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The Rise and Decline of the Redneck Riviera: An Insider's History of the Florida-Alabama Coast
The Rise and Decline of the Redneck Riviera traces the development of the Florida-Alabama coast as a tourist destination from the late 1920s and early 1930s, when it was sparsely populated with “small fishing villages,” through to the tragic and devastating BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010.
Harvey H. Jackson III focuses on the stretch of coast from Mobile Bay and Gulf Shores, Alabama, east to Panama City, Florida―an area known as the “Redneck Riviera.” Jackson explores the rise of this area as a vacation destination for the lower South’s middle- and working-class families following World War II, the building boom of the 1950s and 1960s, and the emergence of the Spring Break “season.” From the late sixties through 1979, severe hurricanes destroyed many small motels, cafes, bars, and early cottages that gave the small beach towns their essential character. A second building boom ensued in the 1980s dominated by high-rise condominiums and large resort hotels. Jackson traces the tensions surrounding the gentrification of the late 1980s and 1990s and the collapse of the housing market in 2008. While his major focus is on the social, cultural, and economic development, he also documents the environmental and financial impacts of natural disasters and the politics of beach access and dune and sea turtle protection.
The Rise and Decline of the Redneck Riviera is the culmination of sixteen years of research drawn from local newspapers, interviews, documentaries, community histories, and several scholarly studies that have addressed parts of this region’s history. From his 1950s-built family vacation cottage in Seagrove Beach, Florida, and on frequent trips to the Alabama coast, Jackson witnessed the changes that have come to the area and has recorded them in a personal, in-depth look at the history and culture of the coast.
A Friends Fund Publication.
Harvey H. Jackson III focuses on the stretch of coast from Mobile Bay and Gulf Shores, Alabama, east to Panama City, Florida―an area known as the “Redneck Riviera.” Jackson explores the rise of this area as a vacation destination for the lower South’s middle- and working-class families following World War II, the building boom of the 1950s and 1960s, and the emergence of the Spring Break “season.” From the late sixties through 1979, severe hurricanes destroyed many small motels, cafes, bars, and early cottages that gave the small beach towns their essential character. A second building boom ensued in the 1980s dominated by high-rise condominiums and large resort hotels. Jackson traces the tensions surrounding the gentrification of the late 1980s and 1990s and the collapse of the housing market in 2008. While his major focus is on the social, cultural, and economic development, he also documents the environmental and financial impacts of natural disasters and the politics of beach access and dune and sea turtle protection.
The Rise and Decline of the Redneck Riviera is the culmination of sixteen years of research drawn from local newspapers, interviews, documentaries, community histories, and several scholarly studies that have addressed parts of this region’s history. From his 1950s-built family vacation cottage in Seagrove Beach, Florida, and on frequent trips to the Alabama coast, Jackson witnessed the changes that have come to the area and has recorded them in a personal, in-depth look at the history and culture of the coast.
A Friends Fund Publication.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionTravel
344 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 30, 2014
A brilliant blend of history and personal anecdote from a writer with an easygoing, conversational style that belies his academic background.
Harvey Jackson has a Ph.D. in history and is a professor at Jacksonville State University in Alabama, but he spent a lot of vacation time on the Gulf coast when he was growing up. That means he's perfectly suited to tell the history of the stretch of beach that runs from Gulf Shores over to Panama City Beach.
He covers every aspect you can think of, from the hurricanes to the oil spill, from the rise of Seaside to the beach renourishment case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court to the origin of the interstate mullet toss at the Flora-Bama Lounge.
I recognized a lot of the places he mentioned, and found his descriptions to be dead-on. I only found one small error, a reference to the new Panama City airport being brainstormed in 2008 as part of (yet another) attempt at rebranding the Panhandle as something other than the Redneck Riviera. Actually it has been in the planning by the massive St. Joe Co. as far back as at least 2001.
Anyone who keeps a shelf of Florida history and culture books, the way I do, would be wise to add this one to the to-read pile, and pronto.
