Pledger, the matriarch of the Pledger family, lived to be 105 years old. On AugLong Beach, Edgewater, old Panama City Beach and West Panama City Beach became Panama City Beach. That same year, Thomas Drive was named for her father, Gideon “Gibb” Thomas, who had developed the original Panama City Beach and whose land was used to create part of Thomas Drive. In the first election, Claudia Pledger was elected mayor. 2 In 1953, Panama City Beach was incorporated. On May 12, 1953, Playville and Julia were added. On the towns and communities were Long Beach, Edgewater, Gulf Beach, Panama City Beach and Dutchville. In 1939, a post office was approved for Panama City Beach and A.W. Later they built the famous entrance arch that welcomed everyone to Panama City Beach. Unfortunately Gideon died in 1937 his daughter, Claudia, and her husband, Angus W. Included at Panama City Beach were some cottages, a water supply, three windmills, and a 1,000-foot pier. He had moved there in February from his 2,000-acre deer farm on Camp Flowers Road. Just east of Long Beach, Gideon Marion Thomas purchased 104 acres in March 1935 and began construction of a 12-room, 2-story hotel, which he named the Panama City Beach Hotel. Harry Edwards built Larkway Villas and the Lahans developed Laguna Beach. Later he built the famous Hangout by the beach. He constructed some rental cottages and dug a well for a water supply. Churchwell purchased Long Beach, which included 220 acres, from them in 1932 for $10,000. The building had a huge wooden floor above some bathhouses, which were rented. They moved it, from what is now Shell Island, over the sand by mule and wagon. Sharpless purchased land there about 1928 and became a partner with Brown when they purchased a building known as the Pavilion. The Long Beach area had been homesteaded by Hubert Brown in the 1920s. Panama City Beach’s origins and a selection of historical milestones, with focus on the most enjoyed, are highlighted on the following pages. The addition “Beach” might only be an indicator for the location of the sandy shoreline and this is where Panama City Beach found its origins, in the enjoyment of the clear waters and white sandy dunes. – – A first time visitor to our area will not know to distinguish between Panama City and Panama City Beach. Historical Photos Courtesy of the Bay County Library Local History Room
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