The town was founded in 1995 by Patrick D. Bienvenue, President of Leucadia Financial Corporation, and was designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company.

[4][5] Rosemary Beach is one of three planned communities on Florida's Gulf coast designed by Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk.

Rosemary Beach, designed in 1995, offers shops, restaurants, a hotel, and public green spaces.

[3] The design of the town reflects New Orleans’ French Quarter[3] and European Colonial influences in the West Indies and Caribbean.

Sustainable materials, natural color palettes, high ceilings for better air circulation,[6] balconies, and easy access to the beach by foot[3] are typical design features.

The architecture of the homes in Rosemary resemble places like New Orleans, St. Augustine, Charleston S.C., and the West Indies.