Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum Fort Walton Beach FL

Well, school was in session.

Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum Fort Walton Beach FL is located just around the corner from the Indian Temple Mound Museum on the main drag of Highway 98, also known as Miracle Strip Parkway.

Originally opened in 1912, Camp Walton Schoolhouse was the first school ever built in Camp Walton, a military community that predates the city of Fort Walton Beach. The structure was originally only one room, and the additional room was added later to accommodate higher grade levels.

After years of being forgotten, almost destroyed and moved around town, the Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum was officially absorbed by the City of Fort Walton Beach and moved into Heritage Park.

Today, the museum is open for visitors and serves as an early 20th century time capsule.

Once you step into the schoolhouse, you will notice that the city has gone to great lengths to keep everything as authentic as possible. From the wooden desks that are nailed together, quill pens, inkwells, wood stove and blackboards, you will truly feel like a Camp Walton youth.

Take a seat in one of the desks, and assume the position of a student of days gone by. As you will notice, the teacher’s desk at the head of the room sits on a slightly elevated stage. Apparently, school was pretty intense back in the day. This exhibit is also great for kids and allows them an opportunity to interact with the artifacts and history.

But the schoolhouse wasn’t just for school. Angela Snowball, a Heritage Park volunteer, shed some light on the multipurpose building.

“The parents built the school for their children’s education, but it also hosted church services, town meetings and Friday night socials,” she says. “The desks were nailed onto long wooden boards, which the men would carry out for the dances.”

The schoolhouse is also within walking distance of a Civil War Exhibit and the Garnier Post Office Museum.

This is a can’t-miss for history buffs! Immerse yourself in the rich culture and history of coastal Fort Walton Beach.

Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum is located at 127 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE in Fort Walton Beach FL. For more information, visit the website or call (850) 833-9596.

– Logan Singleton
Junior Copywriter, Innisfree Hotels