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46-466: A group of local businessmen met on January 9, 1946, to organize a weekly newspaper for Okaloosa County 's southern region. The Okaloosa News-Journal , published at the county seat of Crestview at the northern end of the county for many decades, carried early accounts of the developing region. As the southern communities of Fort Walton, Destin , Shalimar , Cinco Bayou , Mary Esther , Ocean City , Wright , Valparaiso and Niceville expanded, so did

92-444: A "suppressed weapon" and believed that he had been shot: "I felt an impact on my right side, like upper torso area … I feel the impact. My legs just give out." The Sheriff's Office's stated that while Roberts' shooting was reasonable, Hernandez's shooting was "not objectively reasonable", but "we do believe [Hernandez] felt his life was in immediate peril". In May 2024, an Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputy fatally shot Roger Fortson ,

138-554: A Spanish map dated 1566. In later English and French maps the area was noted as "Baya Santa Rosa" or "Bay St. Rose". A number of Spanish artifacts, including a portion of brigantine leather armor, are housed in the Indian Temple Mound Museum. Contrary to popular belief, there is no documentary evidence of pirates using the area as a base of operations. Piracy was rampant in the Gulf of Mexico from pirates working out of Hispaniola,

184-523: A United States Air Force member, in Fortson's home in Fort Walton Beach. According to body camera footage, when the deputy visited an apartment, Fortson opened the apartment door holding a gun in his right hand, with the gun held by his side and pointed downwards. As the door opened, the deputy told Fortson to "step back" and immediately shot Fortson. Fortson falls to the floor, and it is only then that

230-500: A boardwalk, casino, restaurant, dance pavilion, "40 modernly equipped beach cottages", and concession stands which was largely destroyed by fire on Saturday, March 7, 1942. Wartime supply restrictions prevented a reconstruction. This 875-acre parcel of Santa Rosa Island with three miles of Gulf frontage was conveyed to Okaloosa County on July 8, 1950, in an informal ceremony at the county courthouse in Crestview, Florida . The county paid

276-554: A city manager form. A special census conducted in 1956 listed 9,456 residents, which grew to 11,249 by 1960. The last of three county-owned buildings on Okaloosa Island was torn down on May 31, 1995. The buildings had originally housed the Okaloosa Island Authority and more recently the Okaloosa County Council on Aging. The 1.3-acre tract on the north side of Santa Rosa Boulevard was sold. Fort Walton Beach

322-473: A female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% are non-families. 28.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.33 and the average family size is 2.85. In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

368-527: A group of about 30 papers, began publication of the Playground News February 7, 1946. The first issue contained 24 pages, about 65 percent of which was paid display advertising. From the mid-1960s, the newspaper's offices and printing plant were on Eglin Parkway in downtown Fort Walton Beach. The paper was sold to Freedom Newspapers, Inc., now Freedom Communications , on July 1, 1969. On August 22, 1975,

414-794: A trace of snow was on January 28, 2014. The last report of freezing rain was on February 11, 2010. The Köppen climate classification subtype for this climate is humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ), Nearby Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (airport code VPS) serves Fort Walton Beach, as well as Valparaiso, Florida . Airlines that currently serve Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport are Allegiant Airlines, American Eagle, Southwest, Delta Air Lines, and Delta Connection. They provide non-stop service to Atlanta, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Las Vegas, Knoxville, Memphis, Oklahoma City, and St. Louis. Okaloosa County Transit provides public transportation throughout Fort Walton Beach as well as Okaloosa County . Its main stop and transfer location

460-557: A variety of vessel shapes, and had hierarchical settlement patterns that reflected other Mississippian societies. The first Europeans to set foot in what is now Okaloosa County and the Fort Walton Beach area were members of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca 's party, who traveled by boat from what is now Panama City Beach, Florida in 1528 to Texas, "Then we set out to sea again, coasting towards the River of Palms. Every day our thirst and hunger increased because our supplies were giving out, as well as

506-456: Is Uptown Station located on State Road 85, a little over 1 mile north of US 98. State Road 189 is a north–south highway from State Road 85 to US 98 in downtown Fort Walton Beach. State Road 85 is a north–south highway that leads north 27 mi (43 km) to Crestview , the Okaloosa County seat (also along Interstate 10 ), and ends at US 98 in downtown Fort Walton Beach. US 98

