On Jan 29, at 10 a.m., local historians Tony Mennillo, and Hank Klein will present “The Walton Guards and Captain William McPherson.”
Tony Mennillo’s roots run deep. His great grandparents left Boggy Bayou (Niceville Area) in 1926 to settle and fish in Destin. Tony swam and fished the blue-green waters and played on the snow-white beaches and dunes throughout his childhood. In 1998, with help from his grandfather Capt. Reddin “Salty” Brunson, Tony published his first pictorial history book and CD-Rom called Destin Florida Highway To Heaven. In 2002 he produced his second book, Fort Walton Beach A Miracle Strip; and in January 2012, Salty Memories…Along The Coastal Highway was published.
H. C. “Hank” Klein, has long been interested in the history of Destin, Florida, and the genealogy of his father-in-law’s and mother-in-law’s families (Marler and Shirah). Both came from pioneer Destin families and both were related to Leonard Destin, the founder of Destin, Florida. Klein has written books documenting his and his wife’s family genealogy. Hank has also contributed historical research for Tony Mennillo’s recently published book Salty Memories Along the Coastal Highway—Historic Stories of Destin and the Emerald Coast.
The Coastal Branch Library is located at 437 Greenway Trail, Santa Rosa Beach. Tel: (850) 267-2809