This is that rare town that was only a town for nine years - yet in that short span, it made history. In 1835, St. Joseph was a booming Gulf Coast trading port, and today you can see up-close examples of what happened here - the birthplace of Florida’s statehood.
This portside location attracted major commerce and dignitaries statewide in the early 1800s, and in 1838 St. Joseph became the meeting place for 56 territorial delegates who drafted Florida’s first state constitution - the foundation for Florida’s acceptance in the Union in 1845. The 14-acre park features displays and exhibits that replicate life then, including audio-animated mannequins and a replicated convention hall.
Tragically, an arriving ship in 1841 brought yellow fever to the town of St. Joseph; a hurricane followed two years later and it wasn’t until the early 1900s that the town was re-founded as Port St. Joe. The first victim, George L. Kupfer, was reportedly aboard the ship the original cemetery marker is on display at the Constitution Convention Museum.
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Things to know:
Region: Northwest Florida
Entrance fees : $1 per person.
Total area: 14 acres
Fun facts: It is believed that the park is in the general area of where the Constitution Hall was located. The hall was destroyed during the fall of St. Joseph.
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