National Florida Day on January 25 recognizes the 27th state to join the United States.
- The Sunshine State is home to the oldest established city in the country. With over 400 years of history, St. Augustine’s streets and colonial architecture have stories to tell. Founded by Spanish explorers in 1565, visit the city and walk in the same footsteps as 16th-century bishops, ponder the escapades of pirates and the whereabouts of lost gold and learn about the lives of European settlers.
- East and West Florida became the 14th and 15th British Colonies after the end of the French and Indian War in 1763. However, in 1783, after the end of the American Revolutionary War, The Treaty of Paris returned Florida to Spain.
- Dr. John Gorrie of Apalachicola invented mechanical refrigeration in 1851.
- Add to that, more than half the year with partly cloudy to sunny days, the invention of sunblock would be a necessity, too. Hungary born pharmacist, Benjamin Green, invented sunscreen in 1944 which later became a tanning lotion known as Coppertone.
- Launching astronauts into space, Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County,
- Florida was named for the day it was discovered by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, which historians believe was on either Easter or Palm Sunday. He called the land La Florida in honor of Pascua Florida, the Spanish Feast of the Flowers (Easter).
- Florida has more toll roads, bridges, and golf courses than any other state in the nation.
- St. Augustine, Florida is also home to the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.
- The only place in the world where crocodiles and alligators live together is the Florida Everglades.
- Florida produces more tomatoes, strawberries, sugar, and watermelons than any other state.
- No matter where you are in Florida, you’re no more than 60 miles from the ocean. Florida boasts 1,300 miles of coastline and 800 miles of beaches.
- Florida is the top travel destination in the world, with more than 90 million visitors each year. Disney World receives over 45,000 visitors per day.
- Central Florida sees more lightning than anywhere else in the country, and Florida has one of the highest average precipitation (rain) levels of any of the states.
- The United States city with the highest rate of lightning strikes per capita is Clearwater.
- It’s also the most hurricane-prone state and leads the nation in tornadoes per area.
- Greater Miami is the only metropolitan area in the United States whose borders encompass two national parks. You can hike through pristine Everglades National Park or ride on glass-bottom boats across Biscayne National Park.
- A museum in Sanibel owns 2 million shells and claims to be the world’s only museum devoted solely to mollusks
- Gatorade was named for the University of Florida Gators where the drink was first developed.
- Young aviator Tony Jannus made history on January 1, 1914 when he flew the world’s first scheduled passenger service airline flight from St. Petersburg’s downtown yacht basin to Tampa.
- Neil Smith and his brother of Montverde developed the first Snapper riding lawn mower.
- The Walt Disney World Resort is in Florida. It is the planet’s most visited and biggest recreational resort. It was established in 1971 and is about the same size as San Francisco, California.
- Florida has the highest percentage of people over 65.
- Florida has the largest collection of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne buildings in both the United States and the entire world.
- There is only one state embassy in Washington and that is Florida House
- St Johns River, Florida’s largest river is one of only a few major rivers that flow from south to north.
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