This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Destin’s Rise from Quiet Shore to Gulf Coast Boom
The Destin transformation from a 75 resident fishing hamlet to a Gulf Coast development hub is marked by early land sales at 15 cents an acre and later multi story towers. Pioneers like Ernie Shahid built hotels and condos, financing via loans after initial hurdles. Local boosters and residents note mixed feelings as growth brings jobs and higher taxes, while environmentalists push for oversight.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Barney Henderson
Pensacola
Henderson
Fort Walton Beach
Alabama
Georgia
Louisiana
Destin
Roger Clary
First Hotel
First National Bank of Destin
Midwest
Gulf Coast
Ernie Shahid
Birmington
Shoreline
Boonies
Shahid
Tallahassee
Mobile
Deep South
James Folmar
Develoer
Montgomery
Panhandle
South Florida
Canada
Texas
Butler
Jane Moore
Preservation of Destin
Moore