This little-known land transfer revolutionized the Emerald Coast forever!
On June 27, 1940, over 340,000 acres of the Choctawhatchee National Forest were officially transferred from the Department of the Interior to the War Department. This historic move was driven by President Franklin Roosevelt’s conviction that the U.S. needed to prepare for war, primarily in response to Axis aggression and the U.S. embargo on Japan. This single action fundamentally transformed the local economy and environment around Choctawhatchee Bay, shifting it from a rustic, subsistence living to a hub that enabled the space age and the American Defense Industry. The land soon became the Valparaiso Gunnery Range, the precursor to a massive military-industrial-research complex that brought billions of dollars and a storm of new residents to the Emerald Shores.
Port Dixie: The mysterious Okaloosa city that never was!
Before it was known as a vacation destination or a military hub, Okaloosa County’s early business leaders wanted it to be known as a maritime superpower on the Gulf Coast known as Port Dixie—a “grandiose scheme” that never materialized.
The Nomads’ darkest day: The bombing of the Khobar Towers
Thirty years after the tragic Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, we remember the 19 U.S. service members killed and the lasting impact of this terrorist attack.
Plew plants a prophetic mustard seed for Eglin AFB
On June 14, 1937, the Valparaiso Gunnery Range was established with a small post of 14 enlisted men and a single officer, marking the beginning of what would become the largest industry in Okaloosa County. Local business leader James Plew leased the original land to ensure government money bolstered the flagging local economy. The base quickly grew and shifted to a more lucrative test-and-evaluation mission, a transition encouraged by Congressman Bob Sikes. Sikes intentionally drove significant construction, ensuring the base’s indispensability and making the cost of shrinking the military presence after World War II too painful for the Department of War. Plew’s initial investment proved highly effective, as the Air Force Base accounted for nearly 70 cents of every dollar made in Okaloosa County businesses in 2025.
This forgotten speech NAILED the future of American Special Forces
In his 1962 West Point speech, President Kennedy argued that modern conflicts require the “scalpel-like precision of the Special Forces operator,” not nuclear power. He emphasized that officers in these units needed to understand international diplomacy, economics, and psychology, noting that the basic problems facing the world are not susceptible of a final military solution.
Following first failure, Mapoles cajoles Florida to create Okaloosa County
The creation of Okaloosa County, Florida, was signed into law on June 3, 1915, by Governor Park Trammell. However, it was State Senator William Mapoles who led the heavy lifting to create the new county. After its incorporation, the political center was contested by Baker, Crestview, and Laurel Hill, with Crestview eventually being chosen as the county seat. Mapoles, a newspaper owner and State Senator, was successful in his 1915 effort, despite a previous unsuccessful attempt in 1913 to create “Yellow River” or “Wilson County”. His foresight proved crucial, as the county’s population grew rapidly over the next century, thanks in part to military installations secured by his rival, Bob Sikes.
The death of the young colonel: Angus McLean
Angus McLean had a promising life ahead of him when the Civil War broke out in 1861. But, fate had a different course for the young lawyer turned colonel.
The Rebels abandon Pensacola. Here’s how it devastated the Emerald Coast.
On May 9, 1862, the Rebel army abandoned Pensacola to the Union. Here’s what happened next:
1975: Eglin transforms into a tent city for Vietnamese refugees
More than 50 years ago, Eglin served as a primitive, but welcoming landing place for more than 20,000 refugees of the Vietnamese communist victory in Saigon.
History of the Emerald Coast: JFK Visits Eglin – Talks Special Forces
On this day in 1962 John Fitzgerald Kennedy, President of the United States made the second-ever presidential visit to Eglin Air Force Base. His speech that day would have huge implications for the special forces community and the future of special operations.
