Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. and the Emerald Coast of Destin, Florida have deep roots. Owner and President, Kevin Leonard Casey, can trace his ancestry back to his mother’s great grandfather, Destin’s founding father, Leonard Destin.
Leonard Destin, his father (George Destin), and his brother set out from New London, Connecticut with their ships and ran into a hurricane near Cape Canaveral, Florida. Two of the ships (carrying Leonard, his father and brother) were lost at sea. Stories had long circulated in the port of New London about the excellent fishing to be found off the Florida coasts. Leonard Destin decided to continue on and look for the best fishing he could find, as well as a place to settle down.
By the late 1870’s Leonard had built a thriving commercial fishing enterprise and employed many people in the area which was then called East Pass. Destin lived here with his family, consisting of 4 sons and 3 daughters, until his death in 1884.
Recently, Kevin Casey and his wife, Celeste, visited New London, Connecticut to retrace history and research his family tree. Below is their personal photo album from this special vacation. For more information about the Destin family history, click HERE.
