For your convenience, here's the list of all of the caches on this trail
1. GC4KQJ7 - City Hall
2. GC4KQWD - Mary Esther Library
3. GC4KQWD - That View
4. GC4KQWD - Valparaiso Library
5. GC4KQWD - Niceville Public Library
6. GC4KQWD - Crestview's Two Hills
7. GC4KQWD - Baker
8. GC4KQWD - County Seat
In 2013, Florida reached a significant milestone, the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de León's arrival on Florida's east coast. What makes this anniversary so unique is that Ponce de León's convoy of explorers was the first group of Europeans to document such a landing and give a name to Florida, La Florida. 2013 marks 500 years of history and diverse cultural heritage in Florida – a claim no other state in America can make.
Fort Walton Beach wasn't always know as Fort Walton Beach. Maps from the mid 1800s have a town named Anderson approximately at the site of Fort Walton Beach. Okaloosa county didn't exist until 1915 and was created by the division of then Santa Rosa and Walton Counties. During the Civil War the Florida First Regiment was based at Camp Walton, Site of present day Fort Walton Beach. Camp Walton saw action during the Civil War on April 1st 1862 when Captain Henry W. Closson of the 1st US Artillery shelled Camp Walton. After the war, Camp Walton became Fort Walton though there was never a real fort here. The city of Fort Walton was chartered in 1941.
This cache is at the Fort Walton Beach City Hall. This complex was completed in 1963 and houses many of the city departments. The original library was here as well.
Coordinates to a second location will bring you to the first city headquarters which was in a one room cottage. A new building was erected and opened in 1949. The building built in 1949 held the City Hall, the Fire Department, the Water Department and the Jail. Because the jail was here we presume the city police department was here as well. If you explore the rear area of the building there's a large cistern that was used by the water department as part of the water supply for the city.
This building is currently known as the Art Center and houses the Art and Design Society of Fort Walton Beach, the Playground Gem and Mineral Society and the Playground Amateur Radio Club.
You are looking for a small lock-and-lock box containing a logbook some trade items. Please place the cache as found to allow others to enjoy the hunt too.
The inside cover of the logbook has the coordinates to find the answer to a question about City Hall in Fort Walton Beach. The question is:
"On what date was this building designated a city historic site?"
The answer to the question is part of what's needed to claim a challenge coin at one of the participating libraries.