Florida Trivia & Tidbits - Page 12

Looking for Florida trivia? Try our list Florida little know facts, tidbits and trivia.

The Florida Everglades came under federal protection largely through the efforts of Floridian Ernest F. Coe, called “Father of the Everglades.” President Harry S. Truman dedicated Everglades National Park on Dec. 6, 1947.

first appeared: 12/8/2002

Each year, Rollins College in Winter Park (pop. 24,090) celebrates Fox Day, when students and teachers abandon classes to enjoy a spring day. The tradition began in 1956, when college president Hugh McKean placed a ceramic fox on the lawn and canceled classes.

first appeared: 12/1/2002

Florida’s first shipwreck was discovered in 1992 in Pensacola Bay. Analysts say the ship was part of the expedition of Tristán de Luna, who led the first attempt by Europeans to colonize Florida in 1559.

first appeared: 11/24/2002

Calle Ocho, also known as Miami Carnival, is the nation’s largest Hispanic celebration. It hosts hundreds of thousands of people who come to honor the heritage of Florida’s large Cuban community each March.

first appeared: 11/17/2002

In 1902, car manufacturer Alexander Winton raced against Ransom Olds, founder of the Oldsmobile company on the beach in Dayton. It was the first recorded race in the community, now home to the Daytona 500.

first appeared: 11/10/2002

In the early 1820s, government sessions were alternated between St. Augustine and Pensacola. Since travel between the two cities took almost 20 days, Tallahassee—their midway point—became the capital of Florida in 1824.

first appeared: 11/3/2002

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay boasts the Southeast’s largest and fastest roller coaster, the Kumba. The ride goes 60 mph.

first appeared: 10/27/2002

The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores (pop. 1,705) is the largest nonprofit wild bird hospital in North America. On any given day, about 600 birds reside there.

first appeared: 10/20/2002

Yesterday’s news was good news for Howard Solomon of Ona, who built the exterior of his 1970s castle with discarded newspaper printing plates. The castle includes a tower and moat.

first appeared: 10/13/2002

Marion County boasts 1,200 horse farms and calls itself the “horse capital of the world.”

first appeared: 10/6/2002

In filmmaking’s early days before World War I, Jacksonville rivaled Hollywood with more than 30 movie studios and 1,000 actors and extras.

first appeared: 9/29/2002

The state’s oldest tourist hotel is the 1857 Florida House Inn in Fernandina Beach (pop. 10,549) on Amelia Island. Guests have included Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.

first appeared: 9/22/2002

The St. Joseph Peninsula State Park in Port St. Joe (pop. 3,644) was named America’s best beach in a 2002 ranking by Dr. Stephen Leatherman, a geologist known as “Dr. Beach.”

first appeared: 9/15/2002

The Florida panther, the state animal, is one of the world’s most endangered mammals with only 70 to 80 remaining in the wild.

first appeared: 9/8/2002

The state took its name from a Spanish phrase meaning “feast of flowers.”

first appeared: 9/1/2002

The country’s attention turned to Florida in 1898 as the Spanish-American War began, since Tampa served as the primary staging area for U.S. troops bound for Cuba.

first appeared: 8/25/2002

The sabal palm became the state tree in 1953. Widely used for landscaping because of its universal popularity, the sabal palm also replaced the cocoa palm on the state seal, a decision of the 1970 state Legislature.

first appeared: 8/18/2002

Frostproof (pop. 2,975) was named by cowboys who brought cattle to the region during the winter months to get away from the cold.

first appeared: 8/11/2002

Clearwater got its name from the springs that bubble up in the Gulf of Mexico close to shore, making the water in the vicinity clear.

first appeared: 8/4/2002

Franklin County produces 90 percent of the state’s oyster supply. In a typical year, the oysters harvested in nearby Apalachicola Bay produce enough meat to cover a football field three times over.

first appeared: 7/28/2002

jump to page: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18

newspaper partner login create account

Recent

Popular

Recipes

Below are the most recent American Profile articles:

Below are the most recent, highest rated American Profile articles:

Below are the most recent, highest rated American Profile recipes:

Relish

Spry

Below are the most recent articles from our Relish sister site. Click on the "Spry" tab above to see the most recent articles from our other sister site.

Below are the most recent articles from our Spry sister site. Click on the "Relish" tab above to see the most recent articles from our other sister site.