Category Archives: florida history

The Story of Florida Starts With Two Myths

Posted on August 9, 2016 by floridatraveler

The first thing any Florida school child learns about their home state is probably:  While searching for the Fountain of Youth, Ponce de Leon discovered Florida. That’s not just a myth.  It is a Double Myth!  Here is the real … Continue reading →

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Pass-a-Grille: The Original Tampa Bay Beach Town

Posted on August 1, 2016 by floridatraveler

PASS-A-GRILLE BEACH, the Southernmost of Pinellas County’s barrier beaches, was the first beach community on the Gulf of Mexico to develop as a weekend residential spot for successful Tampa and St. Petersburg residents. Originally, home to fishermen, homesteaders, and lumber men like Zephaniah Phillips, the island … Continue reading →

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Florida’s Pirate Legacy: Myth or Reality?

Posted on July 26, 2016 by floridatraveler

Being next to the Great Spanish Gold Fleet routes and the tropical waters of the Caribbean, Floridians love their stories of pirates and buried treasure as much as any region of the United States.  No less than 17 cities celebrate … Continue reading →

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Floridians Love Their Shell Game

Posted on July 18, 2016 by floridatraveler

When people visit Florida, they expect to find good seafood and they are usually not disappointed.  We Floridians love our grouper sandwiches and have competitions to locate the best sandwich in our area. But Floridians really have a thing about … Continue reading →

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Things No One Told You About Florida

Posted on July 12, 2016 by floridatraveler

In the forty years I have taught college students about Florida, there are some facts and information that always surprise the students.   Here are some things that most Floridians are ignorant of or have a false impression. Florida Was Once … Continue reading →

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Florida’s Military Museums Honor Our Veterans and More

Posted on July 6, 2016 by floridatraveler

There are 1.5 million Floridians who served in the United States Armed Forces so it is not surprised that there are dozens of memorial gardens and local museums to honor the military past and present.  My father met my mother … Continue reading →

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Florida’s Best State Parks With Great Beaches

Posted on June 28, 2016 by floridatraveler

Florida has miles and miles of great beaches, but more and more of them are lined with condos and multi-storied hotels.  If you want a Florida beach with a wonderful all-natural view, you might consider a Florida State Park. For … Continue reading →

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Florida and Alligators – A Love-Hate Relationship

Posted on June 19, 2016 by floridatraveler

Last week was a very negative week for the Sunshine State and particularly for Orange County (Orlando) with the mass assassination at the Pulse nightclub and the killing of a two year old Nebraska boy by an alligator at the … Continue reading →

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Unofficial Guide To Florida Beachside Restaurants

Posted on June 13, 2016 by floridatraveler

It’s summertime in Florida and both tourists and locals are heading to Florida’s 663 miles of beach (not shoreline – beach). Part of the sandy excursion for many adults is a stop at a restaurant on the beach for burgers, … Continue reading →

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Craft Brewing Is Big Business In Florida

Posted on June 6, 2016 by floridatraveler

The craft beer industry has boomed in Florida in the last years, even in the Panhandle. Vicente Martinez Ybor not only brought the cigar industry to Tampa (Ybor City) in 1885. he constructed Florida’s first brewing company (1897), the Florida … Continue reading →

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