Destin History & Fishing Museum Here s What s Been

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1 Destin History & Fishing Museum Here s What s Been Happening At YOUR Museum! BOARD MEET- I N G S F o r 2014 :January 8, February 12, March 12, April 9, May 14, June 11, July 9, August 13 September 10, October 8, November 12, and December 10 Museum Visitors 2006: 2, : 3, : 4, : 5, : 6, : 7, : 8, : 8,036 January to June ,217 visitors Volume 8 Issue 4 The Destin History and Fishing Museum is growing to become a local landmark. Herbert Muschamp, was an architecture critic for major magazines and newspapers, but he had an additional insight into historic preservation. He said, A building does not have to be an important work of architecture to become a first-rate landmark. Landmarks are not created by architects. They are fashioned by those who encounter them after they are built. The essential feature of a landmark is not its design, but the place it holds in a City s memory. Historic places give us roots, enhance community pride, teach and inspire us, make our communities more attractive, encourage travel and tourism, are assets for revitalization and economics and good for the environment. The museum s summer attendance is growing and we see an increase in multi-generational family groups visiting the museum. The grandparents seek the Destin of their youth while vacationing with their parents and enjoy sharing those memoires with their children and grandchildren. Come make your own family memories. Kathy From the Staff April to June 2014 Newsletter Calendar of Events May 3 Founder s Day Museum Free Admission October 1 Museum 9th Anniversary October 3,4 & 5 Destin Seafood Festival Museum Fundraising Concessions Harry T s Dave s Dogs Booth & AJ s Parking Concession VOLUNTEERS NEEDED-SIGN UP EARLY TO HELP December 14 28th Annual Holiday on the Harbor Boat Parade January 31, 2015 Gumbo Contest & Silent Auction Destin Community Center 11 AM to 2 PM We are looking for items for our Silent Auction. Please contact us if you have an item or gift certificate to donate. Snapper fishing was featured on our June Fisherman s Logbook Exhibit. New Fundraising Opportunity Businesses along the Harbor District are becoming members of the Preserve Destin s History, a support group of the Museum. The goal is to raise needed funds for the growth & expansion of this community s museum and historical archives. Destin is much more than a beach resort. We enjoy a long, rich heritage of quality fishing, boat building and one of the world s richest varieties of fish. Alan Laird, the brainchild of this point of sale fundraiser, is working with the Museum and local businesses. When paying for your meal or purchase, you are given the opportunity to make a donation of a $1 or more. All donations go directly to the Museum. Funds will be used for expanding its program to include: restoration of the Primrose, historical lecture series, educational classes, demonstrations, facilities for meetings, parties and group functions and addition of area artifacts & exhibits and facilities expansion. AJ s Seafood Restaurant & Harry T s are the first on board and others will be added during the summer. As you visit businesses in the Harbor District, watch for posters with this new logo and information about the fundraiser! There is no cost to the business. If you have a business and would like to participate contact the Museum for more information.

2 Page 2 Destin History & Fishing Museum New Landscaping & Signage Brings an Inviting Curb Appeal to the Museum! Laura Hall helped coordinate a plan for the new landscaping.

