Source References:
f/land = Crestview, The Forkland book, jm = Jerry Milligan, long-time resident and City Historic Preservation Board Chairman, ec = Ellis Conner, long-time resident and current City Council President, jp = Jerry Parker, long-time resident and local businessman, mj = Mary Jones, long-time resident and local businesswoman, bk = Bill Kilpatrick, long-time resident and City CRA/Main Street Director, as = Ann Spann, long-time resident and local area historian, and mb = Mack Brooks, long-time resident and local businessman
THE FOLLOWING SEVERAL PAGES PROVIDES
SOME BASIC HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND
SPECIFIC OCCUPANCY HISTORY ON
NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS
WITHIN THE CITY OF CRESTVIEW
HISTORIC BUSINESS DISTRICT
COPIES OF BLACK AND WHITE PICTURES OF BUILDINGS ARE ATTACHED AT BACK
111-113 N. Main (File #Ok2008) Commercial Vernacular 1938 Dent & Bent Grocery
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because of extensive renovations or deteriorating conditions.)
History:
Site of Fraters Drug Store building (on now vacant lot north side of building) 1920s per f/land
Site of Doctor DeLacey Office bldg. (on now vacant lot north side of building) 1920s per f/land
Brackins Drug Store 1938-1940s per mb/as
Bus Station Office (inside drug store) 1938-1940s per mb/as
Feed and Seed Supply Store 1940s per bk/fland
The Chatter Box Café 1940s per f/land
Wilson's Cleaners 1940s-1950s per f/land
Town Tavern 1950s per jm/jp/ec
Curenton's Cleaners 1950s-1960s per f/land
This was a hub of activity site located less than a half block from the railroad station (demolished in 1970s). Through the years, as indicated by building history above, a number of various businesses operated from this site and building and provided earlier time period essential services to area residents and visitors.
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188 N. Main (No File # Assigned) Commercial Vernacular 1998 Accu Title
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because built after 1955.)
History:
Site of a Skating Rink tent (including some surrounding lots) 1920s-1930s per f/land
Site of original Eglin Movie Theatre building 1941-1943 per f/land
Site of a small Bowling Alley building 1940s per f/land
Site of a Recording Studio building 1940s per mb/as
Site of a Loan Office building 1950s per mb/as
Another site located just one-half block from the railroad station (demolished in 1970s) from which the building occupants provided earlier time period essential services and activities to a growing community. As indicated by above listing, this site housed some unique establishments for a small town.
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189-197 N. Main (#Ok2010) Commercial Vernacular 1926 Desi's Rest./American Surplus
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because of extensive renovations or deteriorating conditions.)
History:
Lamar Hotel (lobby area in lower level/rooms upstairs) 1926-1930s per jm/jp/ec/fland
Restaurant (in portion of lower level) 1926-1940s per f/land
Furniture Store (in portion of lower level) 1926-1940s per f/land
Hardware/Auto Parts Store (in portion of lower level) 1926-1940s per f/land
Hilton Hotel (lobby area in lower level/rooms upstairs) 1940s per jm/jp/ec/fland
Olen's Department Store (lower level/upper level vacant beginning early 1950s) 1950s per jm/jp/ec/mj
Danley's Furniture Store (lower level/upper level vacant beginning early 1950s) 1950s-1970s per jm/jp/ec/mj
This is one of the most recognized landmarks in Crestview history. An early time period constructed two-story structure, the building's occupants over the early years (1920s-1950s) made substantial contributions to the economic growth of the city. The hotel was situated conveniently between the county courthouse (three blocks to the north) and the train station (one block to the south) and was always a hub of activity. Servicemen from nearby Eglin AFB would often get-a-way from their duties at the base and come to spend R & R weekends at the hotel during the 1940s. As indicated in the history listing shown above, a variety of goods and services were provided, too, by the occupants on the lower level of the building.
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201 N. Main (File #Ok2015) Commercial Vernacular 1930 Compassion Church
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because of extensive renovations or deteriorating conditions.)
