History of Florida
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The history of Florida starts about 12,000 years ago with the first human inhabitants. Back then, sea level was much lower and the state had a larger land area.
Some of the places that were settled back then by the hunters and gatherers are now submerged.
One of the first things that struck me about Florida when I moved here was how young it was compared to the rest of the country.
By young, I mean most towns and places in Florida (other than Pensacola and St. Augustine) were settled in the years just before and after the Civil War.
Before then, it was a barren state that many people considered to be uninhabitable.
I first lived in north Florida, the home of the
Florida Cracker.
These were true southerners, and I learned a lot about Florida and the southern culture from these people.
As I started to travel around the state, I was inspired to begin collecting vintage Florida postcards.
I now have hundreds, and like to use some of them in this website.
These postcards chronicle the history of Florida in words and pictures. Some of the messages on the back are fun, too.
The history of Florida is a fascinating subject. I find any place I live more interesting if I know it's history. As a result, I have belonged to several of the
Florida historical societies
over the years.I try to throw a bit of the history of Florida and its places into my website.
Most historians break State of Florida history down into at least 11 periods.
See the
Florida History Timeline.
All of the regional pages in this website have brief histories of the areas described. For more history on Florida, check the following links:
- Northwest Florida
- North Central Florida
- Northeast Florida
- Central East Florida
- Central Florida
- Central West Florida
- Southwest Florida
- Southeast Florida
- Florida Genealogy
Some additional histories are available at History of Miami , Naples History, St. Augustine Florida history and Tampa History. Our rich Florida history includes the oldest continuously occupied city in the continental United States, Saint Augustine. Fascinating history, fun attractions, shopping galore and a beautiful beach. To learn more please visit www.st-augustine-travel-guide.com.
Florida's location in the tropics and in "hurricane alley" has had a profound impact on the state's history.
A narrative of the major storms that have hit Florida is at
Florida Hurricane History.
There are many
Florida History Authors
whose works are referenced elsewhere on this website.
Another fun place to visit and learn about the history of the sunshine state is the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee.
If you have a few minutes to spare, I have a powerpoint presentation of Old Florida photographs from the days when most travel was by water. You can download it here.
TELL US A STORY ABOUT FLORIDA HISTORY
We love to hear things about Florida history, whether it's something we already know or something we don't. Please share a story with us!
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Early Floridians Were Green Pioneers
In the early days just before and after the beginning of the twentieth century, most Florida towns did not have electricity.
The first electric plants ...
Mr. Roy I Elkins
My family cleared land around Clear Lake in Cocoa in the early 1950's so that the scouts could have a place to camp!
The story was printed in the Cocoa ...
The Darker Side of Jim Crow Florida Gus was one of the best men I ever knew. He worked for me on one of the soil testing drill rigs that I ran out of Tampa Florida shortly after I graduated ...
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