3 Page 3 Preserving the Heritage of the World s Luckiest Fishing Village! Snapshots from the Past James G. Stahlman James G. Stahlman was publisher of the Nashville Banner from 1930 until 1972, when he sold the newspaper to the Gannett Corporation. He began working for the Banner on June 1, 1912, following his graduation from high school. He continued to work for the Banner as a campus correspondent for the next four years, until his graduation from Vanderbilt University in He did graduate work at the University of Chicago for a year and then served in World War I as an infantry private. Stahlman returned to Nashville in 1918 to become city editor of the Banner. In 1925, his grandfather named him vice-president and executive director. On August 12, 1930, Major Stahlman died, and thirty-seven year old James Stahlman became president and publisher of the Banner. In 1932, he was elected president of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association (SNPA). He worked with SNPA and the American Newspaper Publishers Association in the joint fight to defeat President Franklin D. Roosevelt s efforts to force newspapers to accept federal license under the National Recovery Act. This battle culminated in victory for the newspapers and brought Stahlman into national prominence in the newspaper field. He was director, vice-president, and at forty-four, president of the ANPA, one of its youngest ever. James married Mildred Porter Thornton in 1917 and they had two daughters, Mildred and Ann. They were later divorced. In 1939, he married Effye Chumley, who was killed in a 1952 automobile accident. They had no children. In 1953, he married Gladys Breckenridge, to whom he was married at the time of his death in On January 14, 1972, he announced the sale of the Banner to the Gannett Corporation. Six months later, on June 1, 1972, he retired. That ended Stahlman s sixty years of service to the Nashville Banner, forty-two of them as publisher. He died on May 1, 1976, following a stroke, which he suffered while attending a Vanderbilt board meeting. He first arrived at Destin in the 1930s. Mr. Tyler Calhoun paid a visit to Mr. Stahlman in Tennessee and convinced him to visit and buy a piece of Paradise. Mr. Stahlman s remark to Mr. Calhoun was he couldn t afford to buy any land anywhere but he accepted the invitation and fell in love with the area. He found Destin to be affordable, purchased land, and built a home. He later built another home in the Joe s Bayou area. Mr. Stahlman and his two girls returned every year and he retired to Destin in the 1970s. Mr. Calhoun named Stahlman Avenue in Destin after his friend James Stahlman. Excerpts from: The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture and From the Shoulder, by James G. Stahlman Stahlman sent postcards and letters to his friends in Destin from his Wings to the Orient trip. He loved Destin and brought many of his friends from Nashville and the publishing world to see this paradise.

4 Page 4 Documenting and sharing the complete history of Destin! A Portal in Time New to the Museum collections are photographs from the Captain Howard and Bruce Marler Estate. These photos were taken by family with their personal cameras. Interesting to note is the background showing a Destin Harbor of yesteryear!

5 Volume 8, Issue 4 Helpful Donation Page 5 While visiting Destin in June with his wife and family, Fred McLane fell at their resort and injured his leg. They purchased a wheelchair to enable him to get around Destin and see the sites. Part of their visit was touring the museum. While he was here he explained what had happened and how they came to get the wheelchair. It was mentioned that a wheelchair would be a nice asset to have in case someone visiting the museum was not able to stand for the time period it would take to really enjoy the museum exhibits. Later in the week, on their way to go home to Ohio, the McLane family came by the museum and donated the wheelchair so others in need might be able to use it to make their visit more enjoyable. Many thanks to these generous and thoughtful visitors to Destin Destin Aerial Photograph. Howard s Studio Donated By Max Hosfelt

6 Preserving the Heritage of the World s Luckiest Fishing Village Destin History & Fishing Museum Museum Board of Directors Executive Board President: Dave Steele Vice President: Dan Martin PLEASE MAIL YOUR DONATION TO: DESTIN HISTORY & FISHING MUSEUM 108 STAHLMAN AVE. DESTIN, FL Phone: Staff s Jean Melvin: destinhistory@gmail.com Kathy Marler Blue kathydestinhistory@gmail.com Website: destinhistoryandfishingmuseum.org Secretary: Kathy Marler Blue Treasurer: John Lefler General Board: Richard Derek, Dan Empson, Jim Green, Norm Hall, Tina Harbuck, Mike Long, Don Rogers, Lloyd Taylor, Russell Wamble Executive Director Jean Melvin Associate Director Kathy Marler Blue Museum Docent: Dave Fraser Museum Volunteers: Carole Marler, Nancy Johnson Newsletter Writer and Editor DHFM P.O. Box 548 Destin, FL Kathy Marler Blue SUMMER HOURS OPEN SUNDAYS 1 TO 5 PM Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM Sunday 1 PM to 5 PM Admission: Adults: $5 Seniors & Military: $4 Students: $3 Kids 6 & Under and Members : Free Join or Renew Your Membership Today Destin History and Fishing Museum is a non profit organization whose members are dedicated to preserving, documenting, and sharing the complete history of Destin. There are limitless ways you, your friends, and associates can be part of realizing these efforts. Now more than ever we can use your support. Your donation or membership is tax deductible. Please fill out the form below and mail it to the museum. Yes, I Give My Support! Name Address Phone Membership/Amount $20 $ 50 $ 100 $250 $ Other Check # If you would like to pay by credit card please call the Museum and have your credit card ready. Mail to: Destin History and Fishing Museum P.O. Box 548 Destin, Florida Thank you. Without your faithful and generous donations and efforts, the museum would not exist today.