Emerald Gulf History Tours

08/22/2023

I have so many thoughts about this post and all of them funny!!😂😂

The real meaning of 'hangover.' The lowest form of accommodation in Victorian England was a place where you could, for the price of a penny, dangle on a rope overnight.

03/07/2023

Very cleaver!

Someone found this quahog clam on the Florida Gulf Coast and scientists dated it back to 1809, based on the number of layers on the shell. That’s the same year Abraham Lincoln was born, so they’ve nicknamed it Aber-clam Lincoln!

02/03/2023

Love the honey with history!!

Tupelo honey has been cultivated in the Apalachicola River basin for centuries but didn't get much recognition until Van Morrison created a hit record called Tupelo Honey in 1971. Tupelo honey got another public boost in 1997 when Peter Fonda won a Golden Globe for his role as a southern beekeeper harvesting tupelo honey in the film Ulee's Gold.

Did you know that Tupelo honey is the only honey that will not crystallize? And because of the specific ratio of different sugars, it’s the only honey diabetics can eat! Tupelo honey is one of the rarest honeys in the world!

(Thank You Nick Munn in Apalachicola, Florida!)

02/02/2023

Okaloosa birds getting ready to fly the coop!!

01/27/2023

What a great idea!!! I’m looking forward to spotting these birds all around Okaloosa County!!!

The Okaloosa Public Arts (OPA) has recently embarked on an exciting project to place 20 herons scattered throughout the county.  The project

11/27/2022

Just a thought…. Women have been running household since medieval days. Why were these women never called upon to run the prisons during the civil war? They had the know how and knowledge to figure out how to keep souls alive with little money!! How many lives might have been save had the Confederacy only relied on women?

10/31/2022

https://www.facebook.com/CastilloNPS/photos/a.652499441429946/6042719499074553/?type=3

“Dear King George,
The soldiers of the 60th Regiment of Foot have a bone to pick with you about living conditions at this moldy old Spanish fort…”

Happy Halloween from all of us here at the Castillo!
Image description: A skeleton wearing a British tricorn and redcoat uniform sits at a writing desk. A set of bunkbeds and a flight of stairs are visible behind him.

10/28/2022

Very interesting concept but in my experience visiting tourist don’t care about our history only our beaches and bars!!
https://www.facebook.com/100033614216372/posts/789280898869043/?d=n

We say goodbye to the Best Western and 👋 to Beal House Destin-Fort Walton Beachfront

10/01/2022

This fort plays a huge part in the history of Northwest Florida history….
https://www.facebook.com/HistoricCoastCulture/photos/a.178035149058672/1980322408829928/?type=3

Sun, Oct. 2 marks the 350th Anniversary of the groundbreaking of the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. 🎉

These walls, built from local coquina limestone, have never fallen in battle.

Though the fort and St. Augustine have been bombarded by , we continue to stay strong. ⛈ 🙏

The Castillo will be closed through Saturday as a result of the storm. It will reopen on Sunday, Oct. 2 for its anniversary celebration–a day of festivities and activities with FREE admission for all visitors.

09/04/2022

Petty much sets up my live video

08/21/2022

Just a snippet from my deep dive into Billy Bowlegs! The pretend pirate!

08/11/2022

I’m sure that there were a few in our area that may have made the journey to HRS..
https://www.facebook.com/1441891503/posts/10230367334114163/?d=n

08/05/2022

Getting excited to present some new insight to Billy Bowlegs!!! Have I ever said how much fun research is??

07/23/2022

Three Bowlegs and a Festival!!
A Leader, A True Pirate and A guy who’s last name caused problems!!
Coming up on the page we sort out the folklore and the facts!! Stay tuned for more!! 🏴‍☠️

07/09/2022

Everyone should like this page!!

07/04/2022

If you are English you would call today Traitor’s Day… and you’ll enjoy this bit of comedy immensely!! 😂😂

07/01/2022

Today in 1861 while things here at Camp Walton were relatively calm hundreds of miles away in Gettysburg, PA a battle was commencing that would began to turn the tide for the Union to win the Civil War( for you Southerners that’s The War Between the States).

06/16/2022

The link below highlights our own Dr. Beal and his shell museum. There are a few other interesting facts regarding Dr.JH Beal that the post did not include.
Dr. Beal actually owned two Florida homes. His residence in Merritt Island, Florida he referred to as his Winter House. The climate during the winter was sub-tropical and much more pleasant than the harsh Ohio winters. But, by late Spring Dr. Beal and his family would head to our Emerald Coast to reside in their Summer House on the shores of the SantaRosa Sound( referred to as the Narrows by the Dr. in his personal diary). The house not only provided living quarters upstairs for the family but became one of Camp Walton’s first attractions as it housed a shell museum on its ground floor. Dr. Beal enjoyed sitting on his back porch in the evening and looking across the Sound to SantaRosa Island. He made note that after a particularly violent storm the shifted sand in the shallow waters of the Sound uncovered the ribs of an old Spanish ship rumored to be a pirate ship and that several gold doubloons had been washed up to the shore. Subsequent storms took the ship back to the watery depths it had come from.
Several relatives and friends also reveal Dr. Beal to have been quite a “foodie” for his day. He enjoyed trying new cuisines and endeavored to procure unusual foods from around the globe. There are several written accounts of dinner parties hosted by the Dr. Where he went around the table insisting that every guest try everything that was laid on the table.
From shell museum to restaurant Dr. Beal’s Summerhouse retained its name and became a fine dining experience for locals and visitors alike in Fort Walton Beach. Knowing his fondness for a good meal I’m sure he would have approved.
The post below explains the down fall and protracted disintegration of his beloved Summerhouse.
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrWpyb9PaticC0AQgxpJjE5;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1655418494/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.abandonedfl.com%2fdr-beals-shell-museum%2f/RK=2/RS=.6Che5SB6qM_5gy9aPTdFHcsAH4-

