Shalimar, Florida: Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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Originally an area called Port Dixie, the town |
Originally an area called Port Dixie, the town "sprang up out of the woods" in 1943-1944 as a community of 160 houses to be used as housing for military officers by Clifford Meigs. Incorporated in June 1947, Meigs served as its first mayor. In 1948 the town boasted the Shalimar Store, the Shalimar Sevice Station, and Shalimar resident Roger Clary's [[Shalimar Club]]. The 160 residences were rented through Shalimar Homes and Meigs Homes corporations. <ref>Fort Walton, Florida, "''Shalimar Strides Into Second Year''", Playground Daily News, Thursday 1 July 1948, Volume 3, Number 22, page 1.</ref> |
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During the Civil War, 130 Germans operated a "dye" plant at Port Dixie, "actually an explosives factory and probably a submarine base as well." Costly machinery was smashed when they fled and the records were thrown into [[Garnier's Bayou]]. <ref>Angell, Joseph W., "History of the Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command - Part One - Historical Outline 1933-1944", The Historical Branch, Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command, Eglin Field, Florida, 1944, reprint by Office of History, Munitions Systems Division, Eglin AFB, Florida, 1989, page 34.</ref> |
During the Civil War, 130 Germans operated a "dye" plant at Port Dixie, "actually an explosives factory and probably a submarine base as well." Costly machinery was smashed when they fled and the records were thrown into [[Garnier's Bayou]]. <ref>Angell, Joseph W., "History of the Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command - Part One - Historical Outline 1933-1944", The Historical Branch, Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command, Eglin Field, Florida, 1944, reprint by Office of History, Munitions Systems Division, Eglin AFB, Florida, 1989, page 34.</ref> |
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Revision as of 01:15, 15 February 2009
Shalimar is a town in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. The population was 718 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 738 [1]. It is part of the Fort Walton Beach–Crestview–Destin Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Shalimar is located at 30°26′40″N 86°34′55″W / 30.44444°N 86.58194°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (30.444398, -86.581904)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²), all land.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 718 people, 288 households, and 209 families residing in the town. The population density was 955.9/km² (2,441.6/mi²). There were 311 housing units at an average density of 414.1/km² (1,057.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.42% White, 5.85% African American, 0.42% Native American, 2.51% Asian, 0.84% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of the population.
There were 288 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.6% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $63,068, and the median income for a family was $70,250. Males had a median income of $51,250 versus $27,143 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,261. About 2.9% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.
History
Originally an area called Port Dixie, the town "sprang up out of the woods" in 1943-1944 as a community of 160 houses to be used as housing for military officers by Clifford Meigs. Incorporated in June 1947, Meigs served as its first mayor. In 1948 the town boasted the Shalimar Store, the Shalimar Sevice Station, and Shalimar resident Roger Clary's Shalimar Club. The 160 residences were rented through Shalimar Homes and Meigs Homes corporations. [1]
During the Civil War, 130 Germans operated a "dye" plant at Port Dixie, "actually an explosives factory and probably a submarine base as well." Costly machinery was smashed when they fled and the records were thrown into Garnier's Bayou. [2]
"In February 1927 the Choctawhatchee and Northern Railroad was chartered 'To construct, acquire, maintain, lease, or operate a line of railroad or railroads from a point between Galliver and Crestview on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in Okaloosa County, to a point in said county on Choctawhatchee Bay, a distance of approximately twenty-eight miles.' On Garnier's Bayou near the present Eglin (Air Force Base) housing development of Shalimar, a $29,000,000 Port Dixie Harbor and Terminal Company was chartered to build wharves for liners, a rail line north, and a city of one square mile, with streets 100 feet wide." [3] These ambitious plans would not see fruition.
Then, to Now
Some of the land that Clifford Meigs owned was donated to Okaloosa County for the establishment of a school. When it was finished it was named Choctawhatchee (Choctaw for short) High School. In 1969 the area needed a middle school, so Okaloosa School District built a new school in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The previous school was renamed to Clifford Meigs Middle School (Meigs Middle School for short). Meigs and Choctaw are currently A+ Schools deemed by the Florida Department of Education. In fact all schools in the Okaloosa County School District are A+ schools.
Notable Natives
- George E."Bud" Day - Medal of Honor Recipient, Prisoner of War, Vietnam. Colonel, USAF
References
- ^ Fort Walton, Florida, "Shalimar Strides Into Second Year", Playground Daily News, Thursday 1 July 1948, Volume 3, Number 22, page 1.
- ^ Angell, Joseph W., "History of the Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command - Part One - Historical Outline 1933-1944", The Historical Branch, Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command, Eglin Field, Florida, 1944, reprint by Office of History, Munitions Systems Division, Eglin AFB, Florida, 1989, page 34.
- ^ Angell, Joseph W., "History of the Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command - Part One - Historical Outline 1933-1944", The Historical Branch, Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command, Eglin Field, Florida, 1944, reprint by Office of History, Munitions Systems Division, Eglin AFB, Florida, 1989, pages 36-37.
External links
- Town of Shalimar official site
Municipalities and communities of Okaloosa County, Florida, United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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