Blountstown, FL is located in the panhandle of Florida, about an hour away from Tallahassee. Blountstown is the County Seat of Calhoun County, which was once a part of the counties of Escambia, Gadsden, Jackson, Washington and Layfette (also known as the lost county).
History of Blountstown, FL
Few counties or towns have as interesting a history as Blountstown, FL. The town was named for Seminole Chief John Blount, who had served as a guide for General Andrew Jackson. He was rewarded for his service with a trip to Washington DC to visit President Jackson, where he was awarded a reservation along the western side of the Apalachicola River.
Chief Blount had several hundred head of cattle roaming on his reservation and allowed the early settlers who lived nearby to slaughter the cattle and pay him with the cattle’s hides. Among the usual commodities traded between the natives and settlers were cloth, coffee, guns, knives, and shoes, but more unusual were bee’s honey and wax.
Eventually, the US government purchased Blount’s reservation, moving the tribe to land in Texas. The settled area eventually became the County Seat of Calhoun County in 1880 when a courthouse was built near the river. However, 13 years later another courthouse was constructed in “new” Blountstown and used until 1973 when the present courthouse was constructed. The old courthouse has been restored and is one of Florida’s historical landmarks.
Blountstown’s Early Economy
The early economy of Blountstown was based around cotton crops which grew well in the rich river bottomland. Because there was easy river access to Columbus, Georgia, cotton was shipped downstream and then over to England. Civil War ultimately ended King Cotton, and soon the lumber industry took cotton’s place as the main export.
Today, Blountstown has been named a Main Street Community. As such, the community strives to make the town and the county more attractive for residents and visitors, and to find ways to make the most of all the resources it has.
Blountstown Schools
The younger residents of Blountstown attend schools which are under the supervision of Calhoun County Schools. From the earliest grades, the schools emphasize that schools should be a safe environment which promotes learning; that each student is a valued individual with individual needs; and that the school, home, and community should be jointly responsible for and committed to the education of the students.
Blountstown FL Real Estate
Blountstown FL real estate offers ranch and bungalow style homes in a rural setting, as well as a few historic properties, commercial real estate, and properties for hunting. Single family and manufactured homes are priced from the 60s to mid 100s.
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