06/15/2022

A hint about tomorrow’s post

05/05/2022

Party like a Pirate!!! Here’s a a guide for you to plan https://www.facebook.com/147230319040/posts/10160603523614041/?d=n

05/04/2022

Does anyone out there have one of the past Bowlegs Festival treasure maps?? Let’s see ‘em!! Below is 1883 Billy Bowlegs treasure map… great illustrations!🦜🏴‍☠️🔍

05/03/2022

I’m sure the Native American people introduced the early settlers on the Gulf coast to the delight of sea turtle eggs as a meal. Natives would have preached conservation to make sure the eggs and turtle would be around each Spring for generations to come! We must in turn do our part as explained below so that our children’s children will be able to experience the thrill of watching these babies make their march to the see!!🐢

It's officially Sea Turtle Nesting Season in SoWal! Our partners with South Walton Turtle Watch are asking all of us to work together to keep beaches CLEAN, DARK, and FLAT. 🐢🐢🐢

If you see a stranded, sick, injured, and/or distressed sea turtle, call the South Walton Turtle Watch Hotline at 850-865-4503. You can also alert the nearest lifeguard, who will have access to the hotline number as well.

Please remember, all species of marine turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act. It is against the law to touch, harass, interfere, or interact with sea turtles without a permit. Leave the work of protecting our sea turtles to the professionals.

Learn more here: https://www.southwaltonturtlewatch.org/

05/01/2022

Florida as it was last century!! 🍊🧡🌴

04/27/2022

Ft Walton Beach is home to Taco el Huracan 🌮🫔among other fabulous food trucks that park roadside along 98 and other streets. If you trace Florida’s history back to its Spanish roots food and travel has an amazing place in our history!
In 1690 the Spanish provided protection for the Catholic Church missions that were strung across the Panhandle area of Florida. These Missions often attracted local native tribes who shared with the Spanish Brothers their local ingredients as well as recipes. Natives taught the Spanish to use corn instead of wheat for flour and when frying substituted bear 🐻 fat for butter. Next time your tucking into your street taco you’ll be reminded of the contributions made by each culture. I have to say I am glad that the bear fat didn’t catch on, let’s face it, there is no substitute for 🧈 !!

04/19/2022

Northwest Florida and the North Gulf coast has for years been cultivating an indigenous sound sometimes referred to as “ pirate music”. I’m not talking about “ Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum.
This is a mix of reggae, country and southern rock. A laid back sound evoking vibes of island life with a lashing of southern rocks driving beat added for good measure. Local bands Heritage and Tribe Zion have crafted several albums featuring this pirate rock sound, track titles like “Dreadlock Holiday” and “Island Girl”( could they mean Okaloosa Island?) make a great playlist for vacation. Of course the man who pioneered this sound was Jimmy Buffett. This son of a son of a sailor and Mobile native vacationed in the greater Destin area in his youth as many from the Alabama continue to do today. Perhaps it was the tales of Tristan de la Luna and Billy Bowlegs that inspired a young Jimmy to pen his famous lyrics “ I am a pirate born 200 years too late.” Buffett also relies on that steel drum percussion to put the audience in an island frame of mind.
Whether sitting on a sugary white sand beach or simply sailing away in your mind Northwest Florida’s unique pirate music sound can transport you if only in your mind to a place where pirates and musicians have lived for centuries.

04/14/2022

The image bellow is of Buck’s located on the Santa Rosa Sound. It was a hive of activity and gave residents of Camp Walton a necessary connection to Pensacola. Supplies and mail arrived by ferry a few times a week along with passengers ready to relax and fish. Imagine the fun and anticipation Camp residents felt taking the ferry down the Sound to Pensacola for a shopping trip or maybe a doctor visit. Ladies in their long cotton dresses with gloves and parasols. Although I’m not sure they would look so fresh after the long trip!! I wonder what would be quicker nowadays - Going by car in peak tourist season or by boat?

04/11/2022

I am happy to announce that Emerald Gulf History Tours is back!! I will be walking 👣 you all through history by appointment 📅 only. A light hearted look at centuries of Northwest Florida history. With some fun local 🎤🎹stops!! (732)986-8656 for more info-Roxanne