Special Exhibit: “Shells and Shards”

The Carrabelle History Museum is presenting a special exhibit, “Shells & Shards”. This unique exhibit delves into the rich prehistoric history of Carrabelle, showcasing intricate Native American pottery shards and shells that tell the stories of ancient cultural practices and daily life. This exhibit will be on display from Wednesday, October 2 through Saturday, October 27. The museum is open Wednesdays from 12 noon to 5 pm, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm and Sundays 12 noon to 5 pm. There is no charge for admission; donations are gratefully accepted to defray costs.

Every piece in this exhibit tells a story. From the shells that reveal the seafood consumed by the area’s early inhabitants to the tools crafted from discarded items, such as conch shells repurposed into farming hoes, these fragments come together to form a rich mosaic of our shared heritage.

The exhibit highlights the fascinating artifacts from Carrabelle’s earliest inhabitants, particularly those from the Apalachee tribes. These prehistoric people lived in numerous villages along the shore of St. George Sound and the local rivers over two thousand years ago, with over 40,000 tribal members residing between the Apalachicola and Aucilla Rivers.

Archaeologists have unearthed evidence of villages, middens (ancient garbage piles), and burial grounds within Carrabelle’s city limits, suggesting the area was an important trade port due to its natural deep water harbor at the confluence of three rivers. The “Shells & Shards” exhibit shares the lives of Carrabelle’s “first people.”