Fort Walton Beach, Florida, "Today in Local History", Roche, Cathy Steele (January 19, 1977). One of the first settlers was John Anderson, who received land plots in 1838. The city was established in 1953, but it started as an army camp in the Seminole Wars in the early 19th century. Freezing rain occurs about once every 5 to 10 years. Santa Rosa County, Florida Deed Book "C", pages 465, 466, R. R. Sheppard, County Clerk, to J. T. Brooks, Milton, Florida, recorded December 14, 1883. Situated in Fort Walton Beach, this condo building is within a 15-minute walk of Okaloosa Island Beach, Emerald Coast Convention Center, and Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park. [10] Tower Beach, named for a tall observation tower at the site which was later destroyed by a hurricane, had been an amusement area operated from 1928 by the Island Amusement Company by future-Fort Walton Beach mayor Thomas E. Brooks,[11] with a board walk, casino, restaurant, dance pavilion, "40 modernly equipped beach cottages",[12] and concession stands which was largely destroyed by fire on Saturday, March 7, 1942. There were 8,162 households, of which 26% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. During the era of Spanish and English colonization, the area of what was to become Fort Walton Beach was noted in several journals but no worthwhile presence was established. The Fort Walton peoples put into practice mound building and intensive agriculture, made pottery in a variety of vessel shapes, and had hierarchical settlement patterns that reflected other Mississippian societies. [18] The most recent report of a trace of snow was on January 28, 2014. Holiday Hours Thanksgiving Eve - Closing at 6 PM Thanksgiving Day - CLOSED Christmas Eve - Closing at 6 PM Christmas Day - CLOSED New Year's Eve - Closing at 6PM. The economy of Fort Walton Beach is driven by two primary factors: tourism and the military. We have reviews of the best places to see in Fort Walton Beach… Looking for a church to join? The area also boasts a large snowbird population, which includes the Fort Walton Beach Snowbird Club. We use cookies on our website to enhance your experience. The great outdoors is likely to feature prominently in any vacation to Fort Walton Beach. At this time, Okaloosa County did not yet exist. Nearby Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (airport code VPS) serves Fort Walton Beach, as well as Valparaiso, Florida. Get Fort Walton Beach Supercenter store hours and driving directions, buy online, and pick up in-store at 748 Beal Pkwy Nw, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547 or call 850-862-0700 The red flashing dot shows the tide time right now. Fort Walton Beach is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. They allow users to visualize and use GIS data to perform tasks such as: select properties and create a mailing list or browse and select Parks based upon an desired amenity. Select a button to find things to do in Fort Walton Beach. The property is around 6 km from Fort Walton Beach Park, 3.3 km from Emerald Coast Science Center and 3.7 km from Okaloosa Island. Not only does Cadillac Fort Walton Beach have convenient hours, competitive service, and parts pricing, but also advanced technology to take the stress out of servicing your vehicle. Today’s and tonight’s Fort Walton Beach, FL weather forecast, weather conditions and Doppler radar from The Weather Channel and Weather.com Book your tickets online for the top things to do in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on Tripadvisor: See 8,701 traveler reviews and photos of Fort Walton Beach tourist attractions. Crestview, Florida, "Amusement Area Of Tower Beach Is Destroyed By Fire". Fort Walton also appeared to come about due to contact with the major Mississippian centers to the north and west. Roberts, Robert B., "Encyclopedia of Historic Forts", Macmillan Publishing Company, New York, London, 1988, Library of Congress card number 86-28494. Home to family-friendly resorts and attractions such as parks, museums and aquariums, Fort Walton Beach's calm, green waters and cool, white sand make this northwest Florida destination a family favorite. Be prepared with the most accurate 10-day forecast for Fort Walton Beach, FL with highs, lows, chance of precipitation from The Weather Channel and Weather.com Our Fort Walton Beach-based dealership is a one-stop-shop for all your service and auto repair needs. Fort Walton Beach is a year-round fishing and beach resort community. Okaloosa Island Pier and Wayside Park are also within 1 mi (2 km). Its busiest time of the year is the summer, causing a boost to the local economy because of seasonal human migration. Contrary to popular belief, there is no documentary evidence of pirates using the area as a base of operations. The Air Force Armaments Museum is a top rated attraction with free admission and the only one of its kind in the nation. Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm Sunday 12pm-8pm. As of 2005, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach was 19,992, and as of 2008, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach is 18,880 recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau. VISIT FLORIDA® is the Official Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation. Learn more in our Cookie Notice and our Privacy Policy. There are two major Air Force bases which border Fort Walton Beach. By continuing on our website, you consent to our use of cookies. Okaloosa County Transit [1] provides public transportation throughout Fort Walton Beach as well as Okaloosa County. There is support industry in the area that benefits from the presence of the bases, including military contractors and the service industry. The median income for a household in the city was $40,153, and the median income for a family was $45,791. In this city, most dwellings are single detached homes, but large apartment buildings and small apartment buildings are also present in the housing stock. Store Hours. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males. The wettest season is summer, and the driest season is autumn, although flood season continues into autumn. The Island Hotel in Fort Walton Beach Beach Front Resort near Destin in Fort Walton Beach since 1966. Search inventory or check stock at your Fort Walton Beach Supercenter in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Although smaller and more contained, Fort Walton Beach also offers some fun attractions. Access 52 trusted reviews, 23 photos & 17 tips from fellow RVers. Destin and Fort Walton Beach Florida is 24 miles of beaches, vibrant waters and attractions. In 1861, Camp Walton was a Confederate Army camp, a fortified post, made up of the "Walton Guards", an independent Company of Florida Volunteer Infantry from Walton County. The racial makeup of the city was 77.7% White, 12.3% African American, 0.7% Native American, 3.2% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.22% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Race, Hispanic or Latino, and Age: 2010", "Department of Homeland Security Leadership structure", http://snowbirdsgulfcoast.com/snowbird-clubs/ft-walton-beach-snowbird-club, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fort_Walton_Beach,_Florida&oldid=994810130, Populated places on the Intracoastal Waterway in Florida, Articles with dead external links from October 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox settlement with unknown parameters, Articles needing additional references from May 2010, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 December 2020, at 17:30. Originally housed the Okaloosa County, Florida, his name was `` Eastajoca '' females, there 94.5... 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