By Mike Miller Updated July 19, 2025
DeFuniak Springs Florida, is a small town of about 6,283 people in the northwest part of the state.
It is located at the intersection of US-331 and US-90 just north of I-10, about 60 miles east of Pensacola and is the county seat of Walton County.
DeFuniak Springs is located on Lake DeFuniak, an almost perfectly circular 40 acre spring fed lake.
This little village at Lake DeFuniak started life as a small way station on the Pensacola & Atlantic Railroad.
It was named after Col. Frederick DeFuniak, an executive of the Louisville-Nashville Railroad.
DeFuniak was a hard-working Italian immigrant who had been an
officer in the army of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the George Washington of
modern Italy.
He also was an officer in the army of the Confederate States of America. He allegedly won the right to name the town in a card game.
Colonel DeFuniak's descendants still live in north Florida and Alabama.
Members of a Methodist educational movement called the Chautauqua Assembly, headquartered in New York, further developed the small hamlet.
The Chautauqua movement was a late 19th and early 20th-century social and educational movement that brought entertainment, culture, and education to communities across the United States, particularly in rural areas
It soon became their favorite winter retreat, growing in importance and beauty.
Thousands would arrive to participate in the activities and keynote speakers ranged from well-known poets and authors to the inspirational and influential, including Julia Ward Howe ("The Battle Hymn of the Republic") to Harriet Beecher Stowe (Uncle Tom's Cabin).
Seemingly suspended in 19th century amber, the city of DeFuniak Springs is one of the prettiest in the Florida panhandle.
Numerous Victorian era homes encircle little Lake DeFuniak, and it's at times difficult to tell the old homes from the new ones built in the same Colonial Revival and Queen Anne styles.
The homes and area around the lake are decorated from Thanksgiving to New Year in a celebration called "Christmas Reflections".
There are reportedly over 10 million lights, which reflect off the lake.
The town has around 200 historic buildings surrounding the lake, 40 or so which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
With such a small population, DeFuniak Springs might just have the most historic sites per capita of any town in Florida.
One of the many interesting old buildings is St. Agatha's Episcopal Church.
It is a Carpenter Gothic church in the town historic district at 144 Circle Drive. The church was built in 1896.
It is the only church in DeFuniak Springs with a real pipe organ. The others have electronic organs.
Because of the old homes and Walton County's oaks and hilly terrain, DeFuniak Springs sometimes feels more like rural New England than rural Florida.
July 19, 2025
John "Sam" Matthews is one of our readers who lives in the Florida Panhandle and travels extensively. This is his update to our original article about DeFuniak Springs.
Sunbright Inn. You have the original building pic in your article. This is the old Governor Sydney Catts mansion. It was bought and stripped to the frame and rebuilt. Took 28 months to complete.
Both inside and out are jaw-dropping. The furniture is restored original late 19th/early 20th century around Gov Catts’ time. The Inn is a boutique hotel not a B&B. There is no kitchen.
Guests must dine downtown, where there are plenty of good restaurants. Patrons can request catering to the Inn, in which case the owner can reset downstairs to accommodate caterers and diners.
The Walton County Courthouse flies two flags: American and Confederate. The US Stars and Stripes is in front.
On the western end of the courthouse grounds is an obelisk mounted with a hand pointing to heaven. Inscribed on the obelisk are the names of 100 Walton County men killed in the Civil War.
Next to it is a flagpole not flying the more recognizable Confederate battle flag with its red background and crossed blue bars with white stars, but a flag with three alternating red and white stripes and a blue field in the corner with seven white stars that was the official flag of the Confederate States of America.
Downtown DeFuniak Springs over the last two years has developed from a few scattered stores into 3 blocks filled on all sides with occupied businesses, shops and restaurants, centered on Baldwin Avenue.
The Farmers’ Market on Saturdays is a lively one, in a region with lots of home-grown fruits and vegetables and crafts.
Sheriff’s Office located on South 10th street in a restored frontier building reminiscent of Matt Dillon’s in Dodge City on Gunsmoke.
Across the street from the Sheriff’s office are 5 Tesla charging stations for electric vehicles. Don’t ask me why: I have never seen an EV in DeFuniak, let alone one charging itself.
Between 1885 and 1922, wealthy residents from the Chautauqua Lake region of New York made Defuniak Springs the location for their winter series of Chautauqa.
As soon as schools began in New York for the new academic year, the wealthy boarded trains and came to Defuniak by the thousands.
They built the elegant Victorian homes around Lake DeFuniak or stayed in hotels and rentals living the high life: swimming, boat rides, walks, picnics, music, theater.
To assure continuity of education for children who came down during their school year, the Brotherhood Hall was built with classrooms for elementary, high school, and even college students. The Hall also had a 2000-seat opera house/theater.
After charging the EV, take Highway 331 north for 25 miles to visit the highest point in Florida—Britton Hill at 345 feet. It’s literally a stone’s throw from the Alabama line.
If you are in the town of Florala, you are in Alabama. Turn around and go back. Look for a low stone monument in Lakewood Park on the uphill slope of a large meadow and be observant when looking for it or else you will miss it.
Miscellaneous Facts About DeFuniak Springs
o Defuniak has 172 historical buildings.
o Bogey’s restaurant sold. In its place is Iron and Grape, an Italian restaurant, which along with Sweet Southern Comfort and Perla Bakery constitute the trifecta of restaurants on Baldwin Avenue—all good.
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