City of DeFuniak Springs, Florida

On behalf of the City of DeFuniak Springs, Mayor C. Harold Carpenter and the members of the City Council welcome you to the Official Home Page of the City of DeFuniak Springs. We've designed this site as a place for residents, businesses and visitors to find detailed information on the many services we provide. We also hope you will explore the information on our history and discover our many attractions that offer you a beautiful place to live or visit! Again, welcome and we look forward to serving you!

The City of DeFuniak Springs received the 2008 American Public Works Association Florida Chapter Award for Project of the Year - Historic Preservation/Restoration for the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood.

Lieutenant Bill Chapman, Councilman Henry D. Ennis and Mayor C. Harold Carpenter

Life Enrichment Senior Center Cookout - April 15th, 2008

J.B. Hillard writes:

"The LESC cookout was successful beyond expectations. I understand 178 guests registered and a good number were there that did not make it to the registration desk. After we had all finished and were cleaning up the place there were several visitors who did not make it to the lunch. They trickled in all afternoon until closing.

I am extremely pleased at the turnout of Cyber Club members and I ’m especially thankful for those that assisted with setting up the tables and chairs, helped with the cooking and serving of the lunch and diligently handled the registration desk. Club members did themselves proud today as they enjoyed themselves while supporting the occasion. A very big THANK YOU to Tom Baker who brought his cooker and to his assistant, Sonny Hollingsworth. The did good, very good!!!

We were entertained by a group of singers from the Senior Center in Geneva, AL and Michael Marzullo, one of our own. This added so much to the festival mood of the large crowd. Incidentally, the Geneva Center has invited the LESC members to a game of bingo and visiting with them very soon.

Mayor Carpenter issued a proclamation recognizing National Volunteer Month and identified a number of people who have been working to make the new senior center a reality. The Center is the culmination of a vision by County Commission Kenneth Pridgen who proposed the idea and garnered the necessary support to make it happen. It has taken a lot of determination and hard work by a lot of people. This dedication brought home what can happen when people work together for the betterment of the community.

Today was not the grand opening but it certainly could have been. Once the building renovation is completed later this year I’m sure there will be a formal grand opening event.

Center Manager Leigh Morrison went beyond the call preparing the Center for touring visitors. Every time I visit she has done something new to make the Center a place people will want to visit. Furnishings, wall decorations, and activity rooms are tastefully done and inviting to those who wish to enjoy. Leigh drafted her family to lend a hand and boy did they work hard. Youth is a wonderful thing. They get a job done while I’m still thinking about it.

Take a look at a slide show of the day I caught Mayor Carpenter playing a pin ball game in the Computer Resource Center."

http://picasaweb.google.com/hil425bay/20080415LESCCookout

J. B. Hillard

President

Chautauqua Cyber Club, Inc.

www.waltonccc.org

Mayor C. Harold Carpenter swearing in Councilmen Don Harrison, James Huffman, and James Coffield at the April 14th Council Meeting

Congratulations to these recognized employees for their dedicated years of service to the City of DeFuniak Springs! The Mayor had a brief ceremony on Thursday, April 10th to present some of our employees who have reached the 5, 10, 15 and 20 year milestones within the city.

Thank you to our employees who continue to work hard to make our city a better place to live and visit!

Overview

The City of DeFuniak Springs is governed by a Mayor and five Council Members. The Mayor is elected for a two-year term, and five Council Members are staggered, two-year terms. The Council is elected by the citizens to establish policy for the health, safety, and general welfare of the community. It establishes policies by ordinance or resolution with the affirmative vote of a majority of the members. The Council makes final judgment on all policy decisions. The rules and regulations set forth by the City Council are administered through the direction of the City Manager.

Brief History

In the 1700's and 1800's the Muscogee / Creek / Euchee Indians lived in and around the DeFuniak Springs area. Lake DeFuniak area was known as Big Pond. Some of these Native American families are still in the area today. Members of the Muscogee Nation of Florida live in and around DeFuniak Springs.

In the 1880's, a surveying party comprised of Colonel W.D. Chipley, Major W.J. VanKirk and W.T. Wright came to a tired halt near a round lake in the heart of a virgin forest. They explored and rested at the site of what is now Lake DeFuniak. Colonel W.D. Chipley, so overwhelmed by the beauty set forth before him, exclaimed, "here a town shall be built!" This was when they first envisioned DeFuniak Springs known as Lake DeFuniak, in honor of Fred R. DeFuniak, who had held many high offices in the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, including that of General Manager. Later, the park around the lake was named Chipley Park, in honor of William Dudley Chipley. Today, Lake DeFuniak is said to be one of two perfectly round lakes in the world.

Under an order from Colonel W.D. Chipley, the area known as Lake DeFuniak was preserved and a station was built there. With the establishment of the station at Lake DeFuniak, people moved up from Euchee Anna and Alaqua and built homes near the lake.

At the same time that the Chautauqua organization received its charter in 1855, the Legislature created the Lake DeFuniak Land Company with Chipley in charge and the real estate boom was on. Today a permanent carousel of homes can be found around the lake which would envision a walk into Victorian times when labor and materials were plentiful and elaborate architectural details were incorporated.

The Walton-DeFuniak Library was established in 1886. It is the second oldest in Florida, with only the library in St. Augustine considered as being older. However, some facts have come to light recently which prove that our library is the oldest in the state that was built as a library and still continues to be used as such.

On March 4, 1881, the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad was incorporated by an act of the Florida Legislature. The purpose of the act was to construct a 70-mile road from the northwest corner of Florida, near Flomaton, Alabama, where it would join the trackage of what started as the Pensacola and Selma Railroad. This was later in the control and ownership of the Louisville & Nashville, to a connection with the existing Seaboard. Colonel Chipley, in an address delivered in 1896, noted that he had been a member of the 1881 surveying party and that they had camped on the shore of a large pond in Walton County. Being enamored of the spot, Chipley ordered that the area be preserved and that a station be built there.

The City of DeFuniak Springs is the current owner of The Depot Station located on 1140 Circle Drive. The Walton County Heritage Association has transformed it into a Museum with Historical items from Walton County to include DeFuniak Springs. Also The Walton County Heritage Association handles the Caboose and Information Center on Circle Drive. For their hours of operation or other information please contact them at 850-951-2127.

The Historic Chautauqua Building is also owned by the City of DeFuniak Springs and is located at 96 Circle Drive. The Chautauqua Building (A.K.A. Hall of Brotherhood) was established in 1909 and served as an enclosed amphitheater. The building was fully equipped with foot lights and dissolving color effects for the presentation of many plays and grand concerts. This large portion of the auditorium was severely damaged during a hurricane in 1975 and was subsequently removed. Remaining portions of the building have been restored and continue to serve as a focal point of the community, being used for a wide variety of activities.

Welcome to the City of DeFuniak Springs

Official Website

Overview

Brief History