Before and after photos

Does anyone out there have any photos of 10-20 years or more ago to compare with today[Kurt, you get a pass on this if you want] in South Walton. I have only been visiting since '98 and would think someone would have some interesting shots. Heck, I would be happy to see before photos only if you have them Thanks!!!!!!!!!!1

Funny that you say that, because I was just looking at our batch of old photos, 1989 and onward. I had forgotten how un-built-up it was back then. If I can rouse Merman from in front of the TV, I'll get him to scan a few.

There was a report on our local news about the huge change of the coastline from Panama City to Galveston. Maps will be updated.

Thanks Mermaid, I think folks viewing "before" photos of the area would be very enlightening........plus it's fun.

Go to Scott Jacksons website and check out Destin 40 years ago

http://mindlace.com/strangelove/

Here are some pretty definite "befores" and "afters" for you.

From the top

1. My son Alex in 1989 having a grand old time playing in the dunes. Now a college freshman, he'd have a fit if he saw any whippersnappers trampling the dunes! Definitely a change for the better, since his parents now know what a no-no that is.

2. Sugar Dunes condominiums, on the eastern side of Eastern Lake. They've updated the color scheme. Dusty blue is out and pale pastelish white is in. These condos took a huge beating after Dennis last July. The steps down to the beach were completely destroyed as were several balconies and stairwells. We saw it a week after the hurricane and someone had a big American flag waving from a ruined balcony. It was oddly touching to look at for some reason. Those gorgeous dunes you see in the photo are toast after Mother Nature had her way with them.

3. Pesticide plane, same old same old.

4. Looking down the shoreline from Eastern Lake where the Summers Edge neighborhood is, toward One Seagrove Place. Looks kind of vacant in 1989, doesn't it?

These photos are one year later, 1990.

1. Fyl playing in front of Ramsgate condominiums, which are on the western side of Eastern Lake near the Summers Edge neighborhood. Looking down the beach to the west. There were hardly any buidings until you got to One Seagrove Place.

2. My brother floating in the water, roughly the same location.

3. One goofy family in the water in front of The Palms of Seagrove, one mile east of Seaside! The condo we bought in August uses that same access you see in the photo. Well, not exactly, since Katrina (or was it Dennis?) wiped it away and it's yet to be repaired. If you look at the VT Kurt did for us, and click on the "beach" scene, you'll see that The Palms has lots of company these days. It's no longer empty beach land. www.emeraldcoasttours.com/126hiddenbeachvillas.

Thanks for the photos.....the beach looked "healthy".

Bob, I hope this will work but this is a pic I posted from June of 1989 on the beach at Seaside. You can see the rooftop of Bud & Alleys in the background. And a couple of the pavillions which I don't know the names.

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I have quite a few of South Walton. I uploaded 2 pictures, the first is my dad, Ed Walline, holding the horse in front of my grandparents sugar cane farm here in South Walton along with family members. The picture was taken probably in the 1930's.
The second is my parents wedding reception in 1954, at a house he built on the beach in Blue Mountain I believe.

Florida Girl. Those photos of your family are amazing. I hope you post more! What's the history of your family in the area. People on this board enjoy hearing stories about the area, particularly stories about the "old days" -- what is the same and what is different.

Florida girl! Donna has been so generous and entertaining with her "early" days stories. I hope we get some from you!

I have quite a few of South Walton. I uploaded 2 pictures, the first is my dad, Ed Walline, holding the horse in front of my grandparents sugar cane farm here in South Walton along with family members. The picture was taken probably in the 1930's.
The second is my parents wedding reception in 1954, at a house he built on the beach in Blue Mountain I believe.

Thanks for sharing.

I bet your dad would flip out if he saw the prices nowadays for the homes he built.

Dad was born in 1909, and he and his family moved to Santa Rosa Beach around 1912. He was 50 when I was born, so I'm not that old! I think they aught to turn the old Point Washington school into a museum, and get it back to it's original state. I'm sure there is a lot of memorabilia, not just what I have, that would be great if we could put it somewhere locally.
We say he would role over in his grave if he knew what was going on here!

If you want to see a LOT of really old photos, contact Tony at www.arturosstudio.com.

