It is a major bedroom community for mostly U.S. military personnel, federal civil servants, local population, retirees and defense contractors.

A skilled cartographer, scientist, mathematician, and theologian, Sigüenza was responsible for scouting and mapping possible sites of Spanish colonization in Northwest Florida during the expedition.

[13][14] On April 11, 1693, while sailing up East Bay River, sailors aboard the Spanish ships noticed a group of Native Americans observing from a camp near the shore.

As the Natives quickly abandoned camp the Spanish discovered half-cooked pieces of buffalo meat sitting over a fire, along with a fierce dog guarding the site.

Due to the great number of oak trees in the area the campsite was named "El Robledal," meaning "The Oakgrove" in Spanish.

[16] During the American Civil War, despite the political ideology of citizens in the local area,[18] records make it seem as though the Axelson's were pro-union.

[13] This notion is conflicted with local tradition noted in Log of the Peep O'Day, an account of the area from the 1910s, which suggest that the Axelsons built one of the first ships registered under the flag of the Confederacy.

A military road that appears to approximate this route is noted as existing as late as 1895, where it can be found on War Department maps from that time period.

[24][25] Some 30 years after the first homestead in the area was established, seemingly coinciding with the community of Bilowry, a small settlement named Eagan arose in 1874.

[27] The settlement, composed of approximately 40 families, was located off the Santa Rosa Sound and encompassed a portion of present-day Navarre.

The settlement, which formerly existed as a post office location, was named after a local postmaster, John Eagan Esq., a Pensacola lawyer and politician.

While protecting and enhancing the natural environment of the area; many steps have been taken to develop luxury accommodations, water activities, boutique shopping, scenic trails, schools and nature/educational opportunities.

[32] On March 10, 2015, a UH-60, call sign MOJO 69, from the Louisiana National Guard, crashed in the Santa Rosa Sound off the coast of the community of Navarre.

The memorial was built to honor the men who died in the Black Hawk crash and anyone who has paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States.

The first protests recorded in the community occurred on June 9, 2017,[35] after the county unilaterally changed the town's nickname and locally popular welcome sign.

[39] The protests were over the water system's potential violations of the Florida Sunshine Law, which guarantees the rights for citizens and residents to access the meetings and public records of government agencies.

[50] For the first time since before hurricanes Ivan and Dennis, Navarre is now not only expanding in population, but in attractions, dining establishments, and other tourist options as well.

In the late 2010s, Navarre saw the construction and opening of several major housing and apartment complexes, a brand new hotel, retail stores, several new restaurants and Santa Rosa County's first microbrewery.

[51][52][53] Expansion has since continued with the construction of additional retail and box stores, residential complexes, and entertainment centers near the community's central business district.

The community of Navarre is located on the Gulf Coastal Plain and is built on mostly flat sandy soil, though there are a few shallow hills.

This project eventually added approximately 200 feet (61 m) of sand and a 14-foot (4.3 m) high berm to the Gulf side of Santa Rosa Island for the entire length of Navarre Beach.

[80] Navarre is centered near the junction of U.S. Highway 98, the primary east–west route between Pensacola and the Fort Walton Beach area, and State Road 87.

Boating, Surfing, jet skiing, paddle boarding, fishing, bird watching, exploring scenic trails, and walking/jogging are popular among the residents and visitors.

Due to miscommunication on the fault of the Santa Rosa County Commission, the Butterfly House closed its Navarre Park location for the 2019 season.

[89][90] Education in Navarre is administrated by the Santa Rosa County District School system headquartered in Milton, Florida.

Navarre Park provides a play area for children, basketball courts, picnic pavilions, and restroom facilities.

The Expressway has its southern terminus in Navarre; however, it connects north to Interstate 10 and Milton, then ending at the Alabama state border.

[citation needed] Due to traffic flow issues on both the primary and secondary thoroughfares, a community access road has been proposed by citizens and county leaders alike.

Universal brought in actors, directors, producers and their wives, camera and crew people who needed housing, food and clothing for the movie.

Navarre's Holiday Inn "Holidome" was used as the film's headquarters, with the ground floor converted into production offices, and some of the Gulf-front suites remodeled for David Brown and Roy Scheider.