Fort Coombs Armory, Florida.
Franklin County built the Fort Coombs Armory in Apalachicola, Florida, at the urging of the local militia company, the Franklin Guards, in 1898. The city’s first building, a two-story structure with a four-story clock tower, was made of simulated brick. It stood at the corner of 4th Street and Avenue D and was named for James Percy Coombs, commander of the local National Guard unit in the early 1900s. He later served as the Mayor of Apalachicola and as a Lieutenant Colonel in World War I.
On May 25, 1900, a fire destroyed the armory and much of downtown. On July 3, 1900, a committee was formed to build a new armory. They completed it at the same location in 1901 for $12,000. The replacement armory features brick walls, a gable roof, and a gable parapet. The solid massing of the walls, slit windows, and a four-story corner tower give it a medieval watchtower appearance. The imposing military structure is one of the most unique examples of “fortress architecture” in Florida.
Franklin Guards, Apalachicola, Florida
The new building included a large drill hall accommodating the entire company. It also included a vault for weapons storage, dressing rooms, and offices. Franklin County sold the building to the State of Florida in 1911, and a 30-by-100-foot single-story addition was made to the northwest side of the building. This addition contains a kitchen, offices, restrooms, and a company room.
The armory has served the military of Apalachicola for more than a century, with units stationed here during World Wars I and II, the Gulf War, and the War in Iraq. Bronze plaques located on the exterior front wall memorialize the names of generations of Apalachicola and Franklin County citizens who have served their State and Nation.
Today, the armory is a contributing building on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the Apalachicola Historic District.
The Fort Coombs Armory is located on 4th Street in Apalachicola, Florida.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated October 2026.
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