History:
Whiddon's Grocery 1930s-1940s per f/land
Searcy's Grocery Store 1930s per jm/jp/ec
Purina Feed and Seed Store 1940s per mb/as
Adam's and Halley's Café 1950s per jm/jp/ec
Brown's Package Store 1950s per jm/jp/ec
WCNU Radio Station Studios 1950s-1979 per f/land
A prime corner lot location site just one block from the train station (demolished in 1970s), the businesses housed in this building provided a variety of goods and services that supported Crestview's early economic growth.
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204 N. Main (File #Ok2016) Commercial Vernacular 1940 City Medical Warehouse
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because of extensive renovations or deteriorating conditions.)
History:
Site of Okaloosa Messenger Newspaper building 1920s-1930s per f/land
Outlaw's Service Station 1940s per mb/as
Brady's Service Station 1940s-1950s per jm/jp/ec
Produce Market 1950s-1970s per jm/jp/ec/mj
Another prime corner lot location site with building occupants that provided more essential goods and services through the early years of Crestview's history.
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317 N. Main (File #Ok3032) Commercial Vernacular 1923 Scott Accounting Office
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because of extensive renovations or deteriorating conditions.)
History:
Edney Realty 1923-1950s per jm/jp/ec/mj
Tyner Realty 1950s-1960s per jm/jp/ec
Occupied by real estate offices beginning in the 1920s and through the 1960s, the businesses insured that oversight was provided for many important property transactions during Crestview's early years.
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326 N. Main (No File # Assigned) Commercial Vernacular 1997 Hide-A-Way Pizza
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because built after 1955.)
History:
Site of Edney Ford Dealership building 1910s-1920s per f/land
Site of a Skating Rink tent 1930s per f/land
Site of Blue's Ford Dealership building 1940s per f/land
Site of Christo's 5 & 10 Store building 1950s-1960s per f/land
This site is conveniently located in the center of the downtown area. Christo's 5 and 10 store was the most popular retailer and it provided all kinds of dry goods (from toys to clothing to house wares). The original site building (located on southern portion of property) was destroyed by fire in the early 1970s. The lot remained vacant for a number of years until a pizza establishment was built on the site in 1997.
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398 N. Main (No File # Assigned) Commercial Vernacular 1956 Edward Jones Investment
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because built after 1955.)
History:
Site of Okaloosa Messenger Newspaper building 1930s per f/land
Site of an Auto Sales Company building 1930s-1940s per f/land
First National Bank of Crestview 1956-1970s per jm/jp/ec
The original building on this site was used as a newspaper office during the 1930s and later as an auto sales office. The current structure was built in 1956 to house Crestview's second bank, providing evidence of the area's economic growth.
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402 N. Main (No File # Assigned) Commercial Vernacular 1960 Okaloosa Title
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because built after 1955.)
History:
Site of Outlaw's Garage and Auto Dealership building 1920s-1930s per f/land
Site of Gerlach Garage and Auto Dealership building 1930s per f/land
Site of Craig Brothers Auto Dealership building 1940s per f/land
Site of Kennedy Auto Dealership building 1940s-1950s per f/land
This was a popular downtown site in Crestview's early history situated diagonally across from the county courthouse. It provided adequate area space for auto dealerships during the 1920s and until the mid-1950s.
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422 N. Main (No File # Assigned) Commercial Vernacular 1985 Powell Law Office
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because built after 1955.)
History:
Site of Douglas Rexall Drug Store and Restaurant building 1930s-1940s per f/land
Site of Brackin's Drug Store building 1940s-1950s per f/land
Located across the street and immediately west of the county courthouse, the fountain drinks and eatery area inside the drug store businesses at this building site provided a favorite gathering place for the general public, courthouse employees, and area visitors. It was considered a landmark business establishment, especially during the time that one of the business owners (Newman Brackin) served in the Florida Senate from the mid 1940s until the mid 1950s. During his terms, a good number of people from the national, state, and local level dropped by often to visit the politically powerful government representative.
