OKALOOSA ISLAND Margaret Mary Doucette and her friend Christine Rolfe had their hands full of swimming and sunning necessities Tuesday as they crossed Santa Rosa Boulevard on Okaloosa Island on their way to the beach. Okaloosa pioneers gathered often to exchange ideas, goods and news. The buildings had originally housed the Okaloosa Island Authority and more recently the Okaloosa County Council on Aging. During the winter months, from the angle of the earth to the sun, both sunrise and sunset can be seen across the horizon along the edge where the water meets the sky. 1268 0 obj <>stream In 1934, Plew proposed to donate 1,460 adjoining acres to the U.S. government for a bombing and gunnery range. Weboriginal lease of Navarre Beach by Santa Rosa County from Escambia County (1956); excerpts from the 1970 Annual Report of the Okaloosa Island Authority; Chapter 75-456 House Bill No. Okaloosa Island features gorgeous sunsets and sunrises. It contains the dWHd0ipt@H `84xHN2AHHVJNlSSa.BWLwh3#0 sp22cF_LGMGTc %gyKd43+CE"G WebOkaloosa County is located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line. Crestview, FL 32536 Introduction to the Okaloosa County Library Cooperative. Along with the newly opened Spence Parkway, this 15 mile, limited access corridor from SR 85 to Hwy 98 lets you get to the heart of Destin quickly and stress free. Okaloosa County Library Cooperative. Click here forImportant Information for Mid-Bay Bridge SunPass Frequent Users. As of the 2020 census, the population was 211,668. Webfrom the 1970 Annual Report of the Okaloosa Island Authority; Chapter 75-456 House Bill No. Situated along the Choctawhatchee Bay, Niceville offers an outdoor paradise beyond the beaches at Turkey Creek Nature Trail, where you can enjoy hiking, kayaking, and wildlife watching. All of the needed information, forms, and contact information, is contained in the Leasehold Conversion Application package. Thanks to the P&A Railroad, much of Okaloosas commodities traveled to Floridas east coast. Visit, Operation of Visitor Welcome Centers, Convention Center, and Film Commission, Beach safety and funding of the Beach Safety Life Saving Program (funding of beach lifeguards) Click, Research and evaluation of the success of all programs and local economy, Protection and improvementsto the natural environment through funding of the artificial reef program, public beach access parks, beach trash removal, beach restoration improvements, Sea Turtle Conservation. The 1.3-acre (0.53ha) tract on the north side of Santa Rosa Boulevard was sold.[3]. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. And to support a strong local community. AS\7,) V The family-friendly locale offers an environment of discovery to play and explore, inviting kids to get on the water and give their adventurous side room to grow. Okaloosa Island was developed under the guidance of the Okaloosa Island Authority, which in the 1950s was called upon to devise a master plan for a growing community. The Florida Statute 125.104 permits the Board of County Commissioners of Okaloosa County to levy Tourist Development Tax (TDT), and Chapter 20 Article II, Sections 71-78 of the Okaloosa County Ordinances created the Tourist Development Council, established the initial tax rate collection, and identified the special taxing districts with Okaloosa. ;styq+1 9|+B?ze^!d}h9_'?8NpkEZNzE#k=r/i~:3W39ZzU_Vs$@HDL(bN[sxD:g],krS;,#rK/w- Xp^#^.X==NG_K=xfIQ~h#>w bee X==t To help make it easier than ever to discover these experiences, the destination introduced Little Adventures, new, bite-sized challenges that encourage families to get outside, learn something new, and get out of their comfort zones. WebOkaloosa Island Attractions. View Conditions . Od1Sn&|]&3hV[JbPLDXa"3'P4Q1B[*a&H2,`@YMDjPVePn&8p& 3vd,5"b`KQp4cl(lXX\"Kj\SBma040[@R4lJ1:4PfyDrv@Zl@"4B1kDQY)Oy-(7s,RZXa5.BVOwVa85# B-*0=|v(.,Rw@Yvlm &!h")D!DaXPrP rPY18H9Rr@CH He visits often and lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with his wife (the former Muriel Marler of Destin). Webfrom the 1970 Annual Report of the Okaloosa Island Authority; Chapter 75-456 House Bill No. [20] Mitt Romney won the county in 2012 with 73.86% (69,785) of the popular vote, while Donald Trump won 70.42% (71,893) in 2016.[21]. Located in Northwest Florida, Destin-Fort Walton Beach is not only an ideal place to unwind, but discover natural beauty, encounter wildlife and ultimately uncover the adventurous side within. A sample lease for a residential property on the Island is contained in the link below. The lease was for 99 years with an automatic renewal for 99 years. WebOkaloosa Island is the beach destination in Destin-Fort Walton Beach Florida that offers 3 miles of sugar white super soft sand and the clear emerald green waters of the emerald coast beaches. Weboriginal lease of Navarre Beach by Santa Rosa County from Escambia County (1956); excerpts from the 1970 Annual Report of the Okaloosa Island Authority; Chapter 75-456 House Bill No. Coastal fishermen would take their haul to Pensacola by boat, and then loaded onto trains. 