County Profile
Government
Walton County is governed by a 5-member Board of County Commissions.
DeFuniak Springs is the County Seat. The incorporated cities of DeFuniak
Springs, Freeport, and Paxton each have Mayors and City Councils.
Healthcare
Sacred Heart Health System Center opened a brand new facility to serve
the South Walton area. The hospital is located on Highway 98, just East of
the Silver Sands Factory Stores. The hospital is to open in January 2003.
Healthmark Regional Medical Center in DeFuniak Springs serves the county with a
full range of services. They offer everything from 24-hour emergency care
to specialized critical care, a wide range of diagnostic testing with a full
service laboratory. The 50 bed facility moved into its new 58,000 square
foot facility located on Highway 331 South, two miles south of I-10 in the Fall
of 1999. Medical professionals from a number of general and specialty
practices along with neighboring medical facilities of North Okaloosa Medical
Center in Crestview and Twin Cities Hospital in Niceville also address the
community's healthcare needs.
Housing
Housing is available in Walton County to meet every buyer's need.
Prices range from an average of $74,000 in DeFuniak Springs, $95,000 in
Freeport, $250,000 in the beach area, with multi-million dollar homes along the
coast.
Area Attractions
 There is plenty to do in Walton County, whether your preferred activity is
enjoying our history, attending cultural events, shopping or enjoying the
beaches. For starters, consider the following highlights of our area:
Lakewood
The state's highest elevation, 345 feet above sea level, is in
Lakewood. Located in the northewestern part of Walton County, the 900-foot
by 400-foot plateau is now the site of the state park.
Historic Defuniak Springs
Enjoy a leisurely self-guided tour of the magnificent Victorian homes on
Circle Drive around Lake DeFuniak with the help of the Walton County Heritage
Association's walking tour brochure, available at the Chamber office. As
the homes are privately owned, they are not open to the public for interior
viewing. You'll also want to spend time shopping in the downtown district
taking in the atmosphere of days gone by.
Walton DeFuniak Public Library
Florida's oldest working library in its original building can be found at 3
Circle Drive in DeFuniak Springs. The historical building houses many rare
books which date to the library's beginning in 1887 as well as a medieval armor
collection.
Chautauqua Winery
Wine lovers won't want to miss a free tour of the state's largest winery.
Located at the intersections of I-10 and Hwy. 331 in DeFuniak Springs, the
Chautauqua Winery invites visitors to enjoy complimentary tours and wine
tasting. Call (850) 892-5887 for more information.
Christmas Reflections
The lake yard around Lake DeFuniak, one of only two naturally round lakes in
the world, comes aglow from Thanksgiving to New Years. Following Hometown
Christmas, a downtown art and crafts street festival, Christmas Reflections'
nearly one million lights help to open the Christmas season. Take a riding
tour around Lake DeFuniak and enjoy the beauty of the lights and charm of the
decorated seasonal characters. Tours continue each evening from 3pm to
9pm.
Silver Sands Factory Stores
At more than 500,000 square feet of retail space, Silver Sands is the largest
designer factory store center in the nation. Top names including Tommy
Hilfiger, Brooks Brothers, Jones New York, Reebok, and many, many more drew more
than 4.6 million shoppers in 1999. Be sure to stop by the Chamber's
offices to pick up a shopping discount book. For shopping hours call
Silver Sands at (850) 654-9771.
Seaside
Known worldwide for its design, this pedestrian community has become a
tourist destination because of its beautiful quaint cottages with picket fences,
porches, towers, and tin roofs. Seaside offers over 50 unique shops and
galleries and fine restaurants. An active year-round schedule of events
offer diverse programs for visitors to enjoy.
The Beaches
Over 26 miles of sugar white sands are gently caressed by the emerald green
waters of the Gulf of Mexico along Walton County's shorelines. Known
throughout the world for their quality, the Beaches of South Walton can be
enjoyed year-round. Sunrise and sunsets over the waters - the Gulf,
Choctawhatchee Bay and the costal dune lakes - are sights not to be missed.
The 19 beach communities from Inlet Beach to Miramar Beach offer visitors an
opportunity to relax, watch dolphin play offshore, and enjoy unspoiled nature
like nowhere else. Popular outdoor activities include surfing, snorkeling,
boating, fishing, biking, hiking, and camping.
State Parks
Grayton Beach State Recreation Area boasts beaches that are consistently
ranked among the most beautiful in the world. Amenities include a boat
ramp into Western Lake, campfire interpretive programs and nature trails.
(850) 231-4210
Topsail Hill State Preserve encompasses more than 1,600 acres of some of the
most pristine lands along Florida's Emerald Coast. The preserve has over
three and a half miles of beaches with magnificent dunes standing over 25 feet
tall. Several freshwater coastal dune lakes are included in the preserve.
(850) 267-1868.
|
