Here are five interesting facts about March 18 in Florida history:

1. In 1937, the Lake Okeechobee Hurricane struck South Florida, causing significant damage and claiming over 2,500 lives.

2. In 1952, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit the Florida-Georgia border, causing damage to several buildings and homes.

3. In 1959, comedian and actor Pee-wee Herman, whose real name is Paul Reubens, was born in Sarasota, Florida.

4. In 1994, the Florida Panthers played their first-ever NHL game, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 at Miami Arena.

5. In 2019, NASA's Mars Opportunity Rover mission officially ended, after operating on the Red Planet for over 15 years. The rover was built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, but the mission was managed by NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.