2023 www.thedestinlog.com. A temporary county seat was established in Milligan until a special election was held in 1917 and Crestview was chosen as the new permanent seat. Okaloosa County is a destination rich Hutchinson, Leonard Patrick, "History of the Playground Area of Northwest Florida", Great Outdoors Publishing Co., St. Petersburg, Florida, 1st ed., 1961, no Library of Congress card number, no ISBN, page 41. Whether taking place along the sugar-white sand beaches, out on the crystal-clear Gulf waters, or tucked away along a secluded nature trail, these adventures include dolphin excursions, charter fishing, eFoil lessons, snorkeling, camping, hiking, and more. S?r"k'?4wN )+o'wa?%;s[lg:\Q_f Okaloosa Beginnings On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. All rights reserved. [1] This area had been known as Tower Beach with the establishment of an amusement park, boardwalk and hotel from the mid-1930s. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race. 75-456 (June 23, 1975), the Okaloosa Island Authority was abolished and its assets turned over to the Board of County Commissioners, Okaloosa County, for management with the full force of direction to be retained in the PROTECTIVE COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS then in effect. The lease was for 99 years with an automatic renewal for 99 years. Okaloosa County is served by the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative. [19], Okaloosa County is one of the most conservative counties in Florida. Retrieved from, Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area, List of county roads in Okaloosa County, Florida, National Register of Historic Places listings in Okaloosa County, Florida, "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990", "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin", https://www.cityofdestin.com/DocumentCenter/View/602/Introduction-to-Okaloosa-County-Public-Library-Cooperative, https://readokaloosa.org/client/en_US/default/?rm=ABOUT, "2008 US Presidential Election Results by County - USATODAY.com", "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Okaloosa_County,_Florida&oldid=1140364708, Florida placenames of Native American origin, List of place names of Choctaw origin in the United States, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from August 2022, Articles with dead external links from January 2022, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. There is a Brief History of Okaloosa Island on the About Us page. The land was to be used for public purposes and the county was prohibited from the further conveyance of the land, except to the state of Florida or the federal government. 2307 abolishing the Okaloosa Island Authority (1975); and the Okaloosa Island Leaseholders Association Newsletter of May 2000. To help make it easier than ever to discover these experiences, the destination introduced Little Adventures, new, bite-sized challenges that encourage families to get outside, learn something new, and get out of their comfort zones. To the east of the pier is the Gulf Islands National Seashore area with an access point at John Beasley Park. Okaloosa County is a destination rich Tourism impactsthe local economy in many ways; , activities,environmental improvements, protection,restoration and preservation. And the best feature of John Beasley Park is the dunes! The county's public schools come under the Okaloosa County School District. A stay at a hotel or vacation home on the beaches of Okaloosa Island is typically along the west side of the Pier area and provides direct access to the beaches with amazing views of the emerald coast shoreline. They included the Santa Rosa Island Military Reservation and the Moreno Point Military Reservation what we call Destin today. Surf Fishing is a common activity in the area. The Boardwalk and Beasley Park are probably Okaloosa Countys most popular public beach areas, Kisela said. The compromise solution would protect Okaloosa Island beaches, according to David and Rebecca Sherry and John Donovan, the managing partners of the Condominium Alliance. In 1953, Okaloosa Island Authority was created as an instrumentality of the Okaloosa County to administer that portion of Santa Rosa Island owned by Okaloosa County. August 13, 2021 It Was Only Yesterday An 875-acre (354ha) parcel of Santa Rosa Island with 3 miles (4.8km) of Gulf frontage was conveyed to Okaloosa County on July 8, 1950, in an informal ceremony at the county courthouse in Crestview, Florida. To help make it easier than ever to discover these experiences, the destination introduced Little Adventures, new, bite-sized challenges that encourage families to get outside, learn something new, and get out of