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History of Destin Florida

11.21.2009 · Posted in Travel Articles

Located on a peninsula along Florida’s Emerald Coast, Destin, Florida is a tourist destination known for white sandy beaches and beautiful emerald waters. The sands are said to be some of the whitest in the world and originate from The Appalachians, where finely ground quartz crystal flows down the Apalachiola River and is deposited into the nearby Gulf of Mexico. The warm waters host an abundant variety of sea life that includes turtles, dolphins, and an eye-dazzling display of tropical fish. Game fish also abound, so much so that Destin is known as “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village”.rnrnIt was this wealth of fish that drew Captain Leonard Destin from his home in New London, Connecticut in 1845 to the village he would later claim. Already home to indigenous Native Americans dating back to the 7th century AD, the village began to grow as eager young fishermen settled there. Fishing camps sprang up along what would become the Moreno Point Military Reservation and through the Captain’s pioneering efforts, the village eventually evolved into a premier fishing industry.rnrnAs more settlers arrived in Destin, they built homes, churches and schools. The first school session and the first church meeting were both conducted in the living room of one of Destin’s notable first citizens, Bill Marler, an entrepreneur who besides being one of the village’s leading boat builders also offered funeral and burial services to the villagers. In 1899, Marler started the village’s first postal service, and served as general postmaster until he retired in 1945, leaving the duties to his children. A good friend and employee of Captain Destin, Marler was the one to christen the village in his friend’s honor.rnrnAnother Destin resident John Maltezos, a Greek immigrant and successful entrepreneur, came to Destin’s shores in 1922 and became one of the village’s leading boat builders. His most famed vessel, “The Primrose,” is currently on display in the Destin Historical Museum.rnrnAlthough originally a commercial fishing village, Destin’s sunny climate, remarkable sea life and warm beaches began to draw those wanting adventure. A group of local fishermen astutely decided that there was more money in offering tours to visitors who wanted to big game fish. In the subsequent years, tourism to the village grew at such a rate until Destin could proudly boast that it had the largest charter fleet in Florida. This is true even today.rnrnThe 70s saw a proliferation of real estate development along the coast line including hotels, motels and condominiums. The village had now become a resort town with events such as the Gulf Coast Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, first held in 1949, that guaranteed to draw hundreds of visitors. To lure even more tourists, Destin also built manmade attractions, including the Big Kahuna, a popular water and adventure park and several malls for shoppers.rnrnAfter nearly 150 years as a fishing and tourist destination, Destin finally became incorporated in 1984 and, according to the 2000 Census, is home to over 11,000 permanent residents. Visitors continue to flock there every year and the city has evolved into a world-class resort. Many of the varied offerings include a seafood festival held every October. Here tourists and locals gather for a weekend of fresh seafood and viewing the work of local artists. Scuba enthusiasts can swim along man-made reefs where sea life such as stingrays, groupers and cobia congregate. Shoppers will find many outlets for books, clothes and art; later, they can stop off at a variety of seafood and ethnic restaurants or take in a movie. Destin offers 12 beach access points for those who want to soak up some sun along the warm beaches. One of the access points is the Henderson Beach State Recreation Area, where visitors can swim, bike, hike and explore the surrounding wildlife.rnrnFor those who simply want to fish, know that the city has never left its roots. Visitors can charter fishing boats to take them off the coast where, like Captain Destin, they will find a bountiful assortment of fish they can boast to their friends about.

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