Bay County History

On February 12, 1913, representatives from five towns on the bay, met at Panama City for the purpose of selecting a name for the proposed new County. After discussion the name BAY was selected as one which would be satisfactory to the majority of the citizens, and as being distinctive of the territory that would be included. On July 1, 1913, Bay County was created by the Legislature from portions of Washington, Calhoun and Walton counties. The Nativity of Bay County was fittingly honored by a celebration in the City Park, now known as McKenzie Park. Picnic baskets were brought by the attendees while barbecued meats furnished by the City were served to all. Additional attractions were music, boat races, baseball and swimming matches.

The newly selected legislators held their first meeting on Monday, July 10, 1913, in rooms secured over the Bank of Panama City. The session was informal, but later in the day the commissioners met in the Owl's Nest on the dock at the end of Harrison Avenue and began strenuous work. Immediate plans were made for construction of a Courthouse, the corner stone was laid in December, 1914 and the building dedicated in December, 1915. On December 20, 1920, the Courthouse was severely damaged by fire and lost the beautiful dome that supported four clocks. However, the outer walls survived, the building was reconstructed and continues to serve as the Bay County Courthouse to this date.

Mrs. Margaret Savage relates stories of her childhood of growing up in "Loch Lomond" lodge in the now State Park of Camp Helen. During her 1997 visit after the State had acquired the property Margaret, now 77, sat in what was once her mother's private patio and shared her memories of life in early Bay County.

The following are the Honorable Commissioners that have served Bay County since its inauguration on July 1, 1913.

