Bay County, named after its pristine location along the St. Andrews Bay, was named in 1913 in Panama City, which was named the temporary county seat, only to become the permanent seat in 1914. The original courthouse was completed and dedicated by 1915 and five short years later it was destroyed by a fire. All that remained were the outer walls, which supported the re-construction of the county courthouse that you see standing today. Much of the history in the Bay County area revolves around Andrew Jackson and the war of 1812 which began to shape the state of Florida. In 1821 when Andrew became the first Governor of Florida he divided the state into two counties, the western half of Florida, Jackson County with the county seat as Marianna and Escambia county to the east with Pensacola as the county seat. Through many years and much history, Bay County was melded from portions of Calhoun, Washington and Walton Counties.

Today Bay County is the home to cities such as Bayou George, Bear Creek, Callaway, Cedar Grove, Fountain, Hiland Park, Laguna Beach, Lynn Haven, Mexico Beach, Millville, Panama City, Panama City Beach, Parker, Rosemary Beach, Sand Hills, Sandy Creek, Southport, Springfield, West Bay, West Panama City Beach and Youngstown. Located along the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, Bay County provides ample opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming, parasailing, jet skiing and many other water recreations. If land activities are more you style, try sinking some holes at one of our many pristine golf courses! Bay Dunes Golf Course located in Panama City is a fairly open course with very few trees to try and avoid. The Emerald Coast Spring Classic was hosted by this course in 1995! For a more challenging course, check out the Nature Walk Golf Club in Lynn Haven, with the many water hazards, trees and sand bunkers this course is challenging for even the most experienced golfer!

Real estate options in Bay County include luxury water front homes in Panama City to single family homes in the smaller country settings of Bear Creek. Whether you are looking for a place to retire or raise a family, Bay County Florida provides a little something for everyone. Enjoy the good ol' Florida lifestyle with all the amenities of big city life; in Bay County we have it all!