Marianna/Chipley

The cost of living is low and the pace of life slow in this part of the Panhandle. Sometimes called Chipola after a local river, Jackson and Washington counties occupy the central and northern section of what is often referred to as the Big Bend region. Some of the Old South's customs and charm--and a little of its Southern drawl--live on here.

Jackson County is a Florida rarity: the only county that borders two other states, Alabama and Georgia. It's famous for another one-of-a-kind geological feature--its extraordinary limestone caverns--and its many impressive rivers. Marianna, Jackson County's pride and its county seat, is not only the site of many lovely plantation-style homes, it's also a good place to live for its 62,694 residents. Norman Crampton approves of this place and gave it favorable coverage in the second edition of his The 100 Best Small Towns in America.

Washington County is southwest of Jackson County. Chipley is its county seat. The entire county is less than an hour's drive from beautiful white-sand beaches--and once, in fact, stretched all the way to the gulf. Today it's heavily treed and dotted with freshwater lakes.

Home Sweet Home

The Marianna/Chipley housing market is almost entirely comprised of single-family homes. Some mobile homes and a very few condominiums complete the housing picture. Housing is definitely affordable. For $68,000, the average sales price, a buyer in this part of northwestern Florida could purchase an older three-bedroom, two-bath brick home of about 1,600 square feet located on a one-acre site."Prices range from as low as $30,000 up to $750,000," says the Chipola Area Board of Realtors. Folks appreciate the four-county Chipola area for its low crime rate, its Southern hospitality, its outdoor paradise and its family-oriented activities.

One new development is Indian Springs, a heavily wooded area east of Marianna. Located on Merritt's Millpond, Indian Springs homes range from $85,000 to $475,000. Several communities that feature traditional neighborhoods but offer new construction exist north of Marianna. They include The Oaks, North Oaks and Forest Park; prices range from $100,000 to $375,000. For existing homes, values exist even in sought-after areas. Existing waterfront property costs approximately $53 per square foot; new waterfront property costs about $75 per square foot. For existing golf-course property, plan to pay about $71 per square foot; for new homes situated on a golf course, expect to spend at least $75 per square foot. Jackson, Holmes, Washington and Calhoun counties have all seen steady appreciation in property values over the last 10 years. Homes in the newer subdivisions are a good investment."

Find a Realtor
Find a Real Estate Company

Vital Stats

The Marianna/Chipley statistical area includes all of Jackson and Washington Counties.

Population: 62,694
Median age: 35.8
New citizens: 366 yearly
New job creation: N/A
Unemployment rate: 6.2 in August, 1999
Cost of living: 91.76
Per capita income: $14,952
Median household effective buying income: $24,661

Rain & Shine

It rains 55 inches a year on average in Jackson County and 60 inches annually in neighboring Washington County. Temperatures are about the same in both counties. The average January temperature is 52 degrees Fahrenheit; the average August temperature is 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Predictably, it's cooler here than in south Florida, but the residents seem to enjoy the four-season climate--although they also enjoy the mild winters.

Job Market

Timber is important to the local economy, though it can't be considered a major employer. So, too, is manufacturing--of washing machines, telephone lines, concrete, elevators and window coverings. Government work, including the local school district, makes up more than half the area's jobs. The counties have not coastline to attract sun worshippers, and do not rely on tourism revenue.

In Jackson County, peanuts, cotton and corn are cash crops. The county's largest private employers include Allaince Laundry Systems (455), Anderson Columbia, Inc. (110), Mowery Elevator Company, Inc. (54), Marianna Truss, Inc. (50), Daffin Food Service (47) and National Shutter Company (43).

In Washington County, the area's largest employer is WestPoint Stevens Co. Inc. (800), a manufacturer of bed and bath products. Other large private employers include NW Florida Community Hospital (225), AT&T (193), Washington County Kennel Club (175), Washington County Convalescent Center (165), Trawick Construction (90), Jerkins (50) and United Parcel Service (30).

Class Notes

Extensive information about the schools in this area is online at the state's Department of Education (http://www.firn.edu/doe/doehome.htm). There you'll discover everything you'll need to know about Florida schools -- in general and in particular. All you need is the name of your county and the names of the schools students from your neighborhood attend.

Use links from the DOE home page for general information about entrance requirements, immunizations and so forth.

For the nitty-gritty details that really matter, click on the logo for the "Florida School Indicators Report."

Getting Around

Interstate Highway 10 and US Highway 90 parallel each other and cross both counties in an east/west direction. US Highway 231 is the primary north/south route in the Chipola area. CSR (east/west) and Byline (north/south) transport freight by rail. Trucking companies move goods as well. Greyhound Bus Lines and Amtrak carry passengers by bus and rail. Marianna Municipal Airport offers two lighted, 5,000-foot runways for small commercial charters or private planes. Washington County's private pilots use the Trio-County Airport's 4,014-foot, lighted asphalt runway. Larger airports are located in Dothan, Panama City and Tallahassee. From any of them, travelers can connect to a hub city and then to any place in the world. The closest deep-water port is about 50 miles away in Panama City (46 miles from Chipley in Washington County or 54 miles from Marianna in Jackson County).

Great Outdoors

Falling Waters State Recreation Area features perhaps the only true waterfall in the entire state of Florida. But you must view it from above, because the water goes into the Falling Waters Sink, a geological depression.