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552-489: Is an east–west highway, which runs through downtown Fort Walton Beach. The Brooks Bridge over the Santa Rosa Sound connects downtown Fort Walton Beach with Okaloosa Island , which is along the route of US 98. US 98 leads east 9 mi (14 km) to Destin and west 41 mi (66 km) to Pensacola . As of the 2020 United States census , there were 20,922 people, 9,246 households, and 5,195 families residing in

598-513: Is attributed to the mound building " Fort Walton Culture " that flourished from approximately 1100–1550 CE. It is believed that this culture evolved out of the Weeden Island culture . Fort Walton also appeared to come about due to contact with the major Mississippian centers to the north and west. It was the most complex in the north-west Florida region. The Fort Walton peoples put into practice mound building and intensive agriculture, made pottery in

644-476: Is home to the Air Force Materiel Command 's Air Force Life Cycle Management Center 's Armament Directorate and the 96th Test Wing , Air Combat Command 's 53rd Wing , and Air Education Training Command 's 33rd Fighter Wing . Eglin is geographically one of the largest Air Force bases at 724 square miles (1,880 km ), and thus home to joint exercises, and missile and bomb testing. For example,

690-503: Is land and 152 square miles (390 km ) (14.0%) is water. Fort Walton Beach and three United States Air Force bases, ( Duke Field in the North and Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field are in the south). As of the 2020 United States census , there were 211,668 people, 79,235 households, and 51,719 families residing in the county. As of 2015, there were 198,664 people and 95,494 households. As of

736-831: Is located at 30°25′13″N 86°37′00″W  /  30.420199°N 86.616727°W  / 30.420199; -86.616727 (30.420199, −86.616727). According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 21.3 km (8.2 sq mi), of which 19.3 km (7.5 sq mi) is land and 2 km (0.77 sq mi), or 9.26%, is water. Fort Walton Beach experiences hot and very humid summers, generally from late May to mid-September. Autumns, from mid-September to early December, are generally warm. Winters are very short and mild, from mid-December to late February. Springs are warm, from late February to late May. Fort Walton Beach averages 55.35 inches of rain each year. The wettest season

782-521: Is noted on maps from 1838 to 1884. It was not until 1911 that the name "Camp Walton" appeared on Florida maps. 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. At this time, Okaloosa County did not yet exist. Walton County received its name from Col. George Walton, who served as secretary of West Florida during Andrew Jackson 's governorship (1821–1822) and whose father, George Walton Sr.,

828-689: Is served by the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative. Formed in October 1997, the Cooperative originally included the county and the cities of Crestview, Mary Esther, and Niceville. The cities of Fort Walton Beach, Valparaiso, and Destin all joined the Cooperative by the year 2000. The Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative is governed by an independent, inter-governmental agency with seven members. Emerald Coast Rider (formerly Okaloosa County Transit ) operates bus services in

874-456: Is summer and the driest season is autumn, although flood season continues into autumn. Snow and freezing rain are very rare. Freezing rain occurs about once every 5 to 10 years. Snow occurs about once every 10 to 15 years. The most recent measurable snowfall was on January 31, 1977, when about 1 inch (25 mm) fell in Fort Walton Beach, while 3 inches (76 mm) fell on Crestview , about 27 miles (43 km) inland. The most recent report of

920-429: The 2020 U.S. census , the population was 20,922, up from 19,507 in 2010. It is a principal city of the Crestview −Fort Walton Beach− Destin, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . Fort Walton Beach is a year-round fishing and beach resort community . Its busiest time of the year is the summer, causing a boost to the local economy because of seasonal human migration . Prehistoric settlement of Fort Walton Beach

966-588: The U.S. state of Florida , extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line. As of the 2020 census, the population was 211,668. Its county seat is Crestview . Okaloosa County is included in the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area . Okaloosa County was created by an act passed on September 7, 1915, formed from the eastern ranges of Santa Rosa County and

