Crestview, FL news and local guide

The settlement grew slowly at first. An 1885 gazetteer called it "a small settlement," and by 1889 it had about 100 residents, four general stores, a school and a post office. When the Yellow River Railroad was built north to Florala, Alabama, the town briefly became Crestview Junction before dropping the second word. Turpentine stills and lumber mills followed, and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which absorbed the main line in 1885, later bought the Florala branch as well. Crestview's big moment came with the creation of Okaloosa County in 1915. Sources give different dates for its incorporation: a local newspaper history describes an April 11, 1915, vote held under an oak tree near the Congregational Church, while Wikipedia gives 1916. In an April 3, 1917, runoff against Baker, voters chose Crestview as the county seat, a role it still holds. World War II brought rapid change as nearby Eglin Field expanded, and Crestview became the transportation hub of the county. Sources Crestview News Bulletin: Centennial: Crestview started small but outgrew its neighbors Wikipedia: Crestview, Florida Florida Department of State: Main Street Crestview Association press release