Top of the Strip Beach Tower, Panama City Beach 1990

This authentic 1990s color photograph, captured in 1990, documents the futuristic Top of the Strip (or Top O’ the Strip) observation tower on Front Beach Road in Panama City Beach, Florida. Towering 200 feet above the Gulf Coast, the structure features a distinctive white flared pedestal base and a hexagonal observation deck that once housed a restaurant and lounge. In the foreground, the commercial landscape of the era is represented by a large pylon sign for Carlo’s Pizza and Beer, which also advertised omelets, waffles, seafood, and steaks. The tower was originally opened in April 1966 as part of the Miracle Strip Amusement Park expansion, serving as a signature landmark for the area’s booming roadside tourism. Following significant structural damage from Hurricane Opal in October 1995, the tower was deemed irreparable. It was professionally demolished using explosives on December 9, 1995, to make way for new development. Today, the site has been redeveloped as part of the modern beachfront high-rise corridor, with no trace of the original space-age structure remaining. This factual record captures the tower in its final years as a pinnacle of Panama City Beach’s mid-century skyline. All our images are available as royalty-free instant downloads for use in books, media, and creative projects – or make your own prints for home, work, or as a truly unique gift.