We love the snow-white quartz sands of SoWal beaches that squeak when we walk on them with bare feet, the emerald green and turquoise waters of the Gulf; a bay pregnant with fish and oysters; the delta of the Choctawhatchee River; our 18,000 acres of forest, parks and preserves; plus our unique coastal dune lakes that make South Walton one of the most desirable places on earth to live and visit.
If you walk down one of Grayton Beach's oak-shaded roads, you may have the feeling things don't change very fast here. Pine, magnolia and oak trees surround many of the old wooden homes, letting you know the homes have been in place longer than the trees have been. This south Walton County village, which celebrated its 130th anniversary July 4th, 2020, stakes a claim as one of the area's oldest communities.
The Spanish began naming towns, rivers and bays, usually after Saints, as they explored and colonized Florida in the 16th Century. In the 17th Century, following Saint Rose’s death and Sainthood, the Spanish name a major bay in what is now the Walton County, Florida area “Santa Rosa Bay” and publish the name on maps of Florida.
The name was changed by the British around 1778 to Choctawhatchee Bay. Thus, the longtime Spanish name of Santa Rosa Bay became unknown to many contemporary residents and visitors to South Walton and Florida.
Do you love the REAL Florida? Do you love OLD Florida? Then a visit to Camp Helen State Park on the eastern edge of South Walton is a must.
The protected sanctuary is sandwiched between our largest coastal dune lake, Lake Powell, and the gulf. Camp Helen is a true gem not to be missed, with amazing views from high bluffs, rustic foot bridges over still waters, forested trails teeming with wildlife, and a bit of Florida history to boot.
This photo is from July 4th 1979 at the start of the annual parade with ten Jeeps decked out with flags lining up on Hickory Street in Seagrove. The blue Jeep is owned by the woman in the blue bathing suit in the foreground who is Janie Soloman (Marie and Jane’s mom).
There is a lot of history in Grayton Beach. On every street are historic homes and fantastic memories. "Artless Sprite" is a quaint cottage with a long history full of family memories, and it is available to rent so new memories can be made.
Visiting Eden Gardens State Park is tuning out the rest of the world and tuning in the “Real Florida”.
Trade in your worries and turn on to the splendor of SoWal's great outdoors, with some Florida history to boot. Just a bit north of the beach, Eden Gardens State Park is nestled in the woods of Point Washington, along the shores of Tucker Bayou and the Choctawhatchee Bay. It's the ideal spot to relax and have family fun.
On the east side of South Walton just east of Inlet Beach, turn off Highway 98 and through the gate of Camp Helen State Park and be amazed how fast you go from freeway frenzy to total tranquility.
This Settles the Pompano Controversy (Letter to the Editor, Florida Sportsman, 1945)
Dear Sir,
I'm no writer in any sense of the word, but have read and heard about my friend the pompano not taking a bait 'till I've just got to squawk. I have been taking them on light tackle for over thirty years and saw it done before that.
Sundown on October 29, 2015 was the end of an era as a day-long celebration of Seagrove Village Market Café came to an end. Free food, beer, wine, and music was shared with hundreds of people inside the old market, and outside in the parking lot and on the street. George and Ann Hartley went out with a bang and opened the doors of the old market for the last time.
