115-year-old Gulfview Hotel will soon be relocated

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (WEAR) — At 115 years young, this old girl has seen better days.

But thanks to a community's vision and appreciation for history, the Gulfview Hotel in Fort Walton Beach will stand for future generations to enjoy.

That effort can be seen as a moving crew preps the Gulfview for the move. One that will cause quite a stir.

"it's gonna move down the road there, hang a right and go a third of a mile down Highway 98," said Ted Corcoran, President of the Fort Walton Beach Chamber.

The hotel that operated as a lodge when it opened in 1903 ontinued into the mid 80s. Later it held offices Until it was mothballed 15 years ago.

After it reaches its new destination and gets a little sprucing up, it will be reopened with a new mission.

"Will open approximately 30 to 45 days after it is moved. On the bottom floor will be a welcome station," Corcoran said.

It will also house the Billy Bowlegs Pirate Museum and some offices, which are nearly all spoken for.

As it was lifted from its foundation some vintage news clippings and a 1903 stamp were unearted - another exciting deveopment in a city that is buzzing about the project.

"It's wonderful that the entire community will be able to use the building and preserve the building."

The exact moving day isn't locked down. But it'll be a street party like folks here have never seen.

The Gulfview Hotel was donated to the city in December of 2016 and it is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Florida Department of Tranportation will determine the date and time of the actual move.