An 1823 Map of the Gadsden County, Florida

This is a map of the Gadsden County as it appeared in 1823, before the county was actually established by the Florida Territorial Legislative Council. It is from the collections of the National Archives.

It is interesting for a number of reasons. First, it shows a number of the early "roads" or trails that crossed through Gadsden County before the establish of communities such as Quincy, Chattahoochee, Havana and Greensboro.

In the upper left, where the Georgia State Line intersects with the Apalachicola River, can be seen a symbol for "Nichols' Old Fort." This was an outpost built by the British at present-day Chattahoochee during the War of 1812. Armed with two pieces of artillery and occupied by as many as 800 men, the fort was held by English in 1814-1815 and was intended for use as a base for a planned invasion of Georgia. The war ended before the campaign could take place.

Notice also symbols for a number of Native American villages and other points of interest.