City of Chipley

HOURS OF OPERATION - CITY HALL
Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

HOURS OF OPERATION - PUBLIC WORKS & WATER UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
Monday - Friday 6:30 A.M. - 3:30 P.M.

HOURS OF OPERATION - RECREATION
Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

The Town Is Built

Chipley's railway station and post office were originally located in railway box cars. Chipley's first school was called Limestone, named for Limestone Church about half a mile from town. The school's name was changed to Chipley just after the town was established in 1886. It was located near the site of today's county jail and about the same time, the Methodist Church that now stands at the top of the hill on Jackson Street was built.

Among Chipley's first merchants were William Tiller and a Mr. Matthew H.D. Feagan was the town's first druggist. Dr. R. B. Bellamy was the first physician and Dr. A. D. Brown was the town's first dentist. Mr. Thompson was Chipley's first lawyer.

Major Vankirk started selling lots from his 80-acre parcel. Lots facing the railroad were 50 feet wide and 140 feet deep and sold for $40 each, while the residential, or back lots, were sold for $20 each. Among the first residents of Chipley were William Tiller, Capt. McMillan, and Ed Daniel. Other early settlers included T. J. Jones, Sol Ellis, Dr. Bellamy, Dave Farrior, Henry Faust, J. M. Callaway, Daniel Williams and Billy Williams. A Baptist church was built in 1889 on a lot later occupied by G. M. Meyers.

The Collier House, a boarding house, was in existence prior to 1890 near today's Chipley Motel. The Chipley Motel was completed in 1890.

Dekle & Company, private bankers, brought Chipley its first banking services in 1899. The First National Bank was organized in 1905, and the Chipley State Bank was formed a year later.

When Chipley was reincorporated in 1901, the city authorized the issuance of $10,000 in bonds to finance the construction of a municipal water system and a school building. In 1902, the Presbyterian Church was built.

In 1905, the Birmingham Columbus & St. Andrews Bay Railroad started construction from Chipley southward. In 1910, a $22,000 bond issue was sold to finance improvements to the water system, and in 1913 the city approved a franchise to Chipley Light & Power Company for the installation and operation of an electric light system. CL&PC later added an ice making plant.

In 1919, a $60,000 bond issue financed the installation of a sewer system and improvements to the existing water system. A few downtown streets were paved in 1922 and a year later sidewalks were installed over a wider area of town.

In 1926 Gulf Power Company acquired CL&PC and was granted a franchise to furnish electricity within the city.

Chipley became the Washington County seat of government in 1927, then a courthouse and jail were built within a few years.