Wewahitchka celebrates its 150th anniversary

Yahoo

6 hours ago

WEWAHITCHKA, Fla. (WMBB) – Gulf County celebrated its 100th anniversary on Friday, June 6.
Saturday, June 7, one city in the county celebrated a different milestone. Wewahitchka turned 150 years old.
Gulf County celebrates centennial birthday
The city was established in 1975 by John Richards, who was sent by the government to settle among the Indians.
The city's name is derived from an Indian name, called 'Water eyes'.
Residents celebrated the city's anniversary with vendors, food, arts and crafts and a car show.
While they celebrate, they are reminded of Wewahitchka's history before it was established.
'We're famous for our Tupelo honey and Dead Lakes. We also have got a lot of other industries that were back in the day in Iola, which was the town before Wewahitchka was established. And then as the Iola faded out, they moved up into Wewahitchka, so Wewahitchka has been around now since 1875, and we're celebrating our 150th anniversary today,' said Wewahitchka Historical Society President Ann Johnson.
'The Wewahitchka Library, the historical society and the friends of the library all worked really hard. This has been a long time in planning, and it is just we are just so thankful that so many people came out,' Charles Whitehead Public Library Branch Manager Joyelle Linton said.
The Wewahitchka Historical Society works to preserve the town's history and artifacts.
They are currently taking donations to restore their old Iola Cemetery and First Presbyterian Church.
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