1956 Map of Fort Walton Beach

About this map

Fort Walton Beach and the surrounding emerald waters of the Florida Panhandle are captured here during a period of significant mid-century growth. The landscape is defined by the strategic military footprint of Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field, connected by the U. S. Government Railroad winding through the pine woods. Along the northern shores of Choctawhatchee Bay and the narrow Santa Rosa Sound, small communities like Mary Esther, Wright, and Shalimar appear in their earlier layouts. This survey details the intricate network of coastal waterways, including Garnier Bayou and Cinco Bayou, where maritime and military life merged. Of particular interest to local historians is the depiction of Destin near Moreno Point before the massive modern development of the coastline, showing the town's origins near the critical East Pass to the Gulf of Mexico.