1. In 1843, Fort Dallas was established in what is now downtown Miami. The fort was built as a protection against the Seminole Indians during the Second Seminole War, and it served as a trading post and the first permanent settlement in the area.

2. In 1909, the first automobile race was held in Florida on July 19. The race took place at the new Ormond-Daytona Beach highway, which became known as the birthplace of speed.

3. On July 19, 1930, the iconic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables officially opened. The hotel was built in the Mediterranean Revival style and was a popular destination for celebrities and politicians throughout the 1930s.

4. In 1969, astronaut Buzz Aldrin visited Daytona Beach on July 19 to participate in a parade celebrating the success of the Apollo 11 mission, which had just landed the first humans on the moon.

5. On July 19, 2000, the famous Coral Castle in Homestead was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Coral Castle was built in the early 1900s by a Latvian immigrant named Edward Leedskalnin, and it is known for its beautiful stonework and mysterious construction techniques.