Sunday, September 13, 2009

The origins of Destin

Those of you that know me know I absolutely love the City of Destin, not just because I have a successful Pet Friendly Vacation Rental business and Street Legal Golf Cart business, but because it has everything I ever hoped for in a town. The city only has a full time year around population of around 11,000, but because of tourism and folks with second homes here, we have all of the infrastructure of a city five time our actual size, not to mention some great restaurants and first class leisure activities.

I can remember when I first retired to Destin 7 years ago, what was important to me was not only a nice place to live, but a community I could be a part of. I am happy to say I feel very much a part of this city and will be for the rest of my life. I am a member of the Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Rotary Club of Destin and a member of the Destin United Methodist Church. To feel more of a part of this city, probably one of the greatest things I did was attend the Destin Forward Class (2008) sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. This program taught our class just how paradise was run, the importance of our Harbor District, our fishing village heritage and the founders of Destin.

One of the greatest stories I discovered was how Destin was actually founded, and how the ancestors of those original pioneers are still actively involved in the city. I am proud to call one of those ancestors my friend, Dewey Destin, Jr. the great, great, great grandson of the founder of Destin, Leonard Destin. Dewey owns and runs two of the best seafood restaurants in Destin, Dewey Destin Seafood and Restaurant, and Dewey Destin's Harborside Restaurant. Dewey is also a City Counsel Member and has had a great influence in the direction of the City over the years.

The Destin family and Destin have been intertwined since Leonard Destin founded the area in 1835, but that is not where the story began. A few years earlier when Leonard, his father George and his brother William set out from New London Connecticut with three ships and ran into a hurricane off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Two of the ships, and Leonard's father and brother, were lost at sea. Stories had long circulated in the port of New London about the excellent fishing to be found off the Florida coasts, so even after the tragedy, Leonard decided to continue on and look for the best fishing he could find as well as a place to settle down.

In 1845, Leonard Destin met and married Martha McCullom from South Carolina and built one of the first homes in Destin (located about 100 yards from the current restaurant on the Bay). As a Yankee, Leonard was suspected of being a spy for the North during the civil war, and was imprisoned near Freeport, Florida. With Leonard scheduled to be hung, the circuit judge decided to spare Leonard's life because he was a fellow Mason. Following the war, Leonard returned to the the area and lived with his family of 4 sons and 3 daughters until his death in 1884.

1n 1879 Leonard Destin hired a 13 year old boy named William Marler who proved to be loyal, dependable and hard working. In a few short years Leonard gave "Billy" command of his own boat. Over the years Captain Billy sailed the mail in and out of East Pass and, to make things easier for locals, created an informal post office. In 1904, Captain Billy was formally made postmaster. An inquiry from Washington requested the name of the official new post office, and Captain Billy responded with "Destin" in honor of his first employer Leonard Destin.

Destin remained undiscovered and pretty much an island unto itself until the mid-1930's when the Marler Bridge was built, in honor of Captain Billy Marler, and the world began trickling into the Emerald Coast. In the 1940's and 50's most of the growth came from the influx of military retirees who became familiar with the appeal of Destin's white sandy beaches and cool sea breezes while stationed in the area. Condominium developers in the 70's and 80's provided the next growth spurt with Destin becoming officially incorporated in 1985. The rest, as they say, is history.

There are several other communities up and down the Emerald Coast that enjoy the same magnificent white sandy beaches as Destin, but what sets Destin apart is its fishing heritage and our wonderful Harbor. I have seen the plans for the expansion of the Harbor District and they are nothing short of amazing, with a 20 foot wide boardwalk that will be running from Harbor Docks all the way to the harbor entrance in front of the Emerald Grande.

I love this town and I can't wait for the next 20 years.

That's all for now.

Rick Scali


Rick Scali is the Owner of Easy Street Pet Friendly Vacation Rentals in Destin Florida. Whether you are a family looking for a squeaky clean Destin Rental Home with a Private Pool or a couple looking for a romantic getaway in a Destin Beachhouse, Easy Street Pet Friendly Vacation Rentals will exceed your expectations. Easy Street Pet Friendly Vacation Rentals has the largest selection of quality pet friendly homes in Destin, Florida and throughout the Emerald Coast. Call us toll-free today at 877.432.7978 or email us at info@easystreet-rentals.com - we would love to welcome you, your family AND Fido to join us at the beach.

1 comment:

Joe Meyer said...

Thank you Rick for information. Some of Destin's history is new to me now I want to learn more. I think in need to stop at that little Fishing museum and learn. Joe Meyer