Graceville is a Panhandle town removed from busier coastal communities
Graceville is a quaint town in the Florida Panhandle with a sizable sawmill and a small university. Outside of log-filled trucks occasionally filing into Rex Lumber and a bit of foot traffic at the Baptist University of Florida, Graceville’s intimate population of around 2,200 residents enjoys the quiet. “It’s a quaint little town without many amenities,” says local Realtor Dana Panichella of American Golf Realty. She’s served the community for over a decade. “It has the basics. There’s a little Piggly Wiggly.” This quiet life comes at a relative bargain, with a lower median sale price than many communities closer to the coast.
Established homes and large outlying lots
Early to mid-20th-century cottages and bungalows are relatively close together on narrow streets across central Graceville. Many houses have been repaired, but a few still need fixing. Buyers will also find many mid-to-late 20th-century ranch-style homes. “You’re going to find a variety of homes,” Panichella says. “There are some older homes, some new homes. Nothing is particular.” Homes near the university are popular with school staff. Outside of the city limits, between farms and flat pastures, many properties sprawl across several acres of woodlands. It’s common for residents to have land anywhere from 10 to 40 acres. The median sale price for a home is around $115,000.
Home of the Baptist University of Florida
Jackson County Schools scores an overall B-plus on Niche and serves over 6,000 students. Graceville School has a B-plus and enrolls pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students. The school offers various clubs and extracurricular activities for all grade levels, including Beta Club, marching band and Future Farmers of America. The private Baptist University of Florida provides a local faith-based option for post-secondary education, with bachelor’s programs in Christian studies, ministry studies and psychology.
Public parks and nearby caves
Graceville has a couple of dedicated outdoor spaces for recreation and local sports. Youth athletic teams meet at James A. Martin Park, where tall field lights tower over four baseball and softball diamonds. A small concessions stand anchors the four fields, and a few sets of bleachers sit just outside the fields. There’s also a small playground between two of the fields. More playscapes are available at Tiger Park, which has swings, slides and plenty of open green space. The park also has a small pavilion with a few picnic tables. The Graceville Civic Center, neighboring Tiger Park, is available to rent for small events.
Residents also head about 25 miles outside of Graceville to check out the stalagmites and flowstones of Florida Caverns State Park. It’s largely known for its cave tours but has some above-ground amenities. A few miles of multi-use trails encourage hiking and biking, and the Chipola River is popular for kayaking and fishing.
Shopping and dining options along Cotton Street
Most of Graceville’s businesses line Cotton Street, concentrating in and around the town’s heart. The thoroughfare has a couple of banks, restaurants and Graceville’s primary grocery store – Piggly Wiggly. Dollar General and Family Dollar offer a couple of additional options for essentials. Of the community’s few locally owned restaurants, Gary’s Southern Grill is a popular spot known for its Southern fare. Circle Grill has platters with fried grouper or chicken gizzards, and Super Canton Chinese Restaurant has combination dinners with staples like Kung Pao chicken. Grady’s Seafood, opened by the original owner of Circle Grill, is a family-owned spot that has served residents for decades. A bit west of central Graceville, among the farmland, Graceville Pecan Co. is a hidden spot where folks enjoy harvesting, cracking and buying pecans.
Navigating the Florida Panhandle
Locals mainly depend on cars to get around, but regional transit services include J-Trans, Jackson County’s on-demand bus system. Florida State Roads 2 and 77 intersect at the heart of Graceville, and commuters also have access to State Road 171. The Northwest Florida Community Hospital in Chipley features the closest emergency room, about 14 miles south. Dothan Regional Airport, about 30 miles away offers daily, nonstop flights to Atlanta, and Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is around 60 miles away. Dothan is a 22-mile trip northeast.
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Written By
Brennen Martin
