9,487
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Parts of the island are in the [[Gulf Islands National Seashore]].
In On [[1929October 9]], Santa Rosa Island was sold by the U.S. War Department to [[Escambia County, Florida1861]], for $10,000. Ten years later, the county returned the island to the federal government in the expectation that it would be developed into a [[U.S. National Monument]] preserving was the remnants site of [[Fort Pickens]], the only fort in the [[Southern United States|SouthBattle of Santa Rosa Island]] to be held by the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] throughout the duration of the American Civil War.
various
[[Image:Santarosaislanddunes.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Santa Rosa Island, looking east.]]
'''Santa Rosa Island''' is a 40-mile [[barrier island]] located in on which the communities of [[United States|U.S.Pensacola Beach]] , [[U.S. state|stateNavarre Beach]] of , and [[FloridaOkaloosa Island]], thirty miles (50 km) are located. It shields the mainland from the [[AlabamaGulf of Mexico]] state border. The communities of On its northern lee side are [[Pensacola Beach, Florida|Pensacola BeachBay]], to the west and [[Navarre Beach, Florida|Navarre BeachChoctawhatchee Bay]]to the east, and Okaloosa Island are located on the island. The island was the landfall point of 2005's connected by [[Hurricane DennisSanta Rosa Sound]] and 1995's Hurricanes [[Hurricane Erin (1995)|Erin]] & . Parts of the island are in the [[Hurricane Opal|OpalGulf Islands National Seashore]], among others.
[[Image:Santarosaislandshore.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The Gulf of Mexico The shining light in the back is from the sun's light being reflected on the white sand.]]
== History ==
Santa Rosa Island was inhabited by Native Americans as early as 2,000 years ago (contemporary with the [[Deptford]] culture at [[Hawkshaw]]). The island was the site of the settled by Spain on [[November 25]], [[Battle of Santa Rosa Island1722]] . This colony was destroyed in the [[American Civil War1754]] by a [[1754 hurricane|hurricane]].
In [[1929]], Santa Rosa Island was sold by the U.S. War Department to [[Escambia County, Florida]], for $10,000. Ten years later, the county returned the island to the federal government in the expectation that it would be developed into a U.S. National Monument preserving the remnants of [[Fort Pickens]], the only fort in the South to be held by the Union throughout the duration of the [[Civil War]].
The [[Santa Rosa Island Authority]] was created by the Florida legislature in [[1947]] to administer [[Pensacola Beach]].
The island's sugar white quartz sands have made it a popular destination for beachgoers since the latter half of the twentieth century. In recent years all the island's communities have seen rapid development.
{{Geo-stub}}
[[Category:American Civil War sites]][[Category:Barrier islands of FloridaSanta Rosa Island| ]]
