Adjoining the historic Orman House in downtown Apalachicola, Chapman Botanical Garden honors the memory of Dr. Alvan Wentworth Chapman, a noted botanist who lived and worked as a medical doctor in Apalachicola. In 1860, Chapman published Flora of the Southern United States, one of the first such studies of southern plant life. Both Chapman oaks (found in scrub habitat) and Chapman’s Rhododendron (a rare species found in bluff forests along the Apalachicola River valley) are named for the good doctor. Although neglected for many years, this garden, which features native Florida species, is now in the care of Florida State Parks. Paved pathways meander the grounds, with boardwalks through boggy areas.
Resources
Overview
Location: Apalachicola
Length: 0.4 mile
Lat-Long: 29.730683, -84.990441
Type: Loop
Fees / Permits: none
Difficulty: easy
Bug factor: low
Restroom: at the adjoining Orman House State Park
For more information about the 1838 Orman House, a mansion contemporary with Chapman’s life in Apalachicola, visit the Orman House State Park website.
Directions
From the intersection of US 90 (Market Street) and Water Ave in downtown Apalachicola, continue north along Market Street for four blocks to Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. Turn left. The park is on the right, at the base of the bluff.