Escambia County Turns 199 Years Old Friday, July 17

Escambia County turns 199 years old Friday, July 17. Created on the same date in 1821, Escambia and St. Johns counties were Florida's two original counties, covering the entire territory within modern state boundaries. The Suwannee River was the border between Escambia and St. Johns counties, which follows a winding path from the northern border of the state to the Gulf of Mexico. Essentially, the Escambia County government had jurisdiction over the "panhandle" and "big bend" areas, and St. Johns over the remainder of the entire state.  

The 200th Anniversary Committee is diligently planning for the BIG 200! Committee members names are listed below.

"We would like to wish Escambia County, Happy 199th!," said Escambia County Chairman and District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry. "We are looking forward to a year-long celebration where we can all learn more about what it was like when Escambia County was founded in 1821."

A new logo was designed to commemorate the 200th anniversary, which includes a map of the state with the original boundary between Escambia County and St. Johns Counties, an American flag, the dates of 1821 and 2021, a banner showcasing the 200th Anniversary, and Escambia County and the City of Pensacola written around the outside. The colors of the logo include red, white and blue to represent the colors of the American flag with St. Johns County in purple. 

“I’d like to wish a very happy 199th birthday to Escambia County and join them in celebrating our area’s rich history," Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said. “I’m looking forward to celebrating the county’s 200th birthday in 2021 and hoping it will be a momentous year for our entire community.”

A website will be created soon with more information on how to get involved in the 200th Anniversary of Escambia County!

The 200th Anniversary Committee Members:

• Dr. Judy Bense, chair and historical archaeologist, 18th century
• Margo Stringfield, co-chair, historical archaeologist
• Rob Overton, director, UWF Historic Trust
• Dr. Elizabeth Benchley, historical archaeologist, 18th and 19th century
• Darien Schaefer, president/CEO, Visit Pensacola
• Jack Brown, former City and County administrator
• Dr. Brian Rucker, historian, Northwest Florida
• Gregg Harding, historic preservation planner, City of Pensacola
• Dr. Marion Williams, local historian and African-American leader
• Dr. John Appleyard, local public historian
• Dr. Bill Lees, historical archaeologist 19th century and executive director, Florida Public  Archaeology Network
• Teniadé Broughton, president, John Sunday Society, member of Pensacola Save Our Structures
• Laura Coale, director for communications and public information, Escambia County