Eglin Historical Markers Story Map

 ^{The Bayou Park Archaeological Site (8OK898) The Bayou Park archaeological site (8OK898) is a prehistoric village that was home to some of Florida’s earliest inhabitants. The site’s main occupation was about 4000 years ago during the Elliott’s Point phase of the Late Archaic Period. Based on radiocarbon dates from across the site, Bayou Park was widely used between 2528-1985 BC. Analysis of artifacts, faunal remains, and site features (post molds from structures, hearths, a large earth oven, numerous refuse pits) revealed evidence that small family groups utilized Bayou Park during the spring, summer and fall months to fish and collect shellfish from Choctawhatchee Bay, Weekly Bayou, and Boggy Bayou. They also hunted game, gathered plants for food and medicinal purposes, and possibly had small gardens. During the late fall and winter, they traveled north into the interior to hunt and collect stone for making tools before moving back to the coast again during the late spring. Life at Bayou Park was concentrated on a small ridge where most residences were situated in a semi-circle around an open plaza or common area. The structures were small and not very substantial in terms of construction. One small closed structure may have been used during the cooler fall months, while a second larger and more open structure would have been suitable for warm weather living. Cooking was mostly performed over open fires in shallow pits. A large earth oven, some possible storage pits, and several large refuse pits were located in and around the plaza. It is noteworthy that no burials have been encountered at Bayou Park. This suggests that the deceased were interred elsewhere, possibly in a communal cemetery or burial mound, or possibly cremated.} 

Built in 1948, the McKinley Climatic Lab was designed to allow engineers the ability to test aircraft and weapons under extreme environmental conditions within its chambers. Engineers can simulate rain, snow, ice, dust, sand and extreme hot and cold temperatures inside this unique laboratory. In 1987, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers designated the McKinley Climatic Lab as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering landmark.

At this site on August 11, 1944, occurred the horrific bombing of the James Cosson home. As family members began to depart from the Friday evening gathering, U.S. Army Air Force pilots accidentally dropped bombs killing four of their number. While never fully understood, failure of a bomb release mechanism became the official explanation of this tragedy. The Cosson Farm site is marked with an identifying sign, which lists the names of those civilian victims.

April 18, 1942 Gallant men of the United States Air Force led by Brigadier General (then Lt. Colonel) James H. Doolittle flew from the USS Hornet eight hundred miles across the Pacific during World War II to bomb Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe, Nagoya, the first attack on Japan following Pearl Harbor. Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle volunteered in January 1942 to lead the strike. He and his crews trained in B-25s for carrier take-offs at Elgin Field, Florida. Pilots would have about 400 feet of deck runway to get airborne. The crews did not train for landing on carriers as the plan called for the bombers to take off while at sea, proceed over targets in Japan, and then land at friendly fields in China. Prior to the mission, technicians removed unnecessary equipment from the bombers and installed more fuel capacity. Volunteer crews trained in short take-offs, evasive maneuvers, low altitude approaches, and bombing.

The Valparaiso Bombing and Gunnery Base, activated 14 Jun 1935 under command of Capt Arnold H. Rich, was renamed Eglin Field in 1937 for Lt Col Frederick I. Eglin, U.S. Air Corps. The first missions of Eglin were to provide both bombing and gunnery training for new pilots and testing of Army Air Corps aircraft and other systems. Eglin’s dual role of training and testing continued through World War II, with the establishment of the Air Corps Specialized Flying School and the Air Proving Ground Command. Today, Eglin continues to provide state-of-the-art munitions testing, personnel training and other combat support capabilities for the Air Force, DOD, industry and U.S. allies.

The EOD Memorial Wall at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida honors EOD technicians who gave their lives in the performance of their duties. The names on the wall date back to the formation of EOD in World War II. The basic structure consists of four cenotaphs; one for each branch of military service, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. A bronze tablet with the names of fallen EOD warriors is inscribed and attached to each cenotaph.

The history of Jackson Guard is tied to the establishment of the Choctawhatchee National Forest and the Depression Era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt designated portions of Santa Rosa and Walton Counties (including present-day Okaloosa County) as the Choctawhatchee National Forest (Figure 1), the first National Forest east of the Mississippi River. At that time the, Choctawhatchee National Forest encompassed approximately 468,000 acres. Throughout World War II and continuing today the area has been used for the management of Natural Resources. Today, the area is widely known as Jackson Guard and houses the Natural Resources Section of Environmental Management Branch under Eglin’s 96th Civil Engineering Group.

The Eglin Field Historic District contains the largest concentration of standing World War II structures on Eglin. Twenty two buildings, including the Cultural Resources Management Branch building, building 238, make up this district. During that period of history, some of the buildings still standing today served as Eglin's headquarters facility, chapel and bachelor and visiting officers' quarters. The marker depicts a map of the district's associated buildings.

The Forward Air Controllers (FACs) Memorial at the Hurlburt Field memorial airpark is in front of the O-1E and about 70 feet to the west the OV-10. All names on the memorial honor the FACs killed in action in Vietnam or the Southeast Asia Area of responsibility.