Harvey Jackson has a Ph.D. in history and is a professor at Jacksonville State University in Alabama, but he spent a lot of vacation time on the Gulf coast when he was growing up. That means he's perfectly suited to tell the history of the stretch of beach that runs from Gulf Shores over to Panama City Beach.
He covers every aspect you can think of, from the hurricanes to the oil spill, from the rise of Seaside to the beach renourishment case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court to the origin of the interstate mullet toss at the Flora-Bama Lounge.
I recognized a lot of the places he mentioned, and found his descriptions to be dead-on. I only found one small error, a reference to the new Panama City airport being brainstormed in 2008 as part of (yet another) attempt at rebranding the Panhandle as something other than the Redneck Riviera. Actually it has been in the planning by the massive St. Joe Co. as far back as at least 2001.
Anyone who keeps a shelf of Florida history and culture books, the way I do, would be wise to add this one to the to-read pile, and pronto.
September 3, 2014
I liked this book, but towards the end it dragged a bit. However, the writing style was extremely easy to read for non fiction. I enjoyed reading the good and the bad of an area I've been vacationing at my entire life. At the risk of sounding like a "raffish Rotarian" I plan to keep it in my condo in Gulf Shores for guests to enjoy.
September 16, 2013
The author shows keen insight into the history and shaping forces that transformed the Redneck Riviera throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. It is a worthy read for anyone who's "just passing through"; who lived here for a little while; or who "got the sand in their shoes" and will never leave.
Having said that, I do agree with a previous reviewer that too much text is devoted to "30-A to PC", and the areas between South Alabama and Destin were given short shrift. The author writes about South Alabama and then hopscotches over Escambia and Santa Rosa beaches as well as Fort Walton. In deference to the EscaRosa SMSA, I would add:
Just as Grayton Beach provides a state-mandated border on 30-A, Pensacola Beach is shoe horned between the Gulf Islands National Seashore on its east and west; thereby, restricting development. Opal Beach (part of the National Seashore) separates Pensacola Beach from its beautiful neighbor, Navarre, which is mentioned only once at the beginning of the book (for a colorful tale of its history).
Both, as well as inland Escambia and Santa Rosa, were heavily damaged by Hurricane Ivan, but the book mentions Ivan primarily in the context of renourishment. Hurricane Dennis came the next year, undoing many of the repairs that were undertaken post-Ivan. Then, in Year Three, Hurricane Katrina's far eastern tip hit the Perdido area. Photos such as the tragically iconic truck perched over the side of the demolished I-10 bridge and the washing machine in the Gulf were from this period.
As far as development of McMansions, the counterpoint of the author's discussions of other areas could have been Pensacola Beach's Sugar Bowl, easily in a league with pre-developed Destin for its beauty.
The oil spill's impact was heavily felt in the most western counties. To have repeatedly emphasized what may have been 100 miles to the east diminished its impact (although the picture included was worth a thousand words).
Rebranding? Pensacola, The City of Five Flags, has re-named part of the beach Portofino, yet Italy is not one of its five flags, and the Foley outlet mall is called Riviera, not Redneck Riviera.
Finally, while belaboring PCB's Spring Break and Girls Gone Wild, there was no mention of Pensacola Beach's Memorial Day weekend, which hosts gay revelers. Talk about differing opinions and competing interests! Beach businesses love them because they don't cause damage like college kids and they spend a lot of money. GOBs hate them because they are gay, and Fundamentalists have gone so far as to say that our hurricanes were God's wrath in response to allowing them to come and practice their sinful ways.
Pensacola's much-loved late Mayor Vince Whibbs was fond of telling visitors that Pensacola is the city where thousands live and millions wish they could. Ultimately, that, I think, pretty much sums it for all - visitors and residents alike - and the Redneck Riviera.