their comfort zones. Be included in our Business Directory. Each of these access points are ideal spots for accessing the beach and are very nicely designed, somewith boardwalk lookouts and covered areas leading to the beachfront. Our goal is simple. Shalimar, FL 32579. The authority presented the Corp of Engineers a check for $55,000. If you check your cars odometer you will see that as you approach the end of the road, before you enter Eglin Air Force Base property, you will have traveled exactly three miles from the sign indicating the beginning of Okaloosa Island. WebMembers of the Board of the Okaloosa Island Authority are public officers subject to financial disclosure pursuant to s. 112.312(7)(b), F. S. (1974 Supp.). There is a Brief History of Okaloosa Island on the About Us page. Why is tourism important for Okaloosa county? Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. We have provided for the promotion of Fire Safety through our Fire Prevention program and annual inspections. Both sites, as well as the Santa Rosa Boulevard accesses, offer ample parking, an amenity that is in short supply in other beach communities. Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Recreation Area: Black or African American alone=10.2% (July 1, 2015), American Native and Alaskan Native alone=0.7% (July 1, 2015), Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone=0.3% (July 1, 2015), This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 19:42. An Industrious People The seven accesses lay approximately a half-mile apart from one another on the approximately 2.5-mile-long Santa Rosa Boulevard and today, with the rest of the roadway having been filled in by condominiums or hotels, are the only locations affording the public access to the islands westernmost beachfront. Located in Northwest Florida, Destin-Fort Walton Beach is not only an ideal place to unwind, but discover natural beauty, encounter wildlife and ultimately uncover the adventurous side within. Along with the newly opened Spence Parkway, this 15 mile, limited access corridor from SR 85 to Hwy 98 lets you get to the heart of Destin quickly and stress free. Retrieved from, Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative. Beyond Destin, Fort Walton Beach, and Okaloosa Island, are several must-see destinations across Okaloosa County. vE>c!|},V@(a?Dk;kkSJjw_Su h&}/^r: fZ WebOn July 8, 1950 the federal government conveyed an 875-acre (3.54 km 2) parcel of Santa Rosa Island with 3 miles (4.8 km) of Gulf frontage to Okaloosa County. Lying along the Florida Panhandle on the 24 mile stretch of the Santa Rosa Barrier Island between Navarre Beach, Florida and Destin Beach, Florida, Okaloosa Island is a family oriented destination that offers gorgeous beaches and options for everyone. WebOkaloosa Island is the beach destination in Destin-Fort Walton Beach Florida that offers 3 miles of sugar white super soft sand and the clear emerald green waters of the emerald coast beaches. The Okaloosa Island Condominium Alliance this year filed a legal action that held up a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit to dredge from the East Pass in Destin until an agreement was forged that would result in the majority of the dredged sand being placed on the western side of the pass as opposed to the eastern side and Holiday Isle. b_R!1$HbHV, l{D),bPQB$AEuW:=uhXD, WebMission: The mission of the Tourism Development Department (TDD) is to make time spent here, whether visiting living or working, more valuable to all. In 1995, the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners approved a measure that allowed leaseholders to obtain a "fee simple title" to their property. As of the 2020 census, the population was 211,668. We have assisted multiple jurisdictions throughout the county and surrounding communities with our Multi-Agency Automatic Aid Agreements in Public Safety. WebOriginally, land on Okaloosa Island was "leased" from the Okaloosa Island Authority. WebOkaloosa Beginnings Northwest Florida was an untamed wilderness and after the Civil War it became home to a handful of hardy homesteaders. The railroad proved its worth as a reliable and efficient means of moving local commodities to market in a short period of time. Today, highways and airports help the railway link Okaloosa County with the rest of the world. Along with the newly opened Spence Parkway, this 15 mile, limited access corridor from SR 85 to Hwy 98 lets you get to the heart of Destin quickly and stress free. CMQsH@/. The purpose of Okaloosa County Government is to be responsive to citizens in providing an appropriate level We are honored to serve, Thank you for your support! First of all, the most eastern part of Santa Rosa Island that sits to the east of East Pass and makes up the southern shore of the Destin harbor is called Holiday Isle today. 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