The sugar industry in Florida's emergence can be traced to the late 1800s, but it was not until the early 20th century that it began to flourish. Hamilton Disston's drainage operations in the late 19th century played a crucial role, as they attempted to convert the southern part of Florida, including the Everglades, into arable land for cultivation. However, these early endeavors met with limited success due to the challenging conditions of the swampy Everglades. The real catalyst for the sugar industry came after World War I, when the U.S. government sought to incentivize domestic production to counteract the shortage of sugar imported from war-torn Europe. The Emergency Tariff of 1921 and the Fordney-McCumber Tariff of 1922 provided the impetus...
Welcome to the little slice of Floridian paradise that is New Smyrna Beach – a seaside community where the sands are as warm as the local's smiles, and the waves nod a greeting as they lap the shore. Nestled on the central east coast of Florida, this charming beach town is more than just a sunbather's haven; it's steeped in history that's as rich as the suntan lotion aroma in the air. Whether you're here to write your own chapter in its story or simply to leave footprints on its 17 miles of pristine sand, New Smyrna Beach is a destination that beckons you to stay awhile and explore. As you meander down historic Flagler Avenue, you can't help but...
In the 1950s, the eyes of the United States turned to a sliver of land jutting into the Atlantic Ocean along Florida's coast—Cape Canaveral. The journey to establish this site as a premier location for missile testing and space exploration was driven by both strategic imperatives and visionary foresight. Cape Canaveral's selection as the nation's missile testing ground was no coincidence; it was underpinned by a confluence of geographical factors. Located closer to the equator than any other part of the continental United States, the cape offered the invaluable advantage of increased rotational velocity. This geographical boon meant that rockets launched from Cape Canaveral could harness additional velocity from the Earth’s spin, thereby requiring less fuel to reach the necessary...
Baseball in Florida is a vibrant tapestry, rich with the stitches of history and the colors of a deeply ingrained sporting culture. In the Sunshine State, baseball is not just a game; it's a seasonal rite, a nurturer of communities, and a beacon for talents under the balmy skies that have long attracted athletes and enthusiasts alike. From the very first crack of the bat echoing through a rudimentary diamond carved out of a Floridian pasture, to the roar of crowds in state-of-the-art stadiums, the sport has been both a mirror and a catalyst for growth within the state. In this narrative, we journey through the various facets of baseball in Florida. We gtart with the early beginnings of the...
The Golden Age of Piracy, a period that stretched from the late 1600s to the early 1700s, was an era characterized by the rampant presence of buccaneers and privateers who ruled the waves, plundering ships and coastal settlements with relative impunity. The waters of the Caribbean Sea, alongside the Atlantic coastlines of North America, formed the prime canvas upon which the Golden Age was painted. Florida, with its extensive coastline snaking from the treacherous shoals of the Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico to the maze of inlets and keys stretching to the northern reaches near St. Augustine, emerged as a theater of operations for pirate activities. Florida's appeal to pirates was multifaceted. Geographically, the peninsula was situated like...
