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In 1908, St. Andrews incorporated for the first time. It continued to grow in the early 1900's and became a popular port on the coast. Other towns had grown up in the area, one of those being Panama City, which annexed St. Andrews, and 3 other small towns in 1927.
Panama City became an important port, and was used for building ships (and later dismantling them) during World War II. Clark Gable was here during that time and patronized local restaurants in St. Andrews. Charter Boats, restaurants, and shops in St. Andrews were bustling with people in the mid-1900's. The community was a "destination". The center of attention shifted as Panama City Beach opened up to traffic. In the 1980's, commerce in St. Andrews took a sharp dive as the business community left for the "new" territory in Panama City Beach.
The Panama City Commission recognized the need to revitalize St. Andrews and the potential there. In 1989, St. Andrews was designated as a Community Redevelopment Area. In 1997, St. Andrews was designated to the inaugural Waterfronts Florida Program. That, and a variety of grants from the State of Florida, in the form of cash and technical assistance, have been used as the tools for revitalizing St. Andrews into a sustainable waterfront community. The redevelopment process has been an innovative, successful partnership between the city and the citizens. Home now to a working Marina, an amazing Condo development, Harbour Village, cute shops and great local restaurants.
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