The story of the Holley-Navarre community doesn’t begin in the 20th century. No, it stretches back into the 1800s, long before the bridge, the pier, or the booming tourism. So we’re working with Panhandle Pioneers to make sure the true and complete story of our rich heritage & culture are told, honored, and preserved – not edited and ignored.
The Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce’s Centennial Committee has been hosting fundraisers to “celebrate” what they claim to be Navarre’s 100th Anniversary. How much money did they make off the vendors, sponsors and others who unknowingly supported their heavily edited version of Holley-Navarre’s history, ignoring those who first settled this incredible coastal community?
When you take a look at those listed on the Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce’s Foundation website, Mike & Nancy Sandler, Sandi Kemp, Andy Epstein and Frankie Gibbs, you’ll notice that none of them came here before the 1990s, making them relative newcomers – compared to long-time locals, whose roots date back eight or more generations. How could they possibly know our history and culture if they didn’t start experiencing it until the last decade of the 20th century?…