Destin is located on the Emerald Coast of Florida, in Okaloosa County. The city styles itself “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” and claims to have the largest fishing vessel fleet in the state of Florida. Destin is known for its white beaches and emerald-colored waters. Located on the north side of the Gulf of Mexico, the temperatures in Destin range from warm (65F) in January to hot (91F) in July.
Destin is named after Captain Leonard Destin, a New London (Conn.) fishing master, who settled in the area in 1850. He built a New England colonial home at the location of the Monroe Point military reservation. Captain Destin and his descendants fished the area for decades.
The first fish camps sprung up on the Moreno Point Military Reservation that was sold off by the government to private ownership. By 1908, there were homes, churches and at least eighteen fish camps dotting the coast; each separate, but all sharing one common thread – fishing.
Homer Jones, John Maltezos, “Uncle Billy” Marler and, of course, Leonard’s sons were among the first fisherman to scour local waters for the bounty of the Gulf. Each has become a “local legend” of sorts in the now famous little fishing village.
Maltezos, originally from Greece, owned businesses in what is now Milton, FL (north of Pensacola). His properties consisted of a restaurant, general store and a dance pavilion. But in 1922, he and his family moved to Moreno Point and Maltezos became a well-known boat builder. His most famous vessel, “The Primrose,” now sits in the Destin Historical Museum.
‘Uncle Billy’ Marler is probably the most well-known historical character. He moved to the East Pass in 1879 to fish alongside Captain Destin. He soon became one of the best fishermen in the area and built over 100 boats in his lifetime. He also became the village coffin maker and undertaker, charging nothing for his services. The first school was held in the Marler living room, along with the first church service.
In 1899, he started the first post office in the parlor of his home and, of course, became the postmaster. He continued on as the Postmaster until retirement in 1945. It was Marler who coined the town’s name, Destin, in honor of his former employer and he also passed down the responsibility of Postmaster to his heirs.
The roaring 20’s served as a turning point for the tiny fishing village. Boat captains took the initiative in creating a brand new profit-making industry. These seasoned fishermen, who had heretofore made their living fishing commercially, turned to the new business of offering guided fishing trips to wealthy “tourists” looking for big game fish. Charter fishing was a hit from the beginning and Destin soon gained the reputation of being the Billfishing capital of the gulf. Today, Destin still boasts the largest charter boat fleet in Florida.
In 1947 Destin opened its first community center. In order to raise funds for the center, the first Destin Gulf Coast Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo was held in 1949. The Fishing Rodeo has continued as an annual tradition in Destin, attracting over 30,000 anglers each October to compete for over $100,000 in prizes. Destin continued to grow as a world-class resort centered around Sport Fishing, and in 1984, the City of Destin was finally incorporated.
The white beaches and emerald waters of the Destin area draw many tourists. Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection estimates that more than 80 percent of the Emerald Coast’s 4.5 million yearly visitors travel to the region to visit Destin. Visitors can charter fishing vessels from the harbor and there are 12 beach access points in the city. The sand on Destin’s beaches is some of the whitest in the world. It comes from the Appalachian Mountains, and is made of finely ground quartz crystal giving the appearance of sugar. Visitors play a large part in Destin’s economy – the city’s population of around 12,000 balloons to 40,000 during the tourist season.
For as long as most local residents can remember, this entire 30 mile stretch of beach has been referred to as “Destin.” Lately, however, each little hamlet has sought a separate identity. These days, the area between Destin and Panama City is known as the “Beaches of South Walton.” This is the story of a little fishing village that became a major tourist destination.
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