Pensacola Beach, Florida
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Pensacola Beach is an unincorporated community located on Santa Rosa Island, a barrier island, in Escambia County, Florida, United States. It is situated south of Pensacola, connected via bridges spanning to the Fairpoint Peninsula and then to the island, on the Gulf of Mexico. As of the 2000 census, the community had a total population of 2,738.
Pensacola Beach occupies land bound by a 1947 deed from the United States Department of Interior that it be administered in the public interest by the county or leased, but never "disposed"; its businesses and residents are thus long-term leaseholders and not property owners.[1]
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[edit] History
- Also see: History of Pensacola, Florida.
Francisco Maldonado, a lieutenant [2] under Conquistador 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.[3][4]
In 1559, Don Tristan de Luna y Arellano led the first settlement of the region.[2] His 11 ships, with 1500 settlers,[2] anchored in the bay and established its colony on the site of today's Naval Air Station Pensacola. A hurricane decimated the colony a few weeks later, killing hundreds and sinking 5 ships.[2] Suffering long-term famine and fighting, this first settlement was finally abandoned in 1561.[2] A presidio was constructed on Santa Rosa Island in 1722 near the location of the more recent Fort Pickens. Hurricanes in 1741 and 1752[3] forced its relocation to the mainland.
[edit] Geography
Pensacola Beach is located at , 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
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[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 east-end Navarre Beach.
[edit] Attractions
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[edit] The Quietwater Beach Boardwalk
The Boardwalk is on the Santa Rosa Sound side of the island, directly across from Casino Beach. Retail shops, restaurants, nightclubs, street musicians and sidewalk artists line it. The Boardwalk has a large sea shell stage where concerts are held several times a year. Behind it, there is a beach silent except for the sounds of sea gulls, and children making sand castles. Most events are held here, including The Lobster Fest, Bushwacker Fest, and the Independence Day fireworks. Behind the beach there is a boat dock where anyone can park their boats free of charge.
[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. The highway to the Fort has been blocked since hurricane Ivan caused significant damage to the surrounding areas and the Fort itself. The Fort is still accessible by hiking or biking, but the structure itself is very weak due to storm damage, and considered a safety hazard.
[edit] Novelty houses
Pensacola Beach is home to several "novelty houses", including a house with a UFO-shaped Futuro attached as a second story. This Futuro house is sometimes called the "Spaceship House."[citation needed] Another novelty house is 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.
[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.[citation needed] The first is the Pensacola Beach Community Church, affiliated with the United Church of Christ. The second is the Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church. Our Lady of the Assumption Church is a mission church of St. Ann's Catholic church, located in Gulf Breeze, Florida.
[edit] References
- ^ "Beach Leasholders' Lawsuit Filed" Pensacola Beach Blog (December 21, 2004). Retrieved October 18, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e "The Spanish Presence in Northwest Florida--1513 to 1705" (history), University of West Florida, 2006, webpage: UWF-hist.
- ^ a b Santa Rosa Island—A History (Part 1). Retrieved on 2007-01-24.
- ^ Pensacola (Italian). Retrieved on 2007-01-24.
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Pensacola Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau information
- Pensacola Beach Preservation & Historical Society
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