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1012-516: The poverty line , including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those aged 65 or over. The economy of Fort Walton Beach is driven by two primary factors: tourism and the military. There are two major Air Force bases which border Fort Walton Beach. Hurlburt Field is home to Headquarters, Air Force Special Operations Command ( AFSOC ), the 1st Special Operations Wing , and the Joint Special Operations University. Eglin AFB

1058-401: The 'Massive Ordnance Air Blast' or 'Mother of All Bombs' ( MOAB ) was first tested at Eglin AFB on March 11, 2003. There is support industry in the area that benefits from the presence of the bases, including military contractors and the service industry. The tourism industry is seasonal, with summer being the primary season, and a smaller peak season during spring break. The area also boasts

1104-662: The Caribbean, and the Florida Keys. Notable raids occurred in 1683 and 1687 against the Spanish fort at San Marcos de Apalachee (by French and English buccaneers), a 1712 raid against Port Dauphin (now Alabama) by English pirates from Martinique, and the actions of the late 18th-century adventurer William Augustus Bowles , who was based in Apalachicola . Bowles was never referred to as "Billy Bowlegs" in period documentation; his Creek name

1150-730: The Indian Temple Mound and displaying them at camp. The post was abandoned in August 1862, and the "Walton Guards" were assigned to reinforce the 1st Florida Infantry Regiment, with duty in the Western Theatre on the Tennessee front. On April 11, 1879, John Thomas Brooks purchased at a public auction in Milton , Florida, 111 acres in Section 24, Township 2, Range 24 of Santa Rosa County , a portion of

1196-451: The census of 2010,the population density was 194.4 people per square mile (75.1 people/km ). As of 2015, there were 95,494 households. Within the 2010 census, 33.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.20% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.50% had someone living alone who

1242-405: The city is 78.84% White , 13.34% African American , 0.45% Native American , 2.72% Asian , 0.08% Pacific Islander , 1.22% from other races, and 3.36% from two or more races. 4.04% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2000, there are 8,460 households out of which 26.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% are married couples living together, 12.6% have

1288-410: The city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 19,507 people, 8,657 households, and 4,950 families residing in the city. As of the census of 2000 , there are 19,973 people, 8,460 households, and 5,422 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,036.5/km (2,683.0/mi ). There are 9,007 housing units at an average density of 467.4/km (1,209.9/mi ). The racial makeup of

1334-728: The close ties between the Fort Walton Beach community and Eglin Air Force Base , the Playground/Northwest Florida News supplanted the Okaloosa News-Journal , published in Crestview, Florida , as the county paper of record. Hunter S. Thompson wrote a sports column for the Northwest Florida Daily News (then called the Playground News ) while stationed at Eglin Air Force Base. Thompson landed

1380-507: The county in 2004 with 78% of the popular vote and in 2008 the Republican candidate John McCain polled 72%. Mitt Romney won the county in 2012 with 73.80% (70,168) of the popular vote, and Donald Trump won 70.42% (71,893) in 2016. In 2020, Donald Trump won 68.25% of the vote. Fort Walton Beach Fort Walton Beach , often referred to by the initialism FWB , is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida , United States. As of

1426-517: The county. In November 2023 in Fort Walton Beach , Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputy Jesse Hernandez and sergeant Beth Roberts shot multiple times at Hernandez's police car, where a handcuffed and unarmed black suspect had been placed there by police, according to investigators. The suspect was not injured by the shootings. Hernandez in December 2023 resigned from the department. In February 2024, it

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1472-621: The deputy tells Fortson: "Drop the gun!" Later in May 2024, a Florida woman sued the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, claiming that on two occasions, once in August 2019 and once in May 2020, they forced her to leave her home while she remained naked during the execution of search warrants, exposing her to law enforcement officers and the public. Okaloosa County is one of the most conservative counties in Florida. Incumbent George W. Bush won

1518-399: The federal government $ 4,000 to complete the transaction, the result of the efforts of Congressman Bob Sikes . The portion of Santa Rosa Island transferred is now known as Okaloosa Island . The remaining Tower Beach summer cottages were removed after the 1955 tourist season as the new Okaloosa Island Authority redeveloped the site with a new hotel and casino. The government was changed to

