Florida

Once known as Gasparilla Island, Boca Grande has become one of the best places to vacation and live.

Life on Gasparilla Island once had a very different rhythm. With a past intimately tied to Charlotte Harbor and the rich fishing grounds it provided, Gasparilla Island was, in its early history, the site of a small fishing village and a commercial fishery. The discovery of phosphate deposits in the region and the introduction of the railroad soon increased the pace of life, and a thriving port was built on the island's south end. As the twentieth century dawned and the Florida boom loomed on the horizon, the town of Boca Grande began to hum with the activity of a rapidly growing population. Though much has changed through the years--the little fishing village has vanished, the estimable Boca Grande Hotel is gone, and the once bustling port is now a state park--much of the region's unique history continues to inform the modern landscape. The venerable lighthouse, constructed in 1890, now serves as a museum of local history, and the grand Gasparilla Inn still stands firmly upon its original 1911 site. Those who now call Boca Grande home cherish it for the same island magic that fishermen and railroad officials recognized long ago: its unspoiled natural beauty, inviting climate, world-class fishing, and welcoming community.

Preserved in these pages are the rich and storied history of the scenic waterfront town of Panama City Beach.

In a collection of nostalgic and lighthearted vignettes, local author Jeannie Weller Cooper recounts the history of Panama City Beach, the barrier islands and beach for old Panama City. First inhabited by Native Americans in the years before the Spanish arrived in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Panama City Beach has always proved a good hideout for fugitives, from Native Americans fleeing from European invaders to runaway slaves, Civil War soldiers, outlaws and rumrunners. In 1929, the first Hathaway Bridge was completed; connecting Greater Panama City to the beach, but the lagoon and the beach remained a sleepy curiosity until the bombing of Pearl Harbor mobilized the United States to war. Now Panama City Beach is home to thousands of residents, as well as being a renowned tourist destination.

Gear up for a frightful journey into the mysterious Ocala National Forest.

Central Florida is known as the happiest place on Earth. But an hour’s drive from the amusement parks lies a forest swirling with mystery. For generations, locals have whispered about a dark energy coming from the Ocala National Forest and drifting into nearby towns. Supernatural beasts and apparitions. Ghost lights galore. From cults to monsters to the spirts of those who ventured in yet never reemerged, the woods have long been a source of rumor and tragedy. The vengeful Coyote Woman who dispatches those with evil natures. The soldier of Fort King who vanishes when addressed. The spectral monk of Astor, on the hunt for his killer. Author and folklorist Christopher Balzano takes readers among the trees and beyond to offer a glimpse into the true stories, urban legends and haunted folklore whispered among the residents of these deep woods..

Florida's swamps and sands hide a rich history and strange stories abound. Whether you live in the state or just have a fascination with its unique background these are stories to surprise and fascinate.

Florida has a history as diverse as its residents. And much of that is still hidden. Since the arrival of the Spanish in 1513, the state has played host to strange stories. A heartbroken senator entered a mental institution over unrequited love for an heiress. Thousands of British pilots trained in flight schools across the state. And the true, and darker, story of Pocahontas is linked with the "first barbecue." Author and historian James C. Clark unearths a history hidden beneath swamps and sand for years.

Welcome to Florida! Follow parent and child alligators as they explore the wonders of the Sunshine State together. From the panhandle to the Florida keys and from the gulf coast to the Atlantic Ocean, the pair enjoys the sun, the sand, and the surf. They visit amusement parks, water ski, and cheer on nine sports teams! Whether gliding through the Everglades or enjoying fresh oranges, our scaly tour guides will remind children and their parents of their own great visit to Florida.Bestselling author Martha Day Zschock is an artist and former elementary teacher with a passion for helping children explore new places. The Hello! series illustrates how exploring real places yields new discoveries. Through these journeys, kids can explore and become experts on the world they see inside and outside the book, through the engaging, bright, and detailed illustrations. For ages 0-3. Made in the USA.

Author Jeff Suwak guides readers on a tour of the often overlooked and all-but-forgotten components of Amelia Island history .

Beneath the sands and cobblestones of Amelia Island lies a richness of history disproportionate to the location's relatively small size. The bones of this place are composed of pirate treasures literal and metaphorical, remnants of ancient Timucuan Indians, a grim role in the illegal slave trade, tales of bravery and madness, and a scene for the triumph of the human spirit. Eight different flags have flown over Amelia Island. It was an important stage in the 1812 Patriot War, which most people have long forgotten. From Gregor MacGregor to Abraham Lincoln Lewis, characters strange and inspiring have left their mark in this island's psychic currents. Dead in some ways, they're still here in others, etched into the land itself and waiting to be discovered. Let's go find them .

Author Robert Redd traces the pivotal moments of the fight for Civil Rights in Florida.

The rights of all people are the rock upon which our American society is grounded. The state of Florida has many important stories in the fight for equality for women, African Americans, the elderly, and the LGBTQ community. Revisit the heroic efforts of Mary McLeod Bethune, the integration of Major League Baseball, the tragic failure of the Equal Rights Amendment, the change in how hurricanes are named, Civil Rights violence in St. Augustine, and more. Florida has often made national headlines in regards to Civil Rights activities. There's ample progress to celebrate, but the struggle continues. As the third most populous state in the country, actions here have an impact nationwide .

