1. In 1849, a hurricane hit Key West and destroyed the Custom House, which was rebuilt in 1891 and is now a National Historic Landmark and a museum.

2. In 1933, an estimated 3,000 people gathered in Miami’s Bayfront Park to participate in a “Scrapping Bee,” where people donated scrap metal for the construction of the Liberty Ships during World War II.

3. In 1952, the University of Miami hired its first African American faculty member, Frank Otis Bowman, who became a pioneering professor of geography.

4. In 1990, the Florida Panthers played their first-ever NHL game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the brand new Miami Arena, winning 4-4 in overtime.

5. In 2005, Hurricane Wilma made landfall in Southwest Florida, causing significant damage to the region and killing 25 people across the state.