Pensacola Beach, Florida

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Pensacola Beach is an unincorporated community located on Santa Rosa Island, in Escambia County, Florida, United States. It is situated south of Pensacola on a barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico. As of the 2000 census, the community had a total population of 2,738.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Climate 3.1 Hurricanes 4 Attractions 4.1 Fort Pickens 4.2 Novelty houses 5 Facilities 5.1 Education 5.2 Churches 6 References 7 External links

[edit] History

See also: History of Pensacola, Florida

Diego Malanado, a captain under Hernando de Soto, visited the area during the early Spanish exploration of North America. He anchored in Pensacola Bay for the winter of 1539–1540.^[1][2]

In 1559, don Tristan de Luna led the first settlement of the region. His 11 ships anchored in the bay and established its colony on the site of today's Naval Air Station Pensacola. A hurricane destroyed the colony a few weeks later. This first settlement was finally abandoned in 1561.

A presidio was constructed on Santa Rosa Island in 1722 near the location of the more recent Fort Pickens. Hurricanes in 1741 and 1752^[1] forced its relocation to the mainland.

[edit] Geography

Pensacola Beach is located at 30°20′00″N, 87°08′15″W, on the barrier island of Santa Rosa. It is bordered to the south by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Santa Rosa Sound and Pensacola Bay, and to the east and west by the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

[edit] Climate

[edit] Hurricanes

As a community located on a low-lying barrier island, Pensacola Beach is extremely vulnerable to hurricanes. Landfalling storms frequently drive storm surge over large portions of the island, damaging or destroying manmade structures and causing significant beach erosion.

In 1995, two hurricanes made landfall on the island causing extensive damage. Hurricane Erin (1995) made landfall in August while Hurricane Opal blasted the island just two months later, leveling the dunes and destroying a number of homes.

On 16 September 2004, Hurricane Ivan devastated the Pensacola Beach area, destroying more than 650 homes and damaging many others.

On 10 July 2005, Pensacola Beach was again in the path of a hurricane; Dennis made landfall between the city and neighboring Navarre Beach.

[edit] Attractions

[edit] Fort Pickens

Fort Pickens was completed in 1834 and used until WWII, when modern weapons made traditional coastal defense obsolete. Fort Pickens has changed over the years, so take the self-guided tour and peel back the layers of history. You'll see the plaster-lined rooms that were intended as officers' quarters, and later used to house Apache prisoners. The most famous resident, Geronimo, lived in identical rooms along the south wall, which have since collapsed. Fort Pickens now houses an auditorium, a museum, and a visitors center offering information about the area.

The Fort itself is only part of the National Seashore's attractions: the boundary stretches back seven miles. (Fodor's rates Ft. Pickens' beaches the best in Florida.) So whether you take the bike trail or the highway, you'll find campgrounds, nature trails, and miles and miles of protected beaches perfect for sand dollar and sea shell hunting, and for picking through flotsam washed ashore from the high seas and exotic foreign ports.

[edit] Novelty houses

Pensacola Beach is home to several "novelty houses", including a house with a UFO-shaped Futuro attached as a second story, as well as the "Dome of a Home", a home in the form of a large concrete dome, designed to structurally withstand hurricane-force winds and storm surge. Children growing up called this Futuro house the "Spaceship House" when passing it on the way to the beach.

[edit] Facilities

[edit] Education

There is one school on Pensacola Beach. The Pensacola Beach Elementary School is for children from kindergarten through fifth grade. This school has an enrollment ranging from 120 to 140 students. All elementary-school age children on Pensacola Beach are eligible to attend the school. The first year the school was open, for the school year 1977-1978, classes were held in an empty A-frame house owned by a local named Harry Gowens. The Pensacola Beach Volunteer Fire Department building was also used in aiding the teachers and administrators. In November 1977, four portable buildings were moved to the present site. The school has continued to grow and produce some outstanding students. The school has been ranked as an 'A' school in the state for many years running. They have also received the 5 Star School award since 1998. This award recognizes schools with exemplary student involvement. In 2001 the Pensacola Beach Elementary lost its ties to the Escambia County School District and became a Charter school. Now the school, with the help of parents, volunteers, and the community, must find ways to pay for their resources and staff.

[edit] Churches

There are only two churches on the island of Pensacola Beach. It is under the laws and guidelines of the Santa Rosa Island Authority that these be the only churches on the island. The first is the Pensacola Beach Community United Church. It is a non-denominational church. The second is the Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website
• Pensacola Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau information
• Pensacola Beach Preservation & Historical Society