1564-530: The job in early February 1957. Hired by Publisher Wayne Bell, Thompson wrote under the pseudonyms Thorne Stockton and Cubley Cohn. Subsidiaries include the Eglin Dispatch and the Hurlburt Warrior . Okaloosa County 30°41′15″N 86°35′33″W  /  30.68750°N 86.59250°W  / 30.68750; -86.59250 Okaloosa County is a county located in the northwestern portion of

1610-770: The median income for a household in the county was $ 55,880. The per capita income for the county was $ 28,902. 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line . The county's public schools come under the Okaloosa County School District . Northwest Florida State College serves over 10,000 residents of Okaloosa County annually for bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, and certificates. The college maintains four campuses in Okaloosa County: Niceville, Crestview, Ft. Walton Beach, and Hurlburt Field, and one campus in Walton County, FL. Okaloosa County

1656-431: The need for local coverage. The civic leaders gathered at a downtown Fort Walton bar which had the only available meeting room. Present were Clyde Meigs, Fred McCaully, Paul Roberts, Ray Folmar, R.L. Odom, Howard Gill, L. Ferrin, George Klosterman, Lee Courter, Frank Bizelle, Braden Ball, W.R. Cummings, DeWitt Lamb (the first editor), Andy Anderson, Leon Bishop, Toopey Work, Bill Williams and Bill Folb. Perry Publications,

1702-411: The newspaper printed the edition for the first time at a new plant and offices at 200 N.W. Racetrack Road in Fort Walton Beach, which would remain the base of operations through the fall of 2011. In 2012, Freedom sold its Florida and North Carolina papers to Halifax Media Group . In 2015, Halifax was acquired by New Media Investment Group . Over its history, the paper has gone by three names: Due to

1748-511: The property of Henry Penny whose heirs had failed to pay the taxes on the estate. This parcel on the Santa Rosa Sound became what is now downtown Fort Walton Beach. The United States Post Office changed the official name on their cancellations from Camp Walton to Fort Walton on 1 March 1932. The 1940 census counted 90 residents in Fort Walton. Fort Walton was incorporated by a state senate bill effective June 16, 1941. The community's name

1794-404: The water supply, for the pouches we had made from the legs of our horses soon became rotten and useless. From time to time we would enter some inlet or cove that reached very far inland, but we found them all shallow and dangerous, and so we navigated through them for thirty days, meeting sometimes Indians who fished and were poor and wretched people". The area is described at "40 deaths a day" in

1840-571: The western ranges of Walton County . Okaloosa means "black water" ( oka means "water" and lusa means "black") in the Choctaw language . The name may have come from the related language spoken by the Chatot and other peoples of the Florida Panhandle. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,082 square miles (2,800 km ), of which 930 square miles (2,400 km )

1886-485: Was "Estajoca". 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. Early settlers of Walton County , Florida were the first to establish permanent settlements in what is now Fort Walton Beach (the area was originally named "Anderson"). Two of the first settlers were John Anderson and Andrew A. Alvarez, who received land plots in 1838. The name "Anderson"

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1932-415: Was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males. In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $ 40,153, and the median income for a family was $ 45,791. Males had a median income of $ 29,709 versus $ 21,641 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 21,085. About 7.3% of families and 9.9% of the population were below

1978-461: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.94. According to the 2010 census, the population was spread out, with 24.70% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 102.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.50 males. In 2015,

2024-399: Was announced that an internal investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's office concluded that Hernandez began shooting after hearing the sound of an acorn bouncing off his police car, then Roberts began shooting after hearing Hernandez shooting and screaming, with Hernandez at one point shouting: "I'm hit! I'm hit!". Hernandez had told investigators that he thought he heard a gunshot from

2070-574: Was officially changed from Fort Walton to Fort Walton Beach on June 15, 1953, by agreement with the state legislature in Tallahassee , and incorporated a portion of Santa Rosa Island formerly known as Tower Beach. 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, with

2116-590: Was the 56th signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He is also the namesake of Walton County. Camp Walton was located between the Indian Temple Mound, now known as the Heritage Park and Cultural Center, and the Santa Rosa Sound, its mission was to protect the "Narrows" from Union ships. Although the "Walton Guards" did not see much action, they did keep busy by digging up prehistoric Indian remains buried in

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