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?
As a result of those fundraisers, WEAR ABC 3 television reported that Saturday’s “Fun Fest 2025” celebrated 100 years of the city of Navarre.
First off, Navarre isn’t officially a city. Growing up here in the 1980s, our address was listed as Gulf Breeze. But Navarre being referred to as a City might be ok with Kemp, considering she was a strong supporter of the failed 2014 effort to incorporate, a move that put her at odds with oldtimers.
The incorporation fight even consumed a good part of Pensacola New Journal’s coverage of Saturday’s fundraiser, quoting Wes Siler, who was involved in the failed 2024 effort to incorporate. Wes learned the hard way how thousands of descendants of Holley-Navarre’s first settlers are deeply embedded into the fabric of this community.
These failed incorporation efforts attempted to divide us all, in my opinion. But, thankfully, Holley-Navarre remains one community.
When tragedy strikes, we rally like no other place! Our beauty shines best when we’re helping neighbors in need.
When our way of life is threatened, we show up in force. Like when locals fought against county staffers who wanted to put an end to shark fishing on parts of Navarre Beach.
Our unity is reflected in the names of our schools, our services, our organizations: Holley-Navarre Primary, Holley-Navarre Intermediate, Holley-Navarre Middle, Holley-Navarre Fire District, Holley-Navarre Water System, and Holley-Navarre Seniors Association. These names aren’t just words—they’re a reflection of our shared identity.
Many who have moved to our area have been warmly interwoven into the fabric of our community. They have become or are becoming part of our story. They bring new energy, new ideas, and they help this place thrive.
While some may not understand our traditions, like hunting and sportfishing, they stay respectful toward, even fascinated by, it. Newcomers and visitors gather around local fishing legends like Bill Olsen, multiple world record holder Earnie Polk, and Roddy Pate, watching in awe as they reel in giants from the Gulf or share massive catfish caught on local rivers. Remember how Jaws II was filmed on Navarre Beach? It’s a big part of our identity. Earnie has been generous with his time, showing others how land-based fishing works. Bill has helped others learn about fishing. Roddy even wears a custom shirt with the answers to the most common questions he gets while fishing the pier. That’s what we do here. We share. We teach. We welcome.
Toward that end, it’s time to start teaching our true history & culture.
Recently, a local nonprofit was formed with that mission in mind. Panhandle Pioneers is aimed to promote, preserve and protect our heritage & culture.
Thankfully, Santa Rosa Commissioners are supporting the group, allowing a permanent historical display inside the publicly owned and under-utilized Visitors Center at the foot of Navarre Beach Bridge.
The first exhibit going up will be the Troy Grimes Collection. Troy’s ancestors had a homestead on Dean Creek, and he sketched landmarks which no longer exist, such as Holley Point Church. If Troy had not sketched the images from his memory, they would be lost to history.
After the Grimes exhibit is up, I hope you all will make time to stop by and learn more about our history.
In the end, we’re still working to stitch together a beautiful coastal quilt. A mosaic of old stories and new dreams. Of founding families and fresh faces. But that quilt can unravel if we support individuals or organizations who seek to divide us for their own gain, be it money or power.
So I urge you—let’s stick together. Respect the locals, whether their roots go back generations or just a few years. Honor, don’t ignore, the heritage that makes Holley-Navarre so special.
*Local fisherman Roddy Pate circa 1980 pictured with a roughly 14-foot hammerhead shark he landed at Navarre Beach Fishing Pier (photo courtesy Linda Enzor). Shark fishing and dog hunting are traditions in our area which have endured for generations.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If your family settled in what is now Santa Rosa County before the 20th century, please contact us. We’d like to ensure your family lineage is preserved and promoted. You’re also eligible to join Panhandle Pioneers by emailing PanhandlePioneersNPC@gmail.com.
