Native Americans were the first inhabitants of the Panama City area until the 1830s when settlers from Georgia and Alabama began to build summer cabins along the shoreline. approximately a mile west from present day Panama City. In 1909, the municipality of Panama City was incorporated and business began to expand. By 1913, the city was the county seat of Bay County, Florida. The Florida Land Boom of the 1920s brought more expansion and major growth came during World War II when Tyndall Air Field was established and Wainwright Shipyard built Liberty Ships.
Today, Tyndall Air Force Base and Coastal Systems Station – Naval Surface Warfare Center continue to play an important in the economy of Panama City and Bay County. Major corporations located in Panama City include Stone Container, Berg Pipe and Arizona Chemical. The Port of Panama City specializes in breakbulk cargo and dry bulk products and has become a statlyst for industrial development in Northwest Florida. Panama City is served by Panama City-Bay County International Airport (PFN). With an average of 320 days of sunshine a year and mild temperatures year-round, Panama City capitalizes on its natural assets as a popular beach escape.
