Reprinted from The Morning News, Savannah, Georgia, August 12, 1894, page 11. AFTER SPANISH GOLD. To Renew the Search for Pirates’ Treasure. Deposits Supposed to Exist in Florida, Near Pensacola—Fate Interrupted a Search—Efforts to Form a Syndicate of Moneyed Men to Renew the Investigation—Capital Needed. From the New York Advertiser…. Continue reading
By Anna Reardon, Staff Writer, DeFuniak Springs Herald-Breeze, December 28, 1972, Page 1Published by the Genealogical Society of Okaloosa County, Volume XIX, Number 66, Winter 1995, Pages 52-53. The man for whom the town of DeFuniak Springs was named, was a Frenchman, according to his grandson, Colonel William Q. DeFuniak… Continue reading
Highway 90 Drive-in in DeFuniak Springs Trail Drive-in in DeFuniak Springs Starlite Drive-in in Paxton/Laurel Hill If you have any information about these movie drive-ins, please write to DianeMerkel@cox.net.
Stuart Knox Gillis, seventh son and eleventh child of John and Christian McIntosh Gillis, was born at Knox Hill, Walton County, Florida on July 28, 1866. He, like his older brothers, attended school at the Old Knox Hill Academy. As did many of his Gillis kin, Knox Gillis taught school in his younger… Continue reading
In a story called, “David Donaldson (left) My Great Grandfather” it states, in part: “Benjamin [Donaldson] served three years in the Confederate Army, was captured by the Yankees and finally joined up with the Union forces at Barrancas in Pensacola. Ben was a blacksmith and his young son Dave worked… Continue reading
In June 1903, L. G. Crosby became the sole owner of the new Pensacola Coca-Cola franchise. In September of that year, he produced the first bottle of Coca-Cola in the Pensacola plant. By 1924, Crosby had succeeded in running his competitors out of business and had the only bottling plant… Continue reading
The Hotel Chautauqua was built in time for the first Florida Chautauqua Assembly in 1885. It was located on the site that was until recently occupied by Gulf Power on Circle Drive. The photograph above was taken by G. Willard Shear in 1887. Note the fence on the lakeside, which… Continue reading
The Murray Theatre was built in 1921 and later became the Ritz Theater. “Requiem for a Heavyweight” was distributed in 1962, so this photograph is most likely from that era. The theater is still on Baldwin Avenue and is called the Chautauqua Theater. It is used for theatrical performances. The… Continue reading
An advertisement appeared in the DeFuniak Springs Herald on August 24, 2017, congratulating “Alex Alexander, sales associate with Naylor Realty & Associates, on the sale of the home located at 812 Circle Drive.” The ad continued: “The new owner plans to do a total restoration on one of the most… Continue reading
Construction on the house known as Sunbright Manor started about 1886, and it was completed around 1890. The original owner was J. T. Sherman of Brodhead, Wisconsin, who used it as a winter residence for his family. The exterior of the home is primarily white with black trim, and it… Continue reading