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Families and young people relax at Panama City Beach in the 1950s. Photos: State Archives of Florida
May 2, 1936 - Panama City Beach incorporated in Bay County
Frolicking in the surf at Panama City Beach, 1947
Panama City Beach was incorporated in Bay County on this date in 1936. The beachfront became a viable tourism destination after the St. Andrews Bay Bridge was built in 1929, connecting the barrier island to the mainland. Gideon Thomas built the Panama City Hotel in 1935 and aggressively marketed tourism at a time most locals were only interested in farming. Later, the town merged with three smaller cities -- West Panama City Beach, Long Beach and Edgewater -- but kept the name Panama City Beach. Originally a low-rise community of cottages, mom-and-pop motels and laid-back bars like "The Hang Out," the beachfront resort area has evolved as real estate values rose and word spread about its 27-mile white sandy beach and spectacular Gulf of Mexico sunsets. Beginning in the early 1990s, it became known as Florida's top Spring Break location as it welcomed student revelry shunned by once-dominant destinations Fort Lauderdale and Daytona Beach. Read more at visitpanamacitybeach.com: History • See more historic photos of Panama City Beach in this book preview