Founded in 1827 by a Scotsman, Robert Beverridge, Marianna is the county seat of Jackson County. The town's name, a combination of the female names Anna-Maria or Mary and Anna, grew to become one of northwest Florida's largest towns in the Antebellum period. Today, it is one of its most historic.

Perhaps best known as the site of a critical Civil War battle, the town served as a Confederate headquarters and supply depot during the war. In the Battle of Marianna, of September 27, 1864, Union soldiers engaged confederate troops and local militia on the streets of the town and in the churchyard of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. The better equipped and numerically superior Union soldiers won the battle, but not before dozens of troops on both sides were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner--and not before many of the town's buildings were burned. Among the buildings destroyed that summer day was the Episcopal Church. Rebuilt after the war, the church displays a bible that a young Union officer, Major Nathan Cutler, reportedly rescued from the burning sanctuary.

During the harsh years of the Great Depression, Marianna welcomed aid from the north in the form of Franklin Roosevelt's newly created Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC, as it was known, arrived to preserve the region's system of natural caves. The fruit of its labors is the Florida Caverns State Park located a few miles north of the city. The venue, which opened in 1935, continues to be a popular tourist attraction.

Today, Marianna boasts a culture connected to the area's rich history and natural beauty. The Marianna Historic District includes a number of historic structures as well as monuments and sites associated with the Battle of Marianna. A trip to Florida Caverns State Park showcases the area's unique environment.

From the Civil War to the Great Depression, Marianna has witnessed national events through a small town prism. That history is on display today for visitors.

This podcast made possible through the generous support of West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc. Script written by Paul Zielinski. Narrated by Sandra Averhart.