Navarre, Florida
Encyclopedia
Navarre is an unincorporated
community in Santa Rosa County
in the Northwest Florida Panhandle
. Navarre is about 25 miles east of Pensacola
and about 15 miles west of Fort Walton Beach
. The community is roughly centered on the junction of U.S. Route 98
and State Road 87. It is part of the Pensacola
–Ferry Pass
–Brent
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
. He initially plat
ted the town in 1925. His family used to visit the area, and they had purchased a lot of property. Wyman was in World War I
where he met a French
nurse named Noel. He wanted to bring her back with him to the United States
to marry her, and the only way he could bring her back was to adopt her. So, he did. Noel had actually named Navarre after a province
in Spain
near France. During the Great Depression
, they couldn’t pay the taxes on it. So they had to start selling it off. Part of that property is where the Navarre Park is today. Noel traveled to New York
to teach French to earn money to pay the taxes. When she came back, Colonel Wyman had taken a shining to another young lady. When their divorce
was final, he told Noel not to set foot on his property. She came on his property allegedly to tend to a pet cemetery that she had, and Colonel Wyman shot her. He didn’t get in trouble because he had warned her. Colonel Wyman’s parents were murdered in Navarre by the Roberts brothers. Apparently, the Roberts brothers thought the Wymans had a lot of money, tried to rob them and ended up murdering them. They were nabbed and hanged in Crestview, Florida
.
observing the Central Time Zone. Elevation is 10 feet.
The community of Navarre is located on the Gulf Coastal Plain
and is built on mostly sandy soil. It is bounded geographically in the north by the East River and on the south by the Santa Rosa Sound
.
to the west and Hurlburt Field
and Eglin Air Force Base
to the east.
Tourism has increased in the Navarre area, leading the community to declare itself "Florida's Best Kept Secret." A boardwalk, a park (with water playground), a duck pond, and butterfly house are located near the bridge to Navarre Beach, which is immediately across Santa Rosa Sound to the south. Surfing and beach volleyball are popular attractions.
, Navarre is often threatened by hurricanes. Significant damage was incurred as a result of Hurricanes Erin
, Opal
, Ivan
, and Dennis
. Many homes and businesses immediately along Santa Rosa Sound (generally south of U.S. Highway 98) suffered storm surge
as a result of those storms. Structures to the north are located on higher ground, but wind damage remains a threat.
. The schools that serve the Navarre community are:
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
community in Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County, Florida
Santa Rosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 117,743, while a July 1, 2005, estimate placed the population at 143,105, an 18% increase making it the 84th fastest growing county in the United States between 2000 and 2005. ...
in the Northwest Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
. Navarre is about 25 miles east of Pensacola
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
and about 15 miles west of Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Fort Walton Beach is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. As of 2005, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach was 19,992, and as of 2010, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach is 19,507 recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau...
. The community is roughly centered on the junction of U.S. Route 98
U.S. Route 98
U.S. Route 98 is an east–west United States highway that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola, Florida and Apalachicola, Florida, and has since been extended westward into Mississippi and eastward across the Florida...
and State Road 87. It is part of the Pensacola
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
–Ferry Pass
Ferry Pass, Florida
Ferry Pass is a census-designated place in Escambia County, Florida, United States. The population was 27,176 at the 2000 census. It is a principal city of the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
–Brent
Brent, Florida
Brent is a census-designated place in Escambia County, Florida, United States. The population was 22,257 at the 2000 census. It is a principal city of the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area
30° 26′ 0″ N, 87° 12′ 0″ WThe Pensacola metropolitan area is the metropolitan area centered on Pensacola, Florida.The Office of Management and Budget has designated Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan statistical area used...
.
History
The founder of Navarre was Colonel Guy Wyman, colonel in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He initially plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
ted the town in 1925. His family used to visit the area, and they had purchased a lot of property. Wyman was in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
where he met a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
nurse named Noel. He wanted to bring her back with him to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to marry her, and the only way he could bring her back was to adopt her. So, he did. Noel had actually named Navarre after a province
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
near France. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, they couldn’t pay the taxes on it. So they had to start selling it off. Part of that property is where the Navarre Park is today. Noel traveled to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to teach French to earn money to pay the taxes. When she came back, Colonel Wyman had taken a shining to another young lady. When their divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
was final, he told Noel not to set foot on his property. She came on his property allegedly to tend to a pet cemetery that she had, and Colonel Wyman shot her. He didn’t get in trouble because he had warned her. Colonel Wyman’s parents were murdered in Navarre by the Roberts brothers. Apparently, the Roberts brothers thought the Wymans had a lot of money, tried to rob them and ended up murdering them. They were nabbed and hanged in Crestview, Florida
Crestview, Florida
Crestview is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. Crestview’s name was chosen because of its location on the peak of a long woodland range between the Yellow and Shoal rivers which flow almost parallel on the east and west side of the City....
