Apalachicola in Franklin County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Benjamin Franklin

Photographed by Tim Fillmon, August 21, 2026

1. Benjamin Franklin Marker

Inscription.
Founding Father
Born in Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) is remembered as the elder statesman of the American cause during the Revolutionary War. Beyond the political arena, he pursued many interests, including higher education. philanthropy, music and the arts, science, writing, printing. and publishing Franklin is considered among the leading American intellectuals of his time. His ideas, experiments, and diplomatic efforts greatly influenced the formation of the United States.
-Positions held by Benjamin Franklin:
-President of Pennsylvania, 1785-1788
-United States Minister to Sweden, 1782-1783
-United States Minister to France, 1779-1785
-Commissioner to France, 1776-1779
-Postmaster General of the United States, 1775-1776
-Pennsylvania Delegate, Second Continental Congress, 1775-1776
-Postmaster General of British North America, 1753-1774
-Speaker of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, 1764
-Member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, 1751-1764
-President of the University of Pennsylvania, 1749-1754
-Clerk of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, 1736-1751

Innovator
Franklin

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is credited with several notable inventions, including the bifocal lens, the Franklin stove, and the lightning rod. In 1752, he and his son William famously deduced that lightning was a form of electricity after conducting an experiment with a kite, a wire, and a key. A lifelong swimmer, Franklin is also credited with inventing the first wooden swimming fins.

Franklin studied botany, hydrology, meteorology, and oceanography and conducted experiments on refrigeration, electricity, and improving the printing process. He maintained active correspondence with his peers and published his findings in scientific journals.

Franklin forged a close relationship with naturalist John Bartram, who established a garden outside Philadelphia in 1728. Franklin raised money to support Bartram’s efforts to study the flora of the southern forests. In 1765, while in Georgia, John and his son William named a rare flowering tree for Ben Franklin. Now extinct in the wild, Franklinia alatamaha only exists today in botanical collections.

Franklin and Florida
Franklin greatest contribution to Florida history came as a result of his study

Photographed by Tim Fillmon, August 21, 2026

2. Benjamin Franklin Marker

of ocean currents. Interested in the economics and logistics of global trade, Franklin closely followed the time it took ships to travel back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean from the United States to to Europe. He observed that ships sailing east from North America made the journey much faster than those sailing west from the British Isles.

Franklin worked with French cartographer George-Louis Le Rouge and published the first map of the Gulf Stream in 1786. Notable for his work translating British maps during the American Revolution, Le Rouge provided vital intelligence to both the French and Continental navies. Based on his own observations at sea, Franklin confirmed his findings through discussions with fisherman and whalers who frequented the waters off North America. Widespread knowledge of the Gulf Stream improved the flow of commerce as the United States entered the early industrial age.

Franklin's knowledge of-and involvement with-the maritime economy makes Apalachicola the perfect place in Florida to commemorate his legacy. Established on February 8, 1832, Franklin County is named in his honor.

Erected 2026

Photographed by Tim Fillmon, August 21, 2026

3. Benjamin Franklin Marker

by America250FL Road Trip.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Colonial Era. A significant historical year for this entry is 1706.

Location. 29° 43.557′ N, 84° 58.971′ W. Marker is in Apalachicola, Florida, in Franklin County. It is at the intersection of Market Street and Avenue C on Market Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 33 Market St, Apalachicola FL 32320, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Florida Panhandle.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Franklin County (within shouting distance of this marker); Willoughby Ryan Marks Memorial (within shouting distance

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of this marker); The Gibson Inn (within shouting distance of this marker); The Historic Orman Building (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Apalachicola Post Office and Customs House (about 500 feet away); Fort Coombs - Franklin Guards (about 600 feet away); The Cook Building (about 600 feet away); The Cook Insurance Building (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Apalachicola.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 25, 2026, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 25, 2026, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.