In 1978, 1979, and 1980 my family and I went to Panama City Beach three summers in a row, staying at long-gone motels. Back then, the area between Destin and Panama City Beach was sparsely populated. I think the highway was at least partially two-lane. Has it been realigned? Did it once go through what is now Watercolor and Seagrove? God bless.
US 98 was never along Walton CR 30A. Current CR 30A was pieced together from portions of SRs 393, 83 and 395 (a couple of those were most likely Secondary Routes) in 1960.