The area of Florida diminished with the establishment of British colonies to the north and French colonies to the west. Control of parts of Florida passed among Spanish, British, and American control. Spain finally ceded Florida to the United States with the Adams-Onis Treaty in 1819, in exchange for the U.S. renouncing any claims on Texas. On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the United States of America. Florida seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861 and was one of the founding members of the Confederate States of America (CSA, also known as the Confederacy). Florida joined the CSA on February 10, 1861. After the fall of the Confederacy in 1865, Florida was readmitted into the Union on June 25, 1868. Until the mid-twentieth century, Florida was the least populous Southern state. Today, Florida is the fourth most populous state in the Union and second most populous in the South.
The USS Florida was named in honor of this state.
The history of Florida began at least 12,000 years ago, long before it became a U.S. state.
Native American tribes
Native American tribes in Florida included the Apalachee, Calusa, Seminole, Tequesta, and Timucua.
Spanish rule
Several tribes of Native Americans were living in Florida when Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon arrived in 1513, reportedly searching for the Fountain of Youth. He sighted Florida for the first time, mistaking it for an island, on March 27, and subsequently landed on the east coast of the newly discovered land on April 2. He named the land La Pascua Florida, or “the flowery easter” due to the abundant plant life in the area and to the fact that he arrived during the Spanish Easter feast, Pascua Florida.
Ponce de Leon returned with equipment and settlers to start a colony in 1521, but they were driven off by repeated attacks from the native population. Hernando de Soto’s expedition passed through Florida in 1539, and in 1559 Tristan de Luna y Arellano established another brief settlement in Pensacola that was abandoned in 1561. The French began taking an interest in the area, as well, leading the Spanish to accelerate their colonization plans. Jean Ribault led an expedition to Florida in 1562, and Rene Goulaine de Laudonnière founded Fort Caroline near what is now Jacksonville in 1564. San Agustin (St. Augustine in English), founded in 1565 by Pedro Menendez de Aviles, was the first permanent European settlement in the current territory of the United States.
From this base of operations, the Spanish began building Catholic missions throughout what is today the southeastern United States. Menendez de Aviles attacked Fort Caroline, killed all the French soldiers defending it (except Catholics), and renamed the fort San Mateo. Two years later, Dominique de Gourgues recaptured the fort from the Spanish and slaughtered all of the Spanish defenders. In 1586, English sea captain and sometimes pirate Sir Francis Drake plundered and burned St. Augustine.
Throughout the 17th century, English settlers in Virginia and the Carolinas gradually pushed the boundaries of Spanish territory south, while the French settlements along the Mississippi River encroached on the western borders of the Spanish claim. In 1702, English Colonel James Moore and the allied Creek Indians attacked and razed the town of St. Augustine, but they could not gain control of the fort. In 1704, Moore and his soldiers began burning Spanish missions in north Florida and executing Indians friendly with the Spanish. In 1719, the French captured the Spanish settlement at Pensacola.
British rule
In 1763, Spain traded Florida (which, at the time, extended south only to around the area of present day Gainesville) to Great Britain for control of Havana, Cuba, which had been captured by the British during the Seven Years’ War. Almost the entire Spanish population left along with almost all of the remaining indigenous population. The British divided the territory into East Florida and West Florida, and began aggressive recruitment programs designed to attract settlers to the area, offering free land and backing for export-oriented businesses. See West Florida controversy.
In 1767, the British moved the northern boundary of West Florida to a line extending from the mouth of the Yazoo River east to the Chattahoochee River (32° 28′ north latitude), consisting of approximately the lower third of the present states of Mississippi and Alabama.
During this time, there was a migration of Creek Indians into Florida forming the Seminole tribe.
During the American Revolutionary War the Spanish, by that time allied with the French who were actively at war with Britain, took advantage of the distraction and recaptured portions of West Florida, including Pensacola. In 1784, the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War returned all of Florida to Spanish control, but without specifying the boundaries. The Spanish wanted the expanded boundary, while the United States demanded the old boundary at the 31st parallel. In the Treaty of San Lorenzo of 1795, Spain recognized the 31st parallel as the boundary.
Cape Canaveral is located in Brevard County east of Orlando between New Smyrna Beach and Cocoa Beach. Also situated along Highway A1A near the Atlantic seacoast and the Banana River. This area is in the southern limits of the Kennedy Space Center, and north of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
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It’s been called the quintessential beach town, and Cocoa Beach, an hour’s drive east of Orlando on Florida’s beautiful Space Coast, exemplifies everything that a classic beach vacation should be. Nestled between the Space Complexes of the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral to the north and Patrick Air Force Base to the south, Cocoa Beach has been shaped by its association with the Space Program. This relatively small beach, however, is the site of some of the best surfing on the East Coast and the hometown of Kelly Slater, multiple-time world surfing champion. While at the shore, fish from the surf or keep an eye out for frolicking dolphins. In addition, Cape Canaveral is situated close enough to Cocoa Beach that visitors are able to witness the launching of NASA spacecraft.