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428 N. Main (No File # Assigned) Commercial Vernacular 1970 Okaloosa Title Annex
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because built after 1955.)
History:
Site of Courthouse Barber Shop building 1920s-1950s per mb/as
This was the site of a popular barbershop building from the 1920s until the 1950s. It was visited by the rich and poor, the young and old, the common man and the powerful man, all needing the same essential service.
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462 N. Main (File #Ok2042) Commercial Vernacular 1926 Better Bail Bonds
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because of extensive renovations or deteriorating conditions.)
History:
Attorney Adams Law Office 1940s-1950s per jm/jp/ec
Even though the building was constructed in 1926, there is limited occupancy history prior to 1940s. Situated very close to the county courthouse, a popular attorney's office occupied the structure during the 1940s and 1950s and provided a necessary service to area residents.
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502 N. Main (#Ok2044) Commercial Vernacular 1948 Professional Hearing Center
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because of extensive renovations or deteriorating conditions.)
History:
Johnson's Enterprises (offices upstairs) 1948-1960s per mj/as
Johnson's 5 and 10 and Department Store 1948-1950s per jm/jp/ec/mj
Anderson Optician Office 1950s-1980s per jm/jp/ec
A good location corner lot with a two-story building across from the county courthouse, the businesses provided some essential services for area residents from the late 1940s through the 1980s.
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550 N. Main (File #Ok2046) Commercial Vernacular 1930 ABC Mortgage
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because of extensive renovations or deteriorating conditions.)
History:
Lauderdale Gas and Appliance Store 1940s-1950s per bk
Part of adjoining furniture store 1950s-1990s per jm/jp/ec
Even though the building was constructed in 1930, there is limited occupancy history prior to 1940s. A propane/butane gas and appliance sales store operated from the building in the 1940s and 1950s. The building became part of a neighboring furniture store in the 1950s through the 1990s.
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127 W. Pine (File #Ok2015) Commercial Vernacular 1926 Elks Lodge
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because of extensive renovations or deteriorating conditions.)
History:
Okaloosa News-Journal Printing Building 1926-1950s per mj/fland
Okaloosa News-Journal Publishing Office and Printing Building 1950s-1977 per mj/fland
In 1933, the weekly printed Okaloosa New-Journal (founded in 1926) was bought by Robert L. F. "Bob" Sikes (a two term state legislator and later a member of the U. S. Congress from 1940-1977). He sold the business in 1946. The original building on this site was smaller than photo shows but expanded a few times to its current size. The ONJ was probably the most popular newspaper in the area and provided news happenings information to residents and covered stories from Tallahassee to Pensacola and even portions of south Alabama.
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121 N. Wilson (No File # Assigned) Commercial Vernacular 1999 CSX Railroad Office
(Considered as a non-contributing structure because built after 1955.)
History:
Site of Perryman's Department Store building 1920s per f/land
Providing an essential service to early Crestview residents and located next to the train station, this was the site of a popular department store building in the city (1920s) but the site was cleared and the lot remained vacant from the 1930s until the current building was constructed in 1999.
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148 E. Woodruff (File #Ok2190) Masonry Vernacular 1950 Vacant
Considered as a non-contributing structure because of extensive renovations or deteriorating conditions.)
History:
Gulf Power Sales and Service Office 1950s-1980s per jm/jp/ec
Realizing the rapid growth underway in the Crestview area, the local power utility company built a sales and service office on this site in 1950 and occupied the building until the 1980s.
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168 W. Woodruff (No File # Assigned) Commercial Vernacular 2000 Holloway Insurance
(Considered as non-contributing structure because built after 1955.)
History:
Site of Garden/Feed/Farm Supply Center auxiliary buildings 1940s-1950s per jm/jp/ec/mj/as
During the 1940s and 1950s, this site was part of a high demand essential services business, a garden/feed/farm supply center. The auxiliary buildings were on this site and the primary business structure was on an adjoining lot immediately to the east of this property.
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