Marianna, Florida
Marianna on the Chipola River is home to fewer than six thousand five hundred people with over 40% of African American descent. Founded and named in 1827 by Robert and Anna Maria Beveridge, for their daughters Mary and Anna, Marianna is the county seat of Jackson County occupying eight square miles in the heart of the Florida panhandle.
About The Community
The county courthouse has stood since early days and boasts of a historical marker in its square with details of the Battle of Marianna. There stands a memorial built in1881 to the Confederate soldiers of Jackson County. Confederate Park in the downtown area has an obelisk monument dedicated to the soldiers of the Confederacy who fought in the Battle of Marianna. The Battle of Marianna had a great impact on the development of not just Jackson County and Northwest Florida, but the state as well
Most of the downtown area is indeed of great historical interest and Marianna Main Street, a voluntary group, has worked hard to restore and maintain it. The area was largely deserted but now there are numerous commercial, retail, and dining establishments. A walk through the historic area reveals charming old homes and commercial structures from the mid 1800s.
The citizens contributed to the beautification process in unique ways. A sixteen-foot tall, four-sided Seth Thomas antique reproduction clock within the median adjacent to the Post Office was installed on Main Street. The landscaped area around it includes a brick walkway in the surrounding landscaped area honors current and past residents. The deep-stamped bricks were sold to pay for the stately clock that now welcomes visitors to historic downtown.
Important Links
Vicinity of Marianna
Additional Details
Chipola Junior College is now the Chipola College and runs 4-year degree courses. It provides sound education at reasonable costs. The Panhandle Public Library Cooperative System runs an extensive library in Marianna with books, video tapes, and electronic material. The community prays at the local Union Hill Church. Excellent medical facilities of the Jackson County Hospital and the Sunland Cox Medical Center look after the needs of the area. Marianna is also home to the Convalescent Center, a nursing home with a caring, homelike atmosphere aimed at promoting the health and the advancement of growth for those admitted to it. It is over 30 years old and is a 180-bed, non-profit Skilled Nursing Facility owned by the City of Marianna. The staff of competent and dedicated professionals takes good resident care at the most reasonable cost, consistent with sound resident care practice.
Marianna has a great history in various sports, particularly basketball and baseball and as there are excellent sports facilities. Small wonder that the city has produced players at the national level! Marianna Educational Recreational Expo (M.E.R.E.) is a complete sports center with tee ball & coach pitch fields, adult softball fields, Dixie Youth softball fields and baseball fields, Dixie Boys baseball fields, football/soccer field, and covered/lighted batting cage. McLane’s Community Center hosts the Florida Youth, Inc. Basketball Program. There are various community events throughout the year and the center provides an After-School Program at its basketball courts, playground, and indoor recreational facilities.
