The Forgotten Coast refers to a largely untouched and uninhabited area of coastline in the panhandle of the US state of Florida. The term, also a trademark, was first used in 1992, but the Forgotten Coast's exact location is not agreed upon.
Description
The Forgotten Coast is a trademark first used by the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce on September 1, 1992. The name is most commonly used to refer to a relatively quiet, undeveloped and largely uninhabited section of coastline stretching from Mexico Beach on the Gulf of Mexico to St. Marks on Apalachee Bay in the U.S. state of Florida. The nearest major cities are Tallahassee, about 90 miles northeast of Apalachicola, and Panama City, home of Tyndall Air Force Base, about 60 miles to the northwest.
The Tourist Development Council of Franklin County defines the Forgotten Coast as Franklin County itself. They add that the Forgotten Coast got its name "because it’s the last remaining stretch of unspoiled, pristine Gulf Coast beaches that haven’t been overrun by high rises and strip malls." In the council's definition of the Forgotten Coast, there are 200 miles of coastline, 5 islands, and nearly 100 historic sites, and it is a part of the Big Bend geographic region.
Communities
In addition to the endpoints, it encompasses the coastal communities of (west to east):
Port St. Joe
Cape San Blas
Apalachicola
Eastpoint
Carrabelle
Lanark Village
Alligator Point
Panacea
Shell Point
These communities are located in the following counties, which by extension may be included in references to the Forgotten Coast by some writers:
Gulf County, Florida
Franklin County, Florida
Wakulla County, Florida
The area is renowned for its oyster and shrimp production, marine wildlife, and fine white-sand beaches. Peninsulas and barrier islands along the coast include:
Gulf County: St. Joseph Peninsula Cape San Blas Franklin County: St. Vincent Island Cape St. George Island St. George Island Dog Island
Protected natural and historic areas include:
