Treasures of the Panhandle: A Journey through West Florida (Florida History and Culture)

Discover West Florida s Forgotten Historic and Natural Treasures "A wonderfully detailed guide by a seventh-generation resident to areas previously overlooked. History buffs and nature lovers will find this book a 'must-have' for excursions to out-of-the-way museums, historic sites, and pristine natural areas."--Jean Lufkin Bouler, author of Exploring Florida's Emerald Coast "Rucker's book is a gem. West Florida, long neglected and marginalized in the push of development of Central and South Florida, comes alive with possibilities. The book offers the reader an engaging ramble across what constitutes the 'real Florida': a state of mind and a sense of place. I finished reading it and my first thought was 'let's go exploring.'"--Margo S. Stringfield, coauthor of Historic Pensacola The westernmost counties that make up the Florida panhandle are often given short shrift in the state's comprehensive histories and derided as a "Redneck Riviera" in tourism brochures. In Treasures of the Panhandle Brian Rucker takes readers on a unique tour of his home region, highlighting the historic treasures and natural wonders found there.
From Escambia along the Alabama border to Franklin on the banks of the Apalachicola River, the twelve counties of the panhandle include battlefields from the Redstick War of 1813-1814 and the First Seminole War four years later, twenty-four state parks, three state forests, one national forest, and a national seashore. There are caves (!) here, the world's largest air force base, and the first European settlement in North America.
Treasures of the Panhandle is ideal for anyone interested in heritage tourism or eco-tourism. It offers additional information on now-lost treasures, as well as complete lists of National Register sites and Historical Markers.
Brian R. Rucker, professor of history at Pensacola State College, is author of Arcadia: Florida s Premier Antebellum Industrial Park and Image and Reality: Tourism in Antebellum Pensacola.