Born in Italy, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Grimaldi had a great vision for the now-thriving community of South Walton County. He was able to realize his dream in 1927 when he acquired homestead land, building his dream home out of hand-hewn timbers and homemade bricks despite the citrus failure of the farmers around him. In 1936, the federal government’s completion of US Highway 98 opened up auto-access to the area, paving the way for Lt. Col. Grimaldi’s success.
Col. Michael Grimaldi was a latecomer to the area now known as Miramar Beach, Florida, but he gave it its name. His homestead land was acquired in 1927, just about the same time many citrus farmers were leaving due to their citrus trees developing citrus canker. Despite this, Grimaldi saw potential in the beautiful sugar-white sand beaches and decided to stay. He had big plans for the area and his vision has resulted in it becoming one of the most sought-after destinations today.
In 1936, the Federal Government built US Highway 98, the Gulf Coast Highway, from Apalachicola to Pensacola – providing access to the area for the first time by automobile. This was an important step in Col. Grimaldi’s vision and it has paid off handsomely.
Lt. Col. Michael Grimaldi, born in Bari, Italy, saw the potential in Walton County and chose to immigrate with his parents as a child. After serving in the Army’s Engineering Corps during WWI, he returned and cleared the land, building a home of hand-hewn timbers and homemade bricks. His expertise in road building, land development, and general construction from his service prepared him well for his future success. Having achieved his dream, South Walton County is now a thriving community, and his legacy lives on.
Michael and Marion Grimaldi were a determined couple, who despite the difficulty of relocating to the far-away panhandle area of Florida, never gave up on their dream. They acquired the property in 1925 from failed farmers, platted their Miramar Beach Subdivision, in Walton County on April 24, 1937, from farmland they had acquired, and signed the document on May 10, 1937, from Westchester, New York where they were living at the time. Despite Michael being called back into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, their determination ultimately paid off.
On March 31, 1951, Lt. Colonel Michael Grimaldi retired and the family moved to Walton County permanently. The couple’s vision of a seaside community of retirees enjoying the sugar-white beaches of South Walton County has become a reality.
Barbara Grimaldi, Michael’s daughter, still lives at Miramar Beach and is proud to have been able to carry out her father’s legacy by selling the 156 66/100 acres he homesteaded in 1927 – free land given to him and other early settlers of this remote area.
Lt. Col. Michael Grimaldi’s vision of a thriving beachfront community in South Walton County has been fulfilled. Despite difficulties due to citrus canker disease, Col. Grimaldi persevered and developed a successful homestead in the area which is now known as Miramar Beach. With the development of the US Gulf Coast Highway, countless opportunities opened up for Lt. Col. Gillard and the people of South Walton County, establishing the region as one of the jewels of Florida today.
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