Town of Shalimar

Community Profile

Geographic location

Shalimar is bounded on the south by Choctawhatchee Bay as it flows into Garnier's Bayou; on the east by Old Ferry Road and, with a few exceptions, by Eglin Parkway north of its intersection with Old Ferry Road; on the north by Richbourg Avenue; and on the west by Garnier's Bayou.

History

There was little development in Shalimar until very recent years. In the early 1930's there were grand plans for the area. The Port Dixie Harbor and Terminal Company envisioned a port, steamship lines, a railroad, a shipbuilding plant, a tire plant, a town site, and much more on the shores of Garnier’s Bayou. It went so far as to plat a one-mile-square town with streets 100-feet wide. Although the project attracted much attention and some investment, the plans fell through. They depended upon both the dredging of East Pass to accommodate deep-water vessels and a railroad, and neither materialized. In the early 40's, the area was still mostly nothing but woods, with a small stand of scuppernong grapes, a winery across the road from the vineyard, and very few inhabitants. With Eglin Field not very far north and nothing in between, Clifford Meigs, who had owned most of the land that is now Shalimar since 1937, saw an opportunity. He constructed 160 small homes to rent to base personnel, and it is said they consistently stayed rented. Somewhat later, the air base arranged for other homes to be built for officers and enlisted personnel who couldn't be housed on base.

By the mid-40's Okaloosa County became known in Florida as a center for liquor smuggling and gambling. There was a popular club in Fort Walton Beach and it was joined in 1947 by the Shalimar Club, close to Richbourg Avenue in the north. The new club depended heavily on gambling revenue, and Roger Clary, the club's owner, was concerned that the Sheriff might start to enforce the state law that prohibited gambling on weekends in unincorporated areas. Clary suggested to Meigs that Shalimar incorporate, and Meigs agreed. As he put it in a newspaper interview, "With only about three other freeholders in the area, it was a simple matter to get incorporated." And so the town was born. Clifford Meigs served as Mayor from the town's incorporation in 1947 until his death in 1960. His brother Clyde took over for a short while followed by Clifford's widow Sara. Sara later married Jim Tras, who became the town's first elected Mayor in 1965. The Meigs family is still a prime player in the town. The post office, courthouse annex, and middle school are all on land donated by the family for government use. Each of these properties reverts to the family trust if no longer used for its original purpose

Population

Shalimar had 718 residents, with an average age of 41, in the year 2000, according to preliminary census data. It has grown very little, if at all, since the census was taken. It is estimated that almost 92% of the population is white, with 4.7% black and 2.4% Asian and Pacific Islanders. The census data show 311 housing units. Of these, 235 were owner-occupied, 53 renter-occupied, and 23 vacant. A town commissioner says there probably are no second-home owners. Most of the residents are said to be "middle class" and many are retired. There are said to be only two or three vacant home lots left in the town so the population is likely to remain close to the present level.

Occupations, businesses and major employers

State Road 85, North Eglin Parkway, is the location of almost all the town's commercial and governmental establishments, estimated at 50 in number. The principal exception is the Shalimar Yacht Basin, which is on the bay at the town's southern end. The major employer is government, principally at the Shalimar Post Office (which gives the name Shalimar to an extensive unincorporated area to the north and east of the town), the Shalimar Courthouse Annex (which houses some of the county's offices as well as the courts), the Clifford Meigs Middle School, and a fire station. The Sheriff's office also occupies rental space in the recently built Executive Office Park. The daytime population has been estimated at 1,100, not counting the transients who use the post office, do business with the county offices and the courts, attend school, and eat at Giuseppi's Wharf Restaurant. Among other non-governmental businesses in the town are a large furniture store, three gas stations, a car wash, law offices, a gift shop, two  "pubs," a travel agency, two used-car dealers, a couple of fast food establishments, a real estate company, a computer services business, and the branch offices of two banking companies. With residential and commercial construction that has taken place in the last ten years there is almost no undeveloped land available for commercial or governmental expansion.

Tourism

There are no hotels or motels in the town so the impact of tourism is mainly on the town's gas stations.

Educational institutions

The Clifford Meigs Middle School is the town's only educational institution.

Relationship to military bases

Because of the proximity of the town to Eglin AFB, many residents have ties to the military. Some are military retirees; others are military or civilian employees of the base or employees of military contractors.

Recreation

There are no state or county parks in the town, but there are two town parks, Cherokee and Meigs, and two small-undeveloped parcels that have potential as parks. The town is well suited to biking and walking. Except for Eglin Parkway, there is little traffic and it is said that there are sidewalks on at least one side of every street. Bicycle parking is provided at the town parks. There are no sports arenas other than the middle school stadium. The town does not host any sporting events or festivals. There is no town library but a small, independent Shalimar Library sits just outside the town's boundaries.

Existing transportation facilities

Eglin Parkway is the only major road in the town. There is no public transportation other than school busses. The Wave (a commercial local bus service) does not serve the courthouse annex.

Redevelopment areas and efforts

There are said to be no blighted areas in the town and no redevelopment projects are planned.

Community groups

Other than homeowner associations, no organized community groups or neighborhood associations have made themselves known to the town commission.

Community leaders

A mayor and four commissioners, all unpaid, who meet once a month throughout the year, govern the town. A Planning and Zoning Board meets once a month as well. The mayor is elected for a two-year term. Commissioners are elected for four-year terms, with two commissioners elected every other odd-numbered year. Candidates run at large in nonpartisan elections. Town Hall (2 Cherokee Avenue, Shalimar 32579, 651-5723) is in what was a private residence when acquired in 1979. The building has since been renovated and enlarged.

Community vision

The town has a comprehensive plan but does not have a visioning plan, per se.

Community values

The small-town spirit of Shalimar is exemplified by the permanent structure on Eglin Parkway near the Town Hall that announces town activities and residents' birthdays. The town also makes its Town Hall meeting room available without charge for community events.