|
Featured Area
Businesses
CLICK
HERE for
real estate in the DeFuniak Springs area.
DeFuniak Springs is
a small city of around 7,000 located off of Interstate 10 between
Tallahassee and Pensacola. The city is the county seat for Walton
County, Florida. DeFuniak Springs is home to many interesting
historical events and attractions such as one of the two naturally
round spring fed lakes in the world. The other being
located near Zurich, Switzerland.
DeFuniak Springs was developed
in the late 1800s as a railroad town. In 1881, a railroad
surveying party consisting of W. D. Chipley, W.J. VanKirk, and W.T.
Wright came to the area seeking a route for the L&N Railroad.
After stopping on a hillside overlooking the beautiful, naturally
round lake, Colonel Chipley exlcaimed, "Here a town shall be
built!"
They planned a town
named after Fred R. DeFuniak, who held many high offices with
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, including that of General
Manger. The Florida Chautauqua Association organized in 1884 and
held its first assembly in DeFuniak Springs in February of 1885.
This assembly made DeFuniak Springs one of the cultural centers of
the southeast until the late 1920s.
Today, in the
spirit of the original Chautauqua, efforts are underway to revive
the cultural activities. Go to the Historical District so you can
see the beautiful homes that surround Lake DeFuniak today. For
more information on this area visit our Government section. Walton
County has the pleasure of being one of the fastest growing places
in Florida.
At this site
we try to provide you with information you might need to locate in
this area or just come for a visit. The businesses you see are
sponsors of these informational pages. Please let them know you
appreciate this information being available via the internet for
your use.
This is a great place
to raise a family or simply retire away from the hustle and bustle
of city life. We are blessed with Florida's world-famed
wonderful climate. We enjoy all four seasons, with winter
usually being mild ( a mean temperature of 44.2 degrees).
The summer mean temperature is 81.9 degrees. The average
rainfall is 58.4 inches. Outdoor activities can be enjoyed
almost every day of the year.
Fishing, hunting,
golfing, and boating are just a few of the popular pastimes
here. The fishing enthusiast will discover an area of great
fishing, whether it be salt water or fresh water. Area
fishing lakes include Cassidy, Holley, and Juniper. The
Choctawhatchee River is a 20-minute drive. And of course,
the Gulf offers some of the world's greatest deep sea fishing.
Wild game such as deer, duck, and turkey abound in the surrounding
wooded hills for the hunting
enthusiast. Several golf courses are located nearby.
Of course, given our location, there are numerous opportunities
for the avid boater. Furthermore,
horses are a main source of enjoyment in this area. Roping,
team penning, trail rides, and family fun days are popular leisure
activities.
Other nearby
amusements include a Championship Rodeo held in Bonifay
(30-minute drive to the east). Florida's oldest library still in operation is located in DeFuniak Springs. Another point of interest is Lake DeFuniak, said
to be one of only two perfectly round natural lakes in the
world. Folklore has it that the lake was formed by a large
meteor crashing to earth centuries ago. The circumference of
the lake is 5,280 feet, which makes a pleasant mile. Our
major industry is agriculture, which is growing all the time, if
you'll excuse the pun. The cattle business, timber
(especially pine), and poultry farms are primary resources.
Once you visit
DeFuniak Springs and experience
all that it has to offer, you will probably become a return visitor
or perhaps a resident. Untouched rural beauty, a slow-paced
lifestyle, helpful neighbors, a mild year-round climate, low crime
rate, low taxes, and a uniquely central location are just a few of
the natural magnets that draws families and industries to the
region. Florida is a beautiful state to visit, and
DeFuniak Springs is a small, tucked-away treasure that you definitely
don't want to miss!
|