His father was the "official photographer" for Okaloosa County in the 40's & 50's. Tony has a HUGE array of his father's old photos, which include Walton County as well. He has published a couple of books with old photos, Highway to Heaven and another one that I can't remember the name of.

Dad was born in 1909, and he and his family moved to Santa Rosa Beach around 1912. He was 50 when I was born, so I'm not that old! I think they aught to turn the old Point Washington school into a museum, and get it back to it's original state. I'm sure there is a lot of memorabilia, not just what I have, that would be great if we could put it somewhere locally.
We say he would role over in his grave if he knew what was going on here!

The kids that go to school there might not like that.

Dad was born in 1909, and he and his family moved to Santa Rosa Beach around 1912. He was 50 when I was born, so I'm not that old! I think they aught to turn the old Point Washington school into a museum, and get it back to it's original state. I'm sure there is a lot of memorabilia, not just what I have, that would be great if we could put it somewhere locally.
We say he would role over in his grave if he knew what was going on here!

Yes, we could definitely use a museum to house the history of the area, but it should not come at the expense of the kids' education. Lord knows we need all the help we can get.

You are probably right, if your dad knew about all of the clearcutting and spraying of pesticides in mass form, he more than likely would roll over.

You are probably right, if your dad knew about all of the clearcutting and spraying of pesticides in mass form, he more than likely would roll over.

I'll bet like his daughter, he didn't like no dadgum skeeters neither.

And I imagine he just built where they told him to but wouldn't he be surprised to see some of the houses he built on top of dunes, falling onto the beach. :roll:

Dad was born in 1909, and he and his family moved to Santa Rosa Beach around 1912. He was 50 when I was born, so I'm not that old! I think they aught to turn the old Point Washington school into a museum, and get it back to it's original state. I'm sure there is a lot of memorabilia, not just what I have, that would be great if we could put it somewhere locally.
We say he would role over in his grave if he knew what was going on here!

Your photos are great. Post some more if you have them. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been lucky enough to have been visiting the Destin area and points east (we simply refer to it as "the beach" in my family) since I was a toddler; my parents have been going for longer than that - 40+ years. My five siblings and I have known few other family vacations, as children or, now, as parents.

I wish I had easy access to pics from "way back when" - especially anything that showed the Silver Beach Cottages where we used to stay (in Destin, not far from the Green Knight liquor store - what a landmark!). We've been renting in Gulf Trace for close to 20 years now and the differences there - in terms of houses as well as shoreline - are striking enough. Will start scanning some, if anyone's interested in that particular area.

It's 23 degrees outside today - which leaves little doubt as to why I'm on the board and already counting the days till we get there again, 7/22/06! :clap_1:

please post photos...

I'd love to see the photos. Especially any from 30A. Thanks!

Some months back, a post (Bob, was that you?) asked about old photos of the Grayton Beach area and I responded that we had one. Now I can't remember who asked about this. The photo we have is a close aerial of Old Grayton/New Grayton and the water's edge. The 24 X 36-inch print is in color. Very dramatic differences, a beautiful photo. I was thinking of having it reproduced, now that we have fairly reasonably-priced techniques for doing this. If anyone is interested in a copy, let me know so that I can get an accurate price based on an order of new prints. Sorry that I cannot provide an image of the photo on this Board. It lives at Grayton year round!

As for the old timers' take on our discovered beaches, my Dad was constantly letting us know how little interest he had in the beach by saying, "If someone told me I could have the whole _____ waterfront and everything down there for a nickel, I'd turn 'em down!" I cannot tell you how often my brothers and I take the nickels from our pockets and have a good laugh. And if Dad was still here, he'd be sitting at Chapman's Seafood Restaurant (For God's sakes, don't go there!) holding his ground on the issue, in spite of it all. He had a great strength of conviction, shall we say.

If you want to see a LOT of really old photos, contact Tony at www.arturosstudio.com.

His father was the "official photographer" for Okaloosa County in the 40's & 50's. Tony has a HUGE array of his father's old photos, which include Walton County as well. He has published a couple of books with old photos, Highway to Heaven and another one that I can't remember the name of.

Thanks for this tip. I would love to purchase a couple of these books for mr. dd when I'm there in April. We love hearing and seeing the history of the area.

Kurt--these are wonderful! what a treat! thanks!