The first European in Santa Rosa County Florida may have been Diego Maldonado, a member of Tristan de Luna's failed expedition.

A Spanish mission serving Apalachees, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad y San Luís, may have been located in Floridatown from 1718 until 1740.

[5] Santa Rosa County has seen unprecedented growth in population, specifically in the communities of Navarre, Pace, and Gulf Breeze.

The county is a quickly growing tourist destination because of its access to beaches and protected wilderness areas for kayaking, hiking, and camping.

South Santa Rosa County comprises the area from Holley and Navarre in the east to Gulf Breeze at the western end of the Fairpoint Peninsula, and along U.S. Highway 98.

This fast-growing region serves primarily as "bedroom communities" for Pensacola to the west and Hurlburt Field, Fort Walton Beach, and Eglin Air Force Base to the east.

The central section developed along the so-called Old Spanish Trail that ran from St. Augustine to New Orleans, and further points west.

Despite recent growth, the Central Region is best identified by its rural roots, and can be best characterized by traditional Southern culture.

To the west of Milton bordering the Escambia River, Pace has experienced exponential growth both residential and commercial.

Most development has been along State Road 4 which runs through the northern sections of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties.

The board appoints a professionally trained county administrator who is responsible for policy and budget development and implementation.

The commission meets in regular session beginning at 9:00 a.m. the second and fourth Thursday of the month in the Commissioner's Board Room in the Administrative Center, 6495 Caroline Street, in Milton.

The Santa Rosa County Library System has five branches located in the following communities: Navarre, Gulf Breeze, Jay, Milton, and Pace.