Having said that, I do agree with a previous reviewer that too much text is devoted to "30-A to PC", and the areas between South Alabama and Destin were given short shrift. The author writes about South Alabama and then hopscotches over Escambia and Santa Rosa beaches as well as Fort Walton. In deference to the EscaRosa SMSA, I would add:
Just as Grayton Beach provides a state-mandated border on 30-A, Pensacola Beach is shoe horned between the Gulf Islands National Seashore on its east and west; thereby, restricting development. Opal Beach (part of the National Seashore) separates Pensacola Beach from its beautiful neighbor, Navarre, which is mentioned only once at the beginning of the book (for a colorful tale of its history).
Both, as well as inland Escambia and Santa Rosa, were heavily damaged by Hurricane Ivan, but the book mentions Ivan primarily in the context of renourishment. Hurricane Dennis came the next year, undoing many of the repairs that were undertaken post-Ivan. Then, in Year Three, Hurricane Katrina's far eastern tip hit the Perdido area. Photos such as the tragically iconic truck perched over the side of the demolished I-10 bridge and the washing machine in the Gulf were from this period.
As far as development of McMansions, the counterpoint of the author's discussions of other areas could have been Pensacola Beach's Sugar Bowl, easily in a league with pre-developed Destin for its beauty.
The oil spill's impact was heavily felt in the most western counties. To have repeatedly emphasized what may have been 100 miles to the east diminished its impact (although the picture included was worth a thousand words).
Rebranding? Pensacola, The City of Five Flags, has re-named part of the beach Portofino, yet Italy is not one of its five flags, and the Foley outlet mall is called Riviera, not Redneck Riviera.
Finally, while belaboring PCB's Spring Break and Girls Gone Wild, there was no mention of Pensacola Beach's Memorial Day weekend, which hosts gay revelers. Talk about differing opinions and competing interests! Beach businesses love them because they don't cause damage like college kids and they spend a lot of money. GOBs hate them because they are gay, and Fundamentalists have gone so far as to say that our hurricanes were God's wrath in response to allowing them to come and practice their sinful ways.
Pensacola's much-loved late Mayor Vince Whibbs was fond of telling visitors that Pensacola is the city where thousands live and millions wish they could. Ultimately, that, I think, pretty much sums it for all - visitors and residents alike - and the Redneck Riviera.
May 23, 2013
A general, 20th century history of the entire panhandle beach area, interesting to me because we have traveled to Gulf Shores, AL for almost 30 years. The author is anecdotally specific about the Panama City area because he has always gone there, but I did not feel any of the areas, including Gulf Shores, receives skimpy coverage. The Redneck Riviera labeling is much discussed, for and against, true or false, etc, but I think it is an accurate oxymoron, bringing out two disparate yet coexisting attitudes that brings people to the beach. We all have a "3rd rate Romance" with the beach, we go there looking for the equivalent of a "Low-Rent Rendezvous," but after experiencing the above, we would like to sleep in a first-rate condo with an unobstructed, ocean view.
September 28, 2014
This book is PERFECT beach reading, especially if you're on "the Redneck Riviera" (Panhandle of Florida between Pensacola and Panama City Beach). We bought it at Sundog Books in Seaside (referred to as "pastel hell" by Harvey Jackson), and I couldn't put it down. We were even able to go to a lecture by the author on our last night in Florida. He was funny and self-deprecating (said his autograph would decrease the value of my book), but also an excellent historian. It was fascinating to read how the coastal communities evolved from places where southerners could have a laid-back vacation and toss their beer cans on the sand to a Yuppie paradise that rednecks can no longer afford.
August 15, 2012
I loved it! For anyone that grew up visiting the "Redneck Riviera" as a child, and has witnessed its changes over the years, this book will fascinate you. Mr Jackson is a compelling writer--facts mixed with southern witticisms. Highly recommend!
Read
December 29, 2015Well done!
I found it to be both intimate and thorough, and I thought he had a deft touch with local manners/mores.
I found it to be both intimate and thorough, and I thought he had a deft touch with local manners/mores.
