Perdido Key History

Perdido Key History

Perdido Key is a narrow strip of white sandy beaches with emerald blue water located in the Northwest Panhandle of Florida, between Pensacola and Orange Beach, Alabama. The narrow strip of beach is no more than a few hundred yards wide in some locations, but stretches about 16 miles long.  This long narrow strip of snow white beach is almost 60% in state and federal parks, which makes this beautiful area one of the last unspoiled stretches of wilderness in the Florida Panhandle.  Discovered by the Spanish in 1693, Perdido Key literally means “Lost Key”.  Until the beautiful key was founded it was a well-kept secret of the Gulf Coast Native Americans.  The Native Americans were the first to occupants of Perdido Key Florida.  In 1954, the Perdido Key Association originated with a group of around 100 individuals.  The 700 acre Gulf Beach Gunnery range was declared excess by the Navy and then the entire region was auctioned off to a single contractor.  After a lot of persistence and many trips to Washington, the group finally convinced the Government to honor the group’s individual bids.  In 1957 because of all the hard work of this small group, a portion of the land was subdivided into 700 lots called the Gulf Beach Subdivision.  The non-profit association, known as the Gulf Beach Development Association was incorporated in 1970 as the Perdido Key Development Association.  As time went on the association became more concerned with the changes in the environment, and became the Perdido Key Association in 1986.

-History Facts about Pensacola:

-The Naval Air Station Pensacola is home to the remains of Fort San Carlos de Austria. In 1698 this was the first permanent settlement in Northwest Florida.

-The nickname “City of Five Flags” was earned due to having been ruled by Spain, Britain, France, the Confederacy, and the United States.   

Published on Thursday, January 29, 2015