Florida Tales

Updated March 7, 2021

Florida tales are stories submitted to our website by visitors or written by us.   Most are written by the website author, but some are from people who yearned to tell us stories from their lives in Florida.

Enjoy these stories about life in Florida.


Florida Snakes Are Usually Harmless. Usually.

If you are going to travel or live in Florida it is useful to know which snakes are okay and which ones to be afraid of.

Florida Birds:  Important Part of Natural Florida 

The state is a birdwatchers paradise.  This guide will help you know what you are looking at.

Hitler's Yacht

Built in 1938 as Ostwind, she ended up in a Jacksonville boat yard and was scrapped in a watery grave off Miami Beach.

Before Jaws There Was Gatorland

Grey May's memories of his visits to Gatorland.

Jackie Gleason's Grave
The great entertainer and actor rests peacefully in Doral, Florida.  His epitaph demonstrates his sense of humor.

Jayne Mansfield:  Florida or Bust!
Greg May's story of Jayne's connections to Florida in her tragically short life.

Lewis Plantation and Turpentine Still
This old tourist attraction did okay for a while. It was not in good taste for the changing times, and finally had to close its doors.

The Mount Dora Unity Archway

The children of Mount Dora got together and created a monument to a beloved woman citizen of the city.

The Galvanized Yankee From Florida
The story of a captured Confederate soldier who was released and served with the Union fighting Indians.

Gator Was His Only Name
An old black man was ready to retire but couldn't prove to social security that he was old enough.

GO TO FLORIDA NOSTALGIA FOR MANY MORE STORIES


Do you have a story about something that happened in Florida? This is where you can write about it. 

We don't have time to do a lot of editing and spell checking , but if your story is accepted you will be notified. If it is not accepted, you will not hear a word from us. We do not send rejection letters.  We also don't pay for stories.

We'd like your story to be at least 200 words long and no longer than 1,000 words. If you have images they should be no bigger than 1.5 MB and 600x800.

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Tell us about it here.

Florida Tales From our Site Vistiors

Click on the Florida article of your interest to see what other visitors to this page have written.

Famous Florida Women Who Shaped the State 
Having grown up about six miles from Eatonville in Goldenrod, and having been active in the Civil Rights movement, I have long been aware of Zora Neale …

Ponce Inlet: Historic Lighthouse Village 
Our family used to stay at Click's Cottages at Ponce Inlet in the 60s and 70s. Frank Click, a retired railroad engineer, had a tropical fish business …

Florida Tale: Northeast Florida State Hospital 
NEFSH is in a beautiful location, and I used to stay at their hospitality house on campus when I volunteered. I have an ill son who improved greatly …

Brevard Good Ole Boys 
Viera is a sprawling Brevard County planned development located between Rockledge and Melbourne on both sides of I-95. Thousands of people live in the …

Mama Sagy's Pleasant View Inn 
In 1968 I was working on the foundation exploration for the new nuclear power plant. It was being built on Hutchinson Island about halfway between Fort …

Tales of Old Tampa Stadium 
A high school friend of mine, Bill Rademacher, died on April 2, 2018. His death brought back memories of the original Tampa Stadium. I graduated from …

Frances Langford's Outrigger Resort 
In 1969 I was working on the foundation investigation for the future St Lucie Nuclear Power Plant on Hutchinson Island. I stayed in nearby Fort Pierce …

Old Wabasso Bridge & Walt Disney World 
To read the full article about the bridge, go to Old Wabasso Bridge This page is for people who would like to comment about their experiences with …

Fort Ogden, Arcadia and Ziba King 
THIS PAGE IS FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON OUR ARTICLE ABOUT FORT OGDEN AND ZIBA KING. READ THE ARTICLE AT: Fort Ogden and Ziba King

Flavet Villages at the University of Florida 
To read the full article about Flavet Villages at the University of Florida, go to: Flavet Villages at University of Florida . The page you are …

Kanapaha Botanical Garden, Gainesville, Florida  
I had seen photos of giant water lily pads in a brochure for the 62 acre Kanapaha Botanical Garden many times. I was especially anxious to see them in …

Lake Apopka Loop Trail 
Not long ago I took a nice day trip to Magnolia Park on County Road 437 south of Apopka. The park straddles the highway; on the west side it fronts on …

La Chua Trail, Paynes Prairie, Gainesville, FL 
Located on the north side of the prairie, not at the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park main entrance on 441 in Micanopy. Pets are not allowed. Open 7 …

Mount Zion Primitive Baptist Church 
This old church was built in 1896 and is on Old US-441 south of Mount Dora right behind a Circle K convenience store. Thousands of motorists go by every …

Eglin Air Force Base: Florida Family History 
Genealogy and family history have always interested me. It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized my family has a link with Eglin Air Force Base …

Theatre of the Sea: A Florida Keys Landmark 
No visit to the Florida Keys was complete without stopping at THEATRE OF THE SEA. Billed as "The World's Second Oldest Marine Life Park", this attraction …

Gamble Plantation Ellenton Florida 
The Gamble Plantation is mentioned in the Heritage section of your website, but I also consider it to be a significant tourist attraction. After the …

The Bee Line Ferry From Bradenton To St Pete 
Do any of you oldtimers remember when the Bee Line Ferry crossed Tampa Bay from Bradenton to St Petersburg? In the old days before the first Sunshine …

Before "Jaws" There Was Gatorland! 
Before Mickey Mouse came to Orlando, the only tourist attraction around to entertain our company was GATORLAND. Walking through the immense open jaws …

Fort Lauderdale
Pier 66 Where Are You?
 
This page is for you to share your memories of Pier 66. You can visit our page on the history of Pier 66 for more information. Pier 66 Remembered …

Old Venus, A Florida Ghost Town 
Take US-27 north out of Moore Haven and it won't be many miles before you come to Palmdale, a sign on the road, and a little bit further is the road that …

Click here to write your own.


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