May 20, 2023
If you’ve spent a lot of time at the beaches of Florida’s panhandle or in Alabama, you might enjoy this book. I got it at Sundog Books in Seaside and even though it’s 10 years old now (and I’d love an update), it was very interesting. I remember way back in the 80s when there was still a June’s Dunes (best breakfast), a little open-air restaurant, and I remember when they closed because they couldn’t afford not to sell. Basically, I remember when Destin was a sleepy little place with an awesome beach. This past week I stayed a little east of Destin in Watercolor, in a very expensive inn. Times, they have a-changed. I miss the old ways but this book documents, in an easy reading manner, the growth, cultures and economies of the Panhandle. It was definitely a good beach read.
July 17, 2023
Listening to stories about the coastline that I call home was super fun! Tales from The Green Knight in Destin and the Florabama on the state line were pretty funny. Stories about hurricanes (Frederic, Eloise, Opal, and Ivan) were sobering. And hearing about the development of high rise Condominiums & the distinct extravagance of 30a -- including through the real estate bubble of the 2000's -- was super interesting.
If you're from the FL panhandle or just vacation here (including Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Fort Morgan), you'll likely enjoy this
If you're from the FL panhandle or just vacation here (including Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Fort Morgan), you'll likely enjoy this
May 18, 2019
Quick and engaging read.
Despite 8 adult years in residence, childhood vacations, and college spring breaks on the RR, I never knew how much Alabama invested on the Florida side. It's astounding to me how congested and over-populated it has become in a few short decades (and there are more shady politics packed into the last 50 years of development than I expected).
I imagine the author would have much to say about the terrible devastation Hurricane Michael wreaked upon the coast last fall. :(
Despite 8 adult years in residence, childhood vacations, and college spring breaks on the RR, I never knew how much Alabama invested on the Florida side. It's astounding to me how congested and over-populated it has become in a few short decades (and there are more shady politics packed into the last 50 years of development than I expected).
I imagine the author would have much to say about the terrible devastation Hurricane Michael wreaked upon the coast last fall. :(
June 30, 2021
Was pretty awesome to learn the storied history of the place I've been vacationing for the last 20 years. Highly recommend if you want to learn how this stretch of the Gulf Coast got started, evolved, and became what it is today.
May 13, 2023
Read a little bit of this book to my Dad each night. I grew up on the RR and my Dad still lives there. He loved it. I found it mostly accurate on the things that I know about and full of insights I never knew.
May 10, 2022
You gotta be from around the Alabama/ Florida panhandle to “get” this. I enjoyed it.
April 12, 2023
I've given this five stars because I grew up in this region and Hardy Jackson does a wonderful job making me nostalgic. However, another reader might not find it as absorbing.
May 27, 2024
Not what I’d hope.
September 21, 2013
Very interesting to read behind the scenes stories about some of the founders and developers of the area many of us Southerners just simply call "The Beach". This book is spot-on with most observations. Seems a little biased toward locals rather than wealthier tourists or landowners. The history of some famous landmarks, like the Flora-bama or the Red Bar in Grayton Beach was intriguing.
October 23, 2013
Much interest for the "locals".
June 26, 2013
Great read for the history of the Alabama Gulf Coast and Florida Panhandle, but not as well written as I'd have liked. Definitely worth picking up if you're from or interested in that area.
April 24, 2014
Loved visualizing all the fun summers I had from the Florida panhandle to the Mobile Bay! I also enjoyed the history of this area. Most beautiful beaches anywhere!
January 30, 2016
As a an eleven year Louisiana resident who frequents this area, I enjoyed reading about the history and development.
November 11, 2015
no real cultural history, just a history of condos and subdivisions and developers. pretty boring.
May 25, 2016
This was a fantastic book. My husband and I have been visiting PCB and 30A for over 40 years. We truly love this area. Thank you so much Mr. Jackson for such an insightful and delightful book.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews