Local History Presentation: Leonard Destin: Destin’s Founding Father

The Destin Library will host a presentation entitled Leonard Destin: Destin’s Founding Father, on Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 5:30 p.m. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Seats will be limited for this presentation and interested individuals are encouraged arrive early for this program.

Destin historian Hank Klein tells the story of Leonard Destin, the founding father of Destin, and how he sailed from New London, Connecticut, to Florida in 1835. Included in the presentation will be newly found information about Leonard Destin to include:

• Destin’s fishing camp at the East Pass when the British controlled west and east Florida

• Where Destin lived along the Gulf Coast prior to settling in what became known as “Destin” in 1851

• Hear about Leonard Destin’s adventurous life and why Destin is still tied to fishing and the sea.

Klein’s newest book, Destin Pioneer Settlers: A Land History of Destin, Florida from 1819-1940, will be available for sale following the presentation.

Also available at this time will be Tony Mennillo’s book Salty memories … along the Coastal Highway — Historical Stories of Destin and the Emerald Coast.

For further information, please call the Destin Library at 837-8572.