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This is a good place to begin an odyssey. Take
in the diversity of landscapes and cultures—from
the Mennonite communities of the Farm Country to
the unspoiled coastal scenery of the National Seashore,
the vibrance of the historical quarter of old Pensacola,
the crystalline sands and turquoise waters of Pensacola,
and the vitality of area industry and commerce.
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| Sugar-white sands, emerald water,
swimmers, surfers, little children with red and
yellow plastic pails and shovels hard at work on
fanciful sand castles, multi-colored beach balls,
shopping with a tropical air, musicians plying their
trade in a pavilion by the boardwalk, blue umbrellas
providing shade for the beach chairs lined up in
neat rows, kites with bright red and green tails,
jet-skis zipping across the waves, billowing white
sails and vibrant spinnakers speeding across the
water. . . |
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| These are just a few of the images
you might see if you were to visit Perdido Key in
the southwest portion of the County and Pensacola
Beach in the southeast. |
Northern Escambia County is farm country. Cotton, corn,
cattle, and catfish are a few of the crops and livestock
that inhabit this land of rolling hills. Forests of pine
and oak bound the roadways, and fields are tended by men
and women who have devoted their lives to the land.
A brief sojourn to the area will take you through small
towns with names such as Cantonment, Barrineau Park, Bay
Springs, Walnut Hill, Oak Grove, Bratt, Brynville, Bluff
Springs, McDavid, Barth, and Molino. In two hours you
will see the diversity that allows this community to thrive:
industry, quaint homes with neatly tended gardens, farms
with abundant crops, modern schools that reflect the pride
of the residents. If you’re lucky, you may even see an
impromptu gathering of neighbors under a shade tree, celebrating
their heritage in the music their parents once shared.
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For a cosmopolitan lifestyle with a small-town
atmosphere, you’ve come to the right place. Here
you will find world class cuisine in restaurants
overlooking the water, annual arts, jazz, and folk
festivals, little theatre and touring "Broadway"
shows, regional artists displaying their works at
local galleries, a symphony orchestra, cultural
center, and local museums.
You will also see a major university with a campus
hidden among the oaks and pines, a multi-campus
junior college that serves the educational needs
of the student and local businesses and government
alike, and three major hospitals that care for our
needs. |
At the "Cradle of Naval Aviation," you
may see the Blue Angels streak overhead, or visit
the National Museum which celebrates flight and
the traditions of the sea. You will also see the
future of your country in the faces of the thousands
of students from across the nation and the world
who undergo technical and flight training locally.
You will find recognized leaders in quality and
production among our local Industries, with links
to the world through our airport, rail lines, the
interstate highways, and seaport. |
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Pleasant neighborhoods with modern schools and children
playing in the park...it sounds like home.
Flags of five countries fluttering in the breeze reflect
the heritage of the County. Visit the remains of a colonial
British town, view examples of French Creole, Victorian,
and Greek and Renaissance Revival architecture in the
historic quarter, and see exhibits on the frontier lifestyle,
commerce, and varying industries which contributed to
the industrial boom and shaped the County from its earliest
days
Here you can also see cooking utensils and armor from
the first Spanish settlers in what is today the U.S.,
gaze at the harbor from the site of the first British
fort, walk in the steps of Governor Andrew Jackson, as
he becomes the first U.S. Governor of Florida, visit a
pre-Civil War fort constructed of six million bricks that
protected the harbor from Union forces for little more
than a year, and see the site of Apache chief Geronimo’s
imprisonment.
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Crystalline sand kissed by azure waters... sea
oats waving gently in the sea breeze...a sand dollar
half-buried in the sand...busy birds darting back
and forth at the edge of the water as they search
for an elusive meal in the sand...ribbons of brightly
colored sea shells tracing the last tide’s advance...pelicans
gliding silently by on unmoving wing...warm gulf
waves lapping softly at your ankles...the plaintive
cry of the gull...solitude.
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If you see these in your mind’s eye when you think of
a relaxing day at the beach, visit our National Seashore
where your dreams can be reality.
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