.
Geography
Navarre is located at 30.401°N 86.863°W. It is located within a portion of the Florida PanhandleFlorida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
observing the Central Time Zone. Elevation is 10 feet.
The community of Navarre is located on the Gulf Coastal Plain
Gulf Coastal Plain
The Gulf Coastal Plain extends around the Gulf of Mexico in the Southern United States and eastern Mexico.The plain reaches from the western Florida Panhandle, the southwestern two thirds of Alabama, over most of Mississippi, some of western Tennessee and Kentucky, southwest Arkansas, the Florida...
and is built on mostly sandy soil. It is bounded geographically in the north by the East River and on the south by the Santa Rosa Sound
Santa Rosa Sound
Santa Rosa Sound is a sound connecting Pensacola Bay and Choctawhatchee Bay in Florida. The northern shore consists of the Fairpoint Peninsula and portions of the mainland in Santa Rosa County and Okaloosa County...
.
Demographics
According to an ongoing incorporation study commissioned by the Chamber of Commerce; Tallahassee based Government Services Group Inc, released a population figure of 29,997 residents living in the unincorporated area of Navarre (one of the fastest growing areas in Florida). There are 9,000 more residents than the US Census estimate of 20,967 in 2000. Navarre is located in one of the top school districts in Florida. There were 7947 Single Family homes in the Navarre area as of 2005, up from 5,017 in 2000. Single-family owner-occupied homes with a median household income of $41,164. The below racial characteristics of the community are from 2000 estimates:- WhiteWhiteWhite is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
97.8% - BlackBlackBlack is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
0.9% - hispanicHispanicHispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
0.0% - Native American and Alaska Native 0.7%
- AsianAsian peopleAsian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
0.3% - Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.1%
- OtherOtherThe Other or Constitutive Other is a key concept in continental philosophy; it opposes the Same. The Other refers, or attempts to refer, to that which is Other than the initial concept being considered...
0.9% - Multiculteral 0.2%
Attractions
Navarre is centered near the junction of U.S. Highway 98, the primary east-west route between Pensacola and the Fort Walton Beach area, and State Road 87. It is located near several large military facilities: Naval Air Station PensacolaNaval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola , "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United States Navy base located next to Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits...
to the west and Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
and Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
to the east.
Tourism has increased in the Navarre area, leading the community to declare itself "Florida's Best Kept Secret." A boardwalk, a park (with water playground), a duck pond, and butterfly house are located near the bridge to Navarre Beach, which is immediately across Santa Rosa Sound to the south. Surfing and beach volleyball are popular attractions.
Hurricanes
As a low-elevation community near the Gulf of MexicoGulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, Navarre is often threatened by hurricanes. Significant damage was incurred as a result of Hurricanes Erin
Hurricane Erin (1995)
Hurricane Erin was the fifth named tropical cyclone and the second hurricane of the unusually active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. Erin began as a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa on July 22, and crossed the Atlantic ocean without ever developing. On July 31, the last day of the month,...
, Opal
Hurricane Opal
Hurricane Opal was a Category 4 hurricane that formed in the Gulf of Mexico in September 1995.Opal was the ninth hurricane and the strongest of the abnormally active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season...
, Ivan
Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season...
, and Dennis
Hurricane Dennis
Hurricane Dennis was an early-forming major hurricane in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico during the very active 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Dennis was the fourth named storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the season...
. Many homes and businesses immediately along Santa Rosa Sound (generally south of U.S. Highway 98) suffered storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
as a result of those storms. Structures to the north are located on higher ground, but wind damage remains a threat.
Education
Education in Navarre is administrated by the Santa Rosa County District School system headquartered in Milton, FloridaMilton, Florida
Milton , or Milltown, because Milton had the largest mill around) is a city in Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States. The city was incorporated in 1844 and is home to Naval Air Station Whiting Field. The population was 7,045 at the 2000 census. In 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...
. The schools that serve the Navarre community are:
- Navarre High School (Grades 9-12)
- Holley Navarre Middle School (Grades 6-8)
- Holley Navarre Intermediate School (Grades 3-5)
- Holley Navarre Primary School (Grades K-2)
- Woodlawn Beach Middle School (Grades 6-8)
- West Navarre Primary School (Grades K-2)
- West Navarre Intermediate School (Grades 3-5)
External links
- Navarre Area Chamber of Commerce
- Navarre Beach Area Official Visitor Information: Florida Beaches to Rivers
- Holley-Navarre Fire District
- Santa Rosa Medical Center Hospital and Emergency Room located in Milton, Florida. The primary provider of hospital based healthcare services in Santa Rosa County.