Keaton Beach

[ beach community ] Keaton Beach was named for Abb and Sam Keaton, two brothers who apparently first settled in the area and who were its original owners. It is believed the family owned cotton farms in the area. Mullet, however, soon became a thriving industry in Taylor County. In the early 1900s, mullet was caught off the coast and people from south Georgia and north Florida would come to Keaton Beach to buy fish, which were salted down for use during the winter, providing a staple for their diet. The real commercialization of the beach came when Captain W. Alston "Cap'n" Brown, who owned the turpentine works at Blue Springs Creek, became involved with the area in the early 1920's. The Keaton brothers apparently worked with Brown, and he named the Beach for them. Keaton Beach has had several owners through the years, and is now developed and homes are owned by individual families.

Early on the community consisted of two houses, the pavilion, sawmill, church, commissary and several workers' houses on Blue Creek Spring. The pavilion was constructed by Captain Brown in the early 1900's. Jt was passed on to Walter Howard. It was used by day for Mr. Howard and Mr. Kelly to repair their mullet nets. It was a fun place to square dance at night. It was non-commercial and a place for family and friends to meet. Later the pavilion was used as a fish camp and then a dance hall and restaurant.

Keaton Beach became important for mullet fish and people would come from south Georgia and north Florida and buy fish which had been salted down.

Mr. and Mrs. Stephens purchased the property of Keaton Beach from Clarence Kelly of Madison in 1946. The Stephens family in the 1940's started growth on Keaton as a weekend getaway. The Keaton Beach ,inc. is a company that bought 337 acres of Taylor County Beach that included Keaton. They purchased it from Mr. and Mrs. Stephens. The Keaton Beach restaurant, pavilion and eight cottages were included in the deal. The land area included frontage on the gulf and on Blue Creek.