Cocoa Beach Attractions
Art in public places
Astronaut memorial planetarium & observatory
Bcc/ucf joint use library
Brevard cultural alliance
Brevard museum of art & science
Brevard museum of history and natural science
Brevard symphony orchestra house
Brevard zoo
Canaveral nat’l seashore / m.i. Nat’l wildlife refuge
Cape canaveral recreation complex
Central brevard art center
Cocoa beach parks & rec
Cocoa beach pier
Cocoa beach surfing school
Cocoa expo
F.i.t. Botanical gardennique
Fifth avenue gallery
Florida institute of technology
Florida marlins spring training headquarters
Florida solar energy center
Funntasia fantasy golf
Grant historical house
H.s. Williams house
Harry t. & harriette v. Moore multi-cultural center
Henegar center for the arts
Historic buildings & sites
Historic cocoa village playhouse
Jungle adventures
Kennedy space center visitors complex
Liberty bell memorial museum
Library of the florida historical society
Maxwell c. King center for the performing arts
Melbourne beach pier
Melbourne greyhound park
Phoenix theater
Porcher house
Ron jon surf shop
Sundancer gallery
Surfside playhouse
Titusville playhouse at emma parrish theatre
Traxx at jungle village
U.S. Air force space & missile museum
U.S. Astronaut hall of fame
U.S. Space camp florida
Valiant air command warbird museum
Daytona claims to be the “World’s Most Famous Beach”. We’re not sure about that, or a number of other claims made by various visitor bureaus around the country, but Daytona would have to be on anyone’s short list of very popular beaches. Daytona Beach was renowned for its speedway long before it became the popular beach resort it is today. Auto enthusiasts should visit both the Daytona International Speedway and Daytona USA, a tribute to the history of the speedway. At low tide, it is possible to drive along the hard packed sands of the glorious beach. Daytona Beach has an attractive promenade which lines the oceanfront near the amusement area, by the pier. Sailing, surfing, sailboarding and water skiing are among the area’s water activities.
The beach is famous for many other things besides cars and racing. There are the many very friendly and beautiful people that are always enjoying activities at the beach. With 23 miles to play on people have found an almost unlimited amount of activities. Sunbathing, surfing, frisbee, sandcastle building, people watching, volleyball, swimming, running, bicycling, car cruising, bikini watching, kite flying, picnicing, riding floats, relaxing, riding motorbikes, sitting under umbrellas, looking for shells, sailing, jet sking, skim boarding, fishing, enjoying beauty contests, eating “beach dogs” or snowcones, going up in the space needle, walking the boardwalk, playing video games, enjoying the skyride, taking a giant swing, sail boarding, jogging, enjoying free concerts, comparing tans, meeting new friends, or take a romantic walk on the beach at night with the moonlight sparkling on the water.
Attractions in Daytona A Tiny Cruise Line, 226-2343, 425 S Beach St Daytona Beach Bike Week All the city is alive with harleys’ and harry’s too all having a great time! Birthplace of Speed Museum, 672-5657, 160 E. Granada Blvd Ormond Beach Charter Fishing Critter Fleet, 767-7676, 4950 S Peninsula Dr Daytona Beach Coastal Cruise Lines, 428-0201, 6385 Turtle Mound Rd New Smyrna Beach Critter Fleet Speedboat Rides, 767-7676, 4950 S Peninsula Dr Daytona Beach Daytona Beach Kennel Club, 252-6484, 2201 W Int’l Speedway Blvd Daytona Beach Daytona International Speedway, 947-6764, 1801 W International Speedway Blvd Daytona Beach Daytona 500 Firecracker 400 Daytona USA, 947-6800, 1801 W Int’l Speedway Blvd Daytona Beach Finishline Race Adventures, 427-8522, 3113 S Ridgewood Ave Edgewater Go Kart City, 761-2882, 4114 S Nova Rd Port Orange Halifax Historical Museum, 255-6976, 252 South Beach Street Daytona Beach Inlet Harbor Marina & Restaurant, 767-3266, 133 Inlet Harbor Road Ponce Inlet Joyland Amusement Center, 253-0254, PO Box 265550 Daytona Beach Klassix Auto Museum, 252-3800, 2909 W Int’l Speedway Blvd Daytona Beach Laser Challenge, 676-2629, 620 S Atlantic Ave Ormond Beach Mardi Gras Fun Center, 252-8276, 12 N Ocean Ave Daytona Beach Mary McLeod Bethune Home, 255-1401, Bethune-Cookman College Daytona Beach Museum of Arts and Sciences, 255-0285, 1040 Museum Blvd Daytona Beach Ponce de Leon Lighthouse, 761-1821, 4931 S Peninsula Dr Ponce Inlet Skydive Deland, 738-3539, 1600 Fliteline Blvd Deland Southeast Museum of Photography, 254-4487 Daytona Beach Community College Speed Zone Motor Sports, 253-3278, 201 Fentress Blvd Daytona Beach Spring Break, The entire beachside area is alive with college students The Casements, 676-3216, 25 Riverside Dr. Ormond Beach Walkin’ Charlie’s, 255-2761, 6 North Ocean Avenue Daytona Beach
Fort Pierce, originally an Army post established in 1838, has grown to a city of over 36,000 residents. Fort Pierce is located near the junction of I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike, which makes it an ideal “milepost” to stop and spend the day.
Fort Pierce Attractions
Manatee Observation and Education Center 480 North Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34950, 772-466-1600
Backus Gallery & Museum 500 North Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34950, 772-465-0630
St. Lucie County Historical Museum 414 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34949, 772-462-1795
UDT-SEAL Museum 3300 North Highway A1A, Fort Pierce, FL 34949, Located in Pepper Park, 772-595-1570
Heathcote Botanical Gardens10 Savannah Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34982, 772-464-4672
FPL Energy Encounter Center 6501 South Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34950, 772-468-4111, 877-FPL-4FUN
Hallstrom Planetarium 3209 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, FL 34981, Located at Indian River Community College, 772-462-4750
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution 5600 U.S. Highway 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, 772-465-2400