Fort Walton Beach in Okaloosa County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Beulah First Baptist Church
Photographed by Tim Fillmon, August 20, 2026
1. Beulah First Baptist Church Marker
Beulah First Baptist Church began in 1933 in what was then known as Camp Walton. At the time, there was no dedicated place of worship for Black residents, and members had no alternative but to gather in their homes. Their growing congregation soon required a place of its own. After the town was renamed Fort Walton in 1937, the Oakridge Development Company and the family of town founder John T. Brooks donated land and a small one-room building for worship. In 1938, The Colored Community Church was founded with Reverend W. Garrett as its first pastor. Services were held at night to fit members' work schedules. Due to racial segregation. the church hosted the community's first school for Black children in 1938. In 1946, it became Beulah First Baptist Church. Growing in property and membership, the church welcomed its ninth and longest-serving pastor, Reverend Scottie L. Thigpen, in 1981, who led for 43 years. On its 75th anniversary, the church broke ground on a new sanctuary, holding its first service on September 27, 2015. For generations. Beulah First Baptist Church has served the community as a pillar of
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A Florida Heritage Site
Erected 2024 by The Members of Beulah First Baptist Church, Earnestine Woods, Pastor Felix Cole, and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-1300.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1933.
Location. 30° 24.858′ N, 86° 36.521′ W. Marker is in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, in Okaloosa County. It is on Mc Griff Street Northeast 0.1 miles east of Harbeson Avenue Northeast, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 109 Mc Griff St NE, Fort Walton Beach FL 32548, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Florida Panhandle. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what
Photographed by Tim Fillmon, August 20, 2026
2. Beulah First Baptist Church Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Brooks School (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Bud & Dorie Day Patriots' Trail (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Mistys (approx. 0.4 miles away); Prisoner of War (approx. 0.4 miles away); Dorie's POW Negotiations (approx. 0.4 miles away); Class Action Lawsuit (approx. half a mile away); St. Mary's Catholic Church (approx. 0.6 miles away); Preserving and Protecting the Mound (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Walton Beach.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 22, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2026, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 22, 2026, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.
