of the USS Tampa, the highest death toll the navy suffered in the war. Sunshine State foresters served critical roles abroad, and local libraries became essential hubs for promoting rationing and reporting news from overseas. Floridian aid workers and soldiers training for departure were stricken with the Spanish flu, a pandemic that shook the globe with force equal to the war itself.

Joe Knetsch is an American historian and author who has published eight books and over 200 articles in numerous journals. Joe has a B.S. from Western Michigan University, an M.A. from Florida Atlantic University and a Ph.D. from Florida State University. He has taught at the secondary and collegiate levels, and worked as a historian for the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Natural Resources.

The History Speaker Series programs are popular and due to COVID precautions, seating will be limited. Reservations are required by emailing carrabellehistorymuseum@gmail.com. Seats will be spaced to allow for social distancing. Attendees are asked to follow all health guidelines to help keep themselves safe including social distancing and sanitizing hands frequently. Hand sanitizer will be available. Masks are required. There is no fee for this program. Donations are gladly accepted to defray costs. Funding in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council. For more information, contact 850-697-2141.