Fort Walton Beach, Florida
IT CATCHES MANY VISITORS them all shallow and dangerous, and Civil War but kept busy by digging
w
w
by surprise–the time zone on Fort so we navigated through them for 30 up prehistoric Indian remains in a
w
Walton Beach, that is. days. ...” location now known as the Heritage .
R
Located in Florida’s Panhandle, Legend has it that pirates Park and Cultural Center. Camp
e
the Central Standard Time places including William Augustus Walton was named for Walton t
i
it one hour behind the rest of the Bowles–also known as Billy County, which was named for Col.
r
i
n
state’s Eastern Standard Time, but Bowlegs–frequented the area. George Walton, who served as an aide
g
that has no effect on the area’s Regardless of whether these stories to Andrew Jackson and whose father,
timeless beauty. It’s almost like are based in fact or just tall tales, George Sr., was the 56th signer of the
F

t
o
gaining an extra hour in paradise for the city celebrates the Billy Bowlegs Declaration of Independence.
travelers arriving from the east. At one time, the area was known
l
The earliest prehistoric
“The economy is driven as Brooks Landing, where John
o
settlements at Fort Walton Beach Thomas Brooks and his family settled
flourished from approximately 1100 by tourism, mostly in 1868. The area was renamed Fort r
to 1550. In 1528, a Spanish party Walton when a Civil War cannon
i
led by Álvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
during the spring and
was discovered and excavated from an d
landed there as they traveled from Indian mound in 1932.
Panama City Beach to Texas. It
summer months. ...”
Today, approximately 20,000
a
was a journey steeped in hardship: Pirate Festival, which runs for two people call Fort Walton Beach
.
c
“Every day our thirst and hunger weeks and evokes much merriment. home. The economy is driven
o
m
increased because our supplies were It’s no tall tale that in 1861, a by tourism, mostly during the
giving out, as well as the water confederate camp settled on the beach, spring and summer months. Fort
supply. ... From time to time we and the area became known as Camp Walton Beach is also home to two
would enter some inlet or cove that Walton. The 1
st
Florida regiment important military installations:
reached very far inland, but we found did not see much action during the Hurlburt Field and Eglin AFB.
At A Glance
Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Population: 19,339
Average Temp: 78
Average Age: 39
Nearest Hospital:
Fort Walton Beach Medical Center
Nearest Major Airport:
Pensacola Regional Airport
Fort Walton Beach Info:
Greater Fort Walton Chamber of
Commerce
(850) 244-8191
wwwFWBChamber.org
www.PanamaCity-Condos.com I www.RetiringToFlorida.com I www.HotRetirementTowns.com
65_Fort Walton Beach.indd 65 8/19/08 3:43:16 PM
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