In Marianna, don't miss the 1,280-acre Florida Caverns State Park. Many of the caves are for scientific study only and protected from the intrusions and the ecological damage that might be caused by visitors, but one extraordinary cave is open to the public. Don't miss it. Stalactites and stalagmites create beautiful yet stark underworld landscapes with names like the Waterfall Room, the Cathedral Room and the Wedding Room. Above ground there's lots to do, including a vist to a disappearing river. The Chipola River goes underground for a while but above ground are lovely trees, a natural bridge, lots of plants and animals. Facilities for golfing, canoeing, picnicking, swimming, hiking, fishing and riding are part of the park's pleasantries.

Pittsburgh isn't the only place with three rivers. Locals enjoy the Three Rivers State Recreation Area on Lake Seminole, a huge manmade lake that straddles three states, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. The rivers are natural--the Apalachicola, formed from the convergence near Lake Seminole of the Flint and the Chattahoochee. Bring your pole; the fishing is fine here.

Good Sports

Pristine lakes, rivers and streams provide countless hours of outdoor fun. Canoeing, boating, fishing, diving and swimming are popular. Hunting, hiking or simply watching for rare species of birds occupies many. Only a few golf courses grace the area. Most swimming is in freshwater lakes, rivers or streams, not swimming pools. If you prefer saltwater bathing, the white-sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico beckon from only 50 miles away.

This region affords canoe enthusiasts a few challenges worth noting. Near Chipley, canoeists can experience the Holmes Creek Canoe Trail; south of Marianna, the Econfina Creek Canoe Trail awaits the adventurous and experienced; and the less challenging but fun Chipola River Trail, which starts at Florida Caverns State Park north of Marianna and travels south for 52 miles of limestone bluffs, offers shoals and some small rapids.

Hot Times in the City

Marianna is the center of a prosperous farming region. Its antebellum and contemporary homes come as something of a surprise to people who just happen through the area. Some are registered historic places; others are simply attractive. Tourism isn't much of a factor here. The only "must see" place is the cave that's open to the public at Florida Caverns State Park, but the lovely, historic homes here often prove interesting to residents, other Floridians and occasional tourists. East of town on U.S. 90 is the site of an infamous Civil War battle. When Union forces attacked in 1864, only the "men" in what is now called the Cradle to Grave Militia were available to defend the town. The result was a tragic defeat: 60 youngsters and old men were killed or injured at the Battle of Marianna.

Occasionally there's a horse show at the Jackson County Agricultural Center in Marianna. Other countywide events occur at the center. Graceville's Civic Center seats about 1,000; it serves northwestern Jackson County as a site for cultural and civic events. Marianna sports a bowling alley and a twin cinema. The area is a bit short on culture, but long on history and church-related activities.

Shop 'til You Drop

Plenty of food, hardware and clothes shops serve the area. For unusual items or high-end boutiques, however, you might need to take a little drive. Shop-a-holics prefer Tallahassee, Panama City or Dothan, Alabama, where the malls are. Antique fanciers enjoy a day in Havana, about 20 miles north of Tallahassee and within reasonable driving distance of Marianna/Chipley. Closer to home, outlet centers aren't far from either Chipley or Marianna. Northwest of Marianna is Graceville, still in Jackson County but close to the Florida/Alabama state line, where two outlet centers--the VF Factory Outlet and the Graceville Outlet Center--draw shoppers from three states, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

Nightlife

The truth is, there isn't much in the way of nightlife. The low-key atmosphere and the sparse population couldn't support a high-octane club scene--and probably wouldn't want to if it could. Decent places to enjoy an evening out are scattered around the region. Some restaurants that locals enjoy include a steak and seafood place in Chipley called the Chuck Wagon House and Grady's Seafood House in Graceville. Tony's Restaurant in Marianna specializes in Italian cuisine. The Red Canyon Grill, also in Marianna, serves southwestern food with panache and received accolades recently from Florida Trend magazine, which named it one of the 20 best new restaurants in the state for 1996.

College Scene

Not many colleges are located here, but Florida State University (FSU), one of Florida's major, four-year institutions of higher learning, is about 60 to 65 miles east of Marianna and perhaps 75 miles east of Chipley. Florida A & M is also located in Tallahassee. Another of the state's 10 major, four-year schools, is the University of West Florida, located in Pensacola, about the same distance west of Marianna/Chipley as FSU is east of them.

Many prefer to start their experience of higher education closer to home. For them, there's the two-year, state-supported Chipola Junior College in Marianna, where nearly 2,000 students are enrolled. Troy State, whose main campus is in nearby Dothan, Alabama, maintains a branch campus on the Chipola campus, although it doesn't offer a full range of classes. Troy State's Chipola branch concentrates on counseling, psychology, criminal justice, management and business administration. Located in Graceville, The Baptist College of Florida is a coeducational Christian college owned and operated by the Florida Baptist Convention. This private institution offers degrees in theology, leadership, education, Christian counseling, Christian education and Church music.

Although tourism's impact is negligible here, in-migration of senior citizens occurs from time to time because of the quiet, small-town atmosphere, the low cost of living and the unhurried pace of life in the Marianna/Chipley area of north Florida. Marianna gets good press. Frugal senior citizens or people approaching retirement pay attention when a town is mentioned in both Where to Retire in Florida by Richard and Betty Fox and in Norm Crampton's The 100 Best Small Towns in America.

Assistance is as close as your telephone. For information about specific senior services offered in the Chipola region, call the Elder Helpline closest to where you may live. Jackson County numbers are 850/482-5028 (Marianna) and 850/263-4650 (Graceville); Washington County's Information and Referral (I&R) line is 850/638-6216. I&R specialists can inform you about congregate meals, home-delivered meals, respite care and other senior services, public or private, that are or might be available in the Marianna/Chipley region.