Day of Declaration

During the summer of 1841 a deadly yellow fever epidemic ravaged the community and the population of St. Joseph virtually disappeared. By 1842, only 400 inhabitants remained. Then in September, 1844, a hurricane struck St. Joseph, destroying much of what remained of the community and driving away some of the last inhabitants. The city was all but destroyed by a yellow fever epidemic in 1841 and did suffer during a great hurricane, but it was really the economic power of nearby Apalachicola that finally destroyed what remained of the old city.

The two had been bitter rivals, but Apalachicola prevailed because of it’s advantage of location by being located at the mouth of the Apalachicola River. Many of the large homes in St. Joseph were dismantled and moved by barge to Apalachicola. The growing coastal community of Port St. Joe now stands on the site. The effort of the early delegates is memorialized today at the Constitutional Convention State Museum in Port St. Joe. The museum preserves the history of the old city of St. Joseph and the drafting of Florida's first constitution.

The Constitutional Convention State Museum tells the story of Florida's first constitution and the "lost city" of St. Joseph, showing the work of the 56 territorial delegates who drafted Florida's first constitution in 1838, Florida was finally admitted to the Union in 1845 as the 27th state. Visitors can take a self-guided tour through displays and exhibits of the era. A replicated convention hall takes visitors into the debate of delegates Robert Raymond Reid, William P. Duvall, David Y. Levy and Thomas L Baltzell. These life-size, audio-animated mannequins bring a realistic demonstration of the debate and process of drafting a state constitution.

The exhibits include artifacts from the lost city and a replica of the locomotive from Florida's first railroad. The Constitutional Convention State Museum is located at 200 Allen Memorial Way in Port St. Joe. Open from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time Thursday through Monday.

The museum is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but the grounds are open seven days a week. Port St. Joe is now a great place for exploring not the history of Old St. Joseph, but also some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in Florida. Located in Gulf County between Panama City and Apalachicola, Port St. Joe has revitalized itself from a fading industrial town into one of the newest and best planned Gulf coastal vacation spots as well as a great area to reside. The community now features numerous amenities and is the gateway to Indian Pass and beautiful Cape San Blas and some of the most spectacular beaches in Florida.