Today In History
5 Fun Facts About August 24 In Florida History
Here are 5 interesting facts about August 24 in Florida history: 1. In 1814, during the Second Seminole War, U.S. troops led by General Jackson destroyed the Spanish Fort San Carlos de Barrancas in Pensacola Bay. 2. In 1896, the Florida State Fair Association incorporated and elected its first officers,...
5 Fun Facts About August 23 In Florida History
1. In 1943, the U.S. Navy established the Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida. Today, it is the third-largest naval installation in the country. 2. On August 23, 1971, John Dillinger's girlfriend, Evelyn Frechette, passed away in Melbourne, Florida. Frechette had served two years in prison for harboring Dillinger...
5 Fun Facts About August 21 In Florida History
1. On August 21, 1935, the Category 5 Labor Day Hurricane struck the Florida Keys, causing widespread devastation and loss of life. It remains one of the strongest hurricanes to ever make landfall in the United States. 2. On this day in 1969, the Apollo 11 astronauts made a public...
5 Fun Facts About August 17 In Florida History
1. Hurricane Charley made landfall on August 17, 2004, causing extensive damage in southwest Florida. The Category 4 storm caused over $15 billion in damages and resulted in 35 fatalities. 2. On August 17, 1959, the first section of the Florida Turnpike opened between Fort Pierce and Okeechobee. The turnpike...
5 Fun Facts About August 13 In Florida History
1. On August 13, 1907, the Board of Control of the State of Florida was created. This board oversaw the state's universities and was later replaced by the Board of Governors in 2003. 2. In 1933, Governor David Sholtz signed a bill prohibiting gambling in the state of Florida. This...
5 Fun Facts About August 9 In Florida History
1. In 1565, the Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles established the first permanent European settlement in what is now the United States at St. Augustine, Florida. 2. In 1862, the Battle of Cedar Mountain was fought near Culpeper, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Several Florida units took part...
5 Fun Facts About August 7 In Florida History
1. In 1974, Hurricane Belle struck Florida, causing significant damage and resulting in 13 deaths. 2. On August 7, 1987, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay was struck by a tanker truck, causing a section of the bridge to collapse and resulting in 35 deaths. 3. In 1905, the...
5 Fun Facts About July 31 In Florida History
1. In 1962, the first WalMart store in Florida opened its doors in Titusville. The store was just 18,000 square feet at the time and sold mostly hardware items. 2. July 31, 1981, was the day that Disney's Epcot Center in Orlando opened to the public. The park was Walt...
5 Fun Facts About July 26 In Florida History
1) In 1847, Florida became the first state in the United States to establish a quarantine station in Key West. This move helped prevent the spread of yellow fever and other diseases. 2) On July 26, 1952, the Rollins College radio station, WPRK, began broadcasting in Winter Park. The station...
5 Fun Facts About July 24 In Florida History
1. In 1935, the first commercial flight to land in Miami's new airport arrived on July 24. The airport was named the Pan American Field at Dinner Key and was later renamed Miami International Airport. 2. On July 24, 1954, Hurricane Carol hit Florida’s east coast causing significant damage and...
5 Fun Facts About July 23 In Florida History
1. On July 23, 1821, the United States took possession of Florida from Spain. This event marked the end of Spanish rule in Florida, which had lasted nearly 300 years. 2. On July 23, 1862, the Battle of Gainesville took place during the American Civil War. Confederate forces under the...
5 Fun Facts About July 21 In Florida History
1. In 1875, the first train arrived in Tampa, marking the beginning of Tampa's growth as a major transportation hub in Florida. 2. In 1969, Apollo 11 returned to Earth with the first men to walk on the moon, including Floridian astronaut Buzz Aldrin. 3. In 1932, Amelia Earhart became...