 | This name applies to a tribe, the river, the bay, and the county seat of Franklin County. The Jeffreys Map of 1769 shows the name of the river as both the Cahuitas River, and the Apalachicola. Cahuitas is a variation of Coweta, the name of an important Lower Creek town on the Chattahoochee River.
The name Apalachecoli comes down to us from Spanish and English sources as Apalaxtchukla, Apaatchukla, Palatchukla and Parachukla. These names commemorate the name of a tribe of Hichiti speaking Indians whose historic town was on the west bank of the Chattahoochee River in Russell County, Alabama. When the Spanish first came in contact with them in the late seventeenth century, they appear to have been the strongest town among the Lower Creeks.
Like most historic southeastern tribes, the Apalachicola migration legend says they came from the west. The furthest western location cited in the legend is in what is now Texas. I am satisfied this tribe has its origins in what is now Mexico. . . . The Apalachicola, or Pallachicolas, once controlled the whole of southwest Georgia. This tribe, as well as nine other major groups in the north Florida and southwest Georgia area, were forced to scatter when the "Tusckaroras" (Creeks) descended upon them in 1703-4.
. . . Tobias Fitch refers to Apalachicola as a distinct town in his 1775 journal. Bartram visited the tribe in 1777 and had this to say:
"This is esteemed the mother town or capital of the Creek or Muscogulge confederacy; sacred to peace; no captives are put to death or human blood spilt here."
Apalachicola was a "White town". Anyone who had committed a crime against another (except in the case of murder) could reside in a "White", or "Peace town" without fear of reprisal from a pursuer. After the Green Corn Ceremony had taken place, the offender was able to go on his way as if no offense had been committed. The White Town was, in effect, a safe haven, a place of refuge and peace. A "White" or "Peace Town" was often the town where important matters concerning all of the peoples of the area were discussed. No meetings concerning war would take place in a Peace town. Bartrum goes on to say:
"And when a general peace is proposed, deputies from all the towns in the confederacy assemble at this capital, in order to deliberate upon a subject of so high importance for the prosperity of the commonwealth."
Red Towns, on the other hand, were where the warriors were "raised up". They were the defenders and fighters. Meetings concerning matters of war took place in these towns.
In 1799 the Apalachicola were still residing at the town bearing their name as Hawkins reported:
"Pa-la-chooc-le is on the right bank of Chat-to-ho-che, one and a half miles below Au-he-gee creek on a poor, pine barren flat.
. . . This was formerly the first among the Lower Creek towns: a peace town, averse to war, and called by the nation, Tal-lo-wau thluc-co (big town). The Indians are poor, the town has lost its former consequence, and is not now much in estimation."
Several traders and their Indian families were burned to death in 1763 in a house by a few angry (some say intoxicated) young Indians, resulting in the removal of the esteemed title of "White Town". The incident caused the whole tribe to pay the consequences with a ten generation exclusion from its citizens holding a national office or hosting a national assembly during the period of censure, and barred the town from displaying the white flag. (This latter penalty seems to have been tougher to swallow than the first two.) The tribe was also required to publicly re-enact the terrible deed anually at their Square. Each year a Palachicola elder stands before the Sacred Fire and calls to mind the massacre and its shame. Additionally, the tribe was ordered to erect the red War Post at the southeast corner of their Square for every public assembly. (As a frequent quest at the Grounds, I can attest that this is done without fail.) In recent years, the Apalachicola people have been wondering when they would be accepted back on equal terms with other member tribes represented in the Creek National Council, as the time specified in the punishment has passed.
. . . The name Apalachicola appears to have been derived from either the Choctaw Apelachi meaning helper or ally, or Apelichi meaning ruling place, and Okla meaning people. In all probability it was the latter, meaning "people of the ruling place". . . . This tribe is not to be confused with the Apalachees. The two tribes were, however, closely associated. It was said by early explorers that the languages of the two tribes were so similar that only one interpreter was needed to translate either tongue. This is logical since it has always been accepted that the Apalachee language was more closely related to Choctaw than Creek. Since the Apalachicola were originally Hitchiti speakers, perhaps the similarity between this tongue and Apalachee was why only one interpreter was needed. The similarity in the terminal portion of the names Apalachicola and Pensacola are not coincidental. The "cola" in each resembles Hitchiti, Okli meaning people.
One traditional interpretation of the name Apalachicola is that it originated due to the mound of earth around the square ground resulting from the leveling of the surface during its construction. Many of their tribal traditions are alive and well at Pine Arbor Town where they conduct four busks annually. (Most of the Indians in Oklahoma and the rest of the southeastern United States only have one busk per year, usually Green Corn.) The Apalachicola exhibit a close adherence to traditional Creek ceremonialism. A man in Blounstown told me if someone wanted to see a Creek Indian, all he had to do was look at a farmer on his tractor in Calhoun County. (They look like everybody else). Privately, many mixed-bloods in northwest Florida continue to honor traditional ways and beliefs. Many are now openly honoring the ceremonial traditions.
Simpson (1956) reports the current town of Apalachicola was incorporated as West Point in 1831, but the name was changed to Apalachicola in the same year. The current town of Apalachicola, incidentally, is not even close to the location of the early Indian esteemed capital. It was located near the confluence of the Flint and Chattahoochie Rivers.
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