1913-1915 R.L. McKenzie T.E. Crawford T.B. Young L.G. Gay A.F. Gainer	1915-1917 T.B. Young J.M. Barrow H.P. Roush T.E. Crawford Preston Warren	1917-1919 J.M. Barrow B.A. Rhodes John McLaughlin J.B. McCall A.F.Driskell J.N. Faile	1919-1921 J. McLaughlin B.A. Rhodes J.B. McCall A.J. Gainer J.N. Faile F.C. McGill W.B. Gainer
1921-1923 J.N. Faile M.B. Pierce L.C. Gay W.B. Gainer J.H. Laird	1923-1925 A.J. Pelham J.N. Faile D.R. McBride J.H. Laird J.M. Porter C.R. Russ	1925-1927 L.E. Vickery M.B. Davis J.M. Porter J.C. Gainer W.C. Holley C.R. Russ	1927-1929 L.E. Vickery J.M. Porter J.C. Gainer C.P. Russ W.C. Holley
1929-1931 H.W. Johnson .M. Porter C.P. Russ W.B. Gainer W.H. Laird	1931-1933 H.W. Johnson C.P. Russ Roy Van Kleeck J.C. Gainer W.H. Laird	1933-1935 Douglas B. Sale Joe D. Holmes Roy Van Kleeck J.C. Gainer W.H. Laird	1935-1937 S.J. Gainer Joe D. Holmes Roy Van Kleeck J.C. Gainer Harry W. Peterson
1937-1939 R.D. Newberry Dee Williams Roy Van Kleeck J.C. Gainer Bruce Vickers	1939-1941 Dee Williams A.L. Barber J.C. Gainer W.W. Nichols Randall Newberry	1941-1943 J.A. Gilbert A.L. Barber W.P. Worthington C.N. Muterspaugh Bruce Vickers	1943-1945 Dee Williams A.L. Barber W.P. Worthington C.N. Muterspaugh Bruce Vickers
1945-1947 A.J. Childs Ira L. Hill B.V. Buchanan C.N. Muterspaugh	1947-1949 Ira L. Hill A.J. Childs Bruce Vickers C. N. Muterspaugh W.P. Worthington	1949-1951 A.J. Childs Ira L. Hill B.V. Buchanan W.P. Worthington C.N. Muterspaugh	1951-1953 Ira Hill J.R. Miller J.H. Davis John Pitts B.V. Buchanan
1953-1955 J.R. Miller Ira L. Hill M.B. Miller John Pitts B.V. Buchanan	1955-1957 M.B. Miller John Pitts B.V. Buchanan Burton Clark J.R. Miller	1957-1959 Burton H. Clark J.R. Miller B.V. Buchanan M.B. Miller John Pitts	1959-1960 J.R. Miller B.V. Buchanan Donald D. Mowat Burton H. Clark M.B. Miller
1961 Donald Mowat I.S. Morris Wilmont Edwards A.J. Barnes Burton Clark Burford Freeman	1962 I.S. Morris A.J. Barnes Wilmont Edwards Burford Freeman Burton Clark	1963 Ira Hill John Pitts I.S. Morris Isaac Byrd Wilmont Edwards	1964 Ira Hill John Pitts I.S. Morris Isaac Byrd Wilmont Edwards
1965 Wilmont Edwards Isaac Byrd Ira Hill I.S. Morris John Pitts	1966 Isaac Byrd I.S. Morris De Delaney Ira Hill Wilmont Edwards	1967 Isaac Byrd De Delaney Ira Hill I.S. Morris Wilmont Edwards	1968 De Delaney Ira Hill I.S. Morris Isaac Byrd Wilmont Edwards
1969 De Delaney Ira Hill Isaac Byrd Wilmont Edwards George Gainer	1970 Isaac Byrd Wilmont Edwards De Delaney Ira Hill George Gainer	1971 George Gainer Wilmont Edwards De Delaney Ira Hill Isaac Byrd	1972 Zollie Young William Peeke George Gainer Isaac Byrd Wilmont Edwards
1973 Isaac Byrd Jim Faircloth Zollie Young John Mullins William Peeke G.W. Hobbs	1974 Isaac Byrd Jim Faircloth G.W. Hobbs John Mullins William Peeke	1975 Jim Faircloth John Mullins G.W. Hobbs Ray Wagner Isaac Byrd	1976 Jim Faircloth John Mullins Isaac Byrd G.W. Hobbs Ray Wagner
1977 John Mullins Isaac Byrd Ray Wagner Jim Faircloth G.W. Hobbs	1978 G.W. Hobbs Isaac Byrd John Mullins Jim Faircloth Ray Wagner	1979 Ray Wagner Isaac Byrd Bill Tolar John Mullins Jim Faircloth	1980 John Mullins Bill Tolar Jim Faircloth Ray Wagner Isaac Byrd
1981 Bill Tolar Isaac Byrd Wilmont Edwards Ray Wagner John Hutt, Jr.	1982 Isaac Byrd Ray Wagner Wilmont Edwards Bill Tolar John Hutt, Jr.	1983 John Hutt, Jr Wilmont Edwards Isaac Byrd Helen Ingram M.B. Miller	1984 Isaac Byrd Helen Ingram Wilmont Edwards John Hutt, Jr. M.B. Miller
1985 Helen Ingram M.B. Miller Isaac Byrd John Hutt, Jr. Tommy Loftin	1986 Isaac Byrd Helen Ingram M.B. Miller John Hutt, Jr. Tommy Loftin	1987 Isaac W. Byrd Tommy Loftin John Hutt, Jr. Ralph Burgess Harold Phillips S. Richard Seltzer	1988 Ralph Burgess Harold Phillips John Hutt, Jr. S. Richard Seltzer Tommy Loftin
1989 S. Richard Seltzer Tommy Cooley Mike Nelson Ralph Burgess Harold Phillips Cliff Fleming, Jr.	1990-1989 Tommy Cooley Mike Nelson Ralph Burgess Cliff Fleming S. Richard Seltzer	1990-1991 Mike Nelson Jack Hamm Tommy Cooley Danny Sparks S. Richard Seltzer	1991-1992 Jack Hamm Danny Sparks Mike Nelson Tommy Cooley S. Richard Seltzer
1992-1993 Danny Sparks Carol Atkinson Jack Hamm John Robbins Rick Hurst	1993-1994 Carol Atkinson John Robbins Jack Hamm Danny Sparks Rick Hurst	1994-1995 John Robbins Rick Hurst Carol Atkinson Danny Sparks Richard Stewart	1995-1996 Rick Hurst Carol Atkinson John Robbins Richard Stewart Danny Sparks
1996-1997 Richard Stewart Marc Nolen Robert Wright Carol Atkinson Danny Sparks	1997-1998 Danny Sparks Marc Nolen Robert Wright Richard Stewart Carol Atkinson	1998-1999 Carol Atkinson Marc Nolen Robert Wright Richard Stewart Danny Sparks	1999-2000 Marc Nolen Robert Wright Carol Atkinson Richard Stewart Danny Sparks
2000-2001 Micheal J. Ropa Cornel Brock John G. Newberry, Jr. Danny Sparks Richard Stewart	2001-2002 Cornel Brock John G. Newberry, Jr. Danny Sparks Richard Stewart Michael J. Ropa	2002-2003 Jerry L. Girvin John G. Newberry, Jr. George B. Gainer Cornel Brock Michael J. Ropa	2003-2004 George B. Gainer Cornel Brock Jerry L. Girvin John G. Newberry, Jr. Michael J. Ropa
2004-2005 George B. Gainer Mike Nelson Jerry L. Girvin William T. Dozier Mike Thomas	2005-2006 Mike Nelson Jerry L. Girvin George B. Gainer William T. Dozier Mike Thomas	2006-2007 Mike Nelson Jerry L. Girvin George B. Gainer William T. Dozier Mike Thomas	2007-2008 Mike Nelson Jerry L. Girvin George B. Gainer William T. Dozier Mike Thomas
2008-2009 George B. Gainer Mike Nelson Jerry L. Girvin William T. Dozier Mike Thomas	2009-2010 Mike Nelson Jerry L. Girvin George B. Gainer William T. Dozier Mike Thomas	2010-2011 Mike Nelson George B. Gainer William T. Dozier Guy M. Tunnell Mike Thomas