Panama City Publishing Company Museum

05/30/2026

What a wonderful International Council of Museums - ICOM Museum Day we had! Our craft table was buzzing with activity all day long, and so many beautiful butterflies were decorated by visitors of all ages.

A heartfelt thank you to our amazing volunteers for their time, energy, and enthusiasm. We are also grateful to the UF IFAS Extension Bay County for donating seeds and to our local restaurants for their generous sponsorship and support: St. Andrews Slice House Burgunbarrel Hunt's Oyster Bar and Seafood Restaurant Uncle Ernie's Bayfront Grill Little Village FINNS at Little Village
Thank you to everyone who helped make the day such a success. We loved celebrating with our community!

05/28/2026

On May 28th, 1918, "construction of the first brick building is St. Andrews began. The crew broke ground on the new building and began digging trenches for the footing. Up to 15 men worked on the building at any time and some of the workers names George West wrote down in his diary were: Rogers, Stephens, Cook, Will Haines, Ed Roach, Filey Gwaltney, S. S. Wynn.
The first day they got the front and halfway up the north side, which was adjacent to the railroad tracks (now W. 11th Court). June 3rd was a landmark day as the crew began laying bricks." - from George Mortimer West: His Path in History

Today, the Panama City Publishing Company building is on the National Register of Historic Places, houses the original printing equipment, and shares stories of our local history. Your support for historic preservation is counted each time you visit the museum, donate, or share and like our social media posts.

05/27/2026

Looks like the new "Hot Off the Press" pizza!!! Enjoy a slice until the end of May and St. Andrews Slice House is donating a portion of this flavor's sales to the Panama City Publishing Company Museum !!!

05/18/2026

View all the museum's online historic document collection at www.archive.org

A local historian is sharing the unboxing of a woman’s story after discovering 2,000 documents.

05/08/2026

George M. West, the founder of Panama City, was incredibly visionary, obtaining a 2-year option to 1/4 interest in the west half of Section 17 (aka Redfish Point) in 1906. His railroad was planned to terminate in Section 8. The option expired before the first train came into Panama City in September 1908.

05/06/2026

Visit us for a lovely exhibit that bridges time, art, and poetry. This unique exhibit features:

✍Poetry by Philander Bailey West (1814-1886)
📷 Garden Photography by George Mortimer West (1845-1926)
🎨 Contemporary Watercolors by J. Wren Supak

Together, these works explore the enduring beauty of nature, reflecting across generations and mediums. And just outside the museum, our pollinator garden brings the art to life in the most vibrant way. 🌻🐝

05/02/2026

Celebrate International Museum Day with us in Historic St. Andrews

Join us on May 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a day of creativity, community, and connection at the museum, in partnership with UF IFAS Extension Bay County !

Bring your friends and family to:

🎨 Create your own butterfly collage print
🌱 Take home free seeds to for your garden
🖼️ Explore our local art and history exhibit

05/01/2026

Wonder what we find in the museum document archives?? How about this beautifully handwritten deed from 1897!! The moment Green B. Thompson's wife got interest in the property around Johnson Bayou, the eventual depot and rail site, to the water. George M. West secured options to buy the land in 1905, and then later purchased it for the creation of Panama City.

Thanks to the work by our museum volunteers, anyone can enjoy public access to 100s of the documents in the Panama City Publishing Company Museum online library at archive.org.

04/25/2026

Now's the time, printers! Show us what you've created and apply to our annual letterpress exhibit.

https://historicstandrews.com/2026lbtbapplication