John Gorrie State Museum

The John Gorrie State Museum in Apalachicola documents a physician and inventor who developed the first mechanical cooling system. The building displays a recreation of this machine and exhibits from early medical practice in the 1800s.

A physician arrived in town in the 1830s and invented cooling technology while treating fever patients, which was later patented. This discovery became groundbreaking for industry and many other developments across America.

The museum shows how cooling technology changed daily life in this coastal town and why inventive thinking flourished here in the 1800s. Visitors can see how this innovation shaped the community and influenced local trade.

A visit here is brief and informative, so plan for about an hour or two. The site is easily accessible and located near other historic spots in town that you can visit together.

The museum displays authentic medical instruments from the 1800s showing how physicians treated fever patients back then. This collection tells two intertwined stories - medicine and engineering ingenuity - in one space.

Location: Florida

Inception: 1958

Website: https://floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/john-gorrie-museum-state-park

GPS coordinates: 29.72463,-84.98518

Latest update: December 12, 2025 16:43