Author Joy Sheffield Harris guides readers on an architectural tour through the religious diversity of the Sunshine State .

Over 200 years have passed since the first Florida church was established and today the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine has been restored to capture its original beauty. Pioneer Village Church at Shingle Creek is home to a replica of one the first churches built in the Kissimmee, the St. John's Episcopal Church. The former St. Paul's By-The-Sea is now the deconsecrated Beaches Chapel at The Beaches Museum and History Park in Jacksonville Beach. Travel throughout the state or enjoy the beauty of these and many more churches without leaving home.

Lauderdale-By-The-Sea depicts the engaging history of this oceanfront community.

Located on Florida's Gold Coast, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is noted for its beach activities, living reef system, and family-oriented lifestyle. The quiet beauty of the sea and sand amid friendly low-rise lodgings and quaint stores and restaurants draws visitors to this thriving paradise year-round. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea developed slowly around the original platted land set down by William F. Morang in 1924 as he and others promoted a land boom. The completion of the Flagler Railroad by 1900 paved the way for regional growth. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea lacked a railroad terminal and remained undeveloped in the early years. Melvin I. Anglin pioneered in chartering the town in 1927 and became its first mayor. Two hurricanes and the 1929 stock market crash burst the real estate bubble, leading to the demise of the charter in 1933. In 1947, citizens drew up a new charter that was certified by the state legislature two years later. Construction of the Anglin Pier in 1941 and the Commercial Boulevard Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway in 1965 broke down the isolation of the town. Annexation of the unincorporated area north to Pompano Beach completed its growth cycle.

MacDill Air Force Base--through global war, regional conflicts, and counterinsurgencies--has repeatedly answered the clarion call to arms and proven itself to be an unrivaled military juggernaut within America's strategic arsenal.

MacDill Air Force Base was first recognized as a suitable location for an airfield by US Army aviators flying mock warfare maneuvers over Tampa in May 1938. Satisfying the US War Department's geographical requirements for providing air defense of America's southern Atlantic coast and supporting air operations over the Caribbean, the site was approved in July 1939 to become the location for the Army Air Force-planned Southeast Air Base. It was later renamed MacDill Field in honor of Army Air Force aviator and pioneer Col. Leslie MacDill. The base was formally dedicated on April 16, 1941, and B-17 Flying Fortress and B-26 Marauder combat crewmen began training in the business of making war. From bomber and tactical fighter wings to combatant commands and aerial refueling squadrons,

Pine Island is tucked between the mainland of southwest Florida and Sanibel and Captiva islands, only 17 miles long and accessible by a single drawbridge.

The community of Pine Island is a rare and lingering remnant of old Florida, with many praising it as the new Key West. The island's shores are home to mangroves teaming with fish instead of crowded beaches, making it a major destination for sport fishing enthusiasts and providing a livelihood for the independent commercial fishing families of the island. Strolling the lazy street to Bokeelia's famous fishing pier, or exploring an active Calusa Indian archeological site in Pineland, the crowds and tourist-related glitz common to most of Florida's islands are nowhere to be found, leaving visitors to discover Pine Island's unspoiled beauty at their own pace.

Protruding further out into the Atlantic than any other point along Florida's east coast, Jupiter has long served as a port of call for sailors, settlers, tourists, and the occasional hurricane.

Before the famous Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse began sending flashes of warning to those at sea in 1860, Spanish explorers, Black and Seminole inhabitants, and early American pioneers began building their own histories there, contributing to the consciousness and pride of residents today.

This pictorial history of Islamorada illustrates the people, places, and events that have shaped the area's cultural and natural history.

The name Islamorada came to fruition after Henry Flager's engineer, William Krome, purchased 15 acres of Upper Matecumbe property in 1907. When he registered his parcel as a town site, he called it Islamorada. A faded newspaper clipping, with May 7, 1907, handwritten in the far right corner, reported: ""On the northern end of Upper Matecumbe Key a new town known as Islamorada has sprung into existence. . . . It is believed that Islamorada will become an important tourist stopping place in winter as the location is beautiful and the fishing convenient and excellent."" Today, Islamorada refers to a collection--a community--of islands that includes Plantation, Windley, Upper Matecumbe and Lower Matecumbe Keys, as well as two islands designated as state parks, Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key. While Islamorada has always been known for its fishing, these islands boast some serious history, too.

Discover the picturesque communities of Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach, one of the most popular and beloved travel destination on Flordia's coast.

The history of Central Brevard County is almost as long and complicated as the geographical borders of the county itself. Stretching north and south for 77 miles, Brevard County is a thin strip of land, barely 20 miles across at its widest point. Within these narrow confines, however, diverse and dynamic communities have left their marks and many continue to flourish, among them Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach. Only 32 miles in length, Merritt Island was once a scrub-covered parcel of land settled by hardy pioneers who raised cattle and cultivated citrus, vegetable, and pineapple crops. Though now a commercial and residential center, the careful observer can still find, tucked away in hammocks along the shore and surrounded by million-dollar homes, the old citrus groves, simple homes built by early settlers, and the remnants of small communities that were once hubs of activity. Cocoa Beach owes much of its story to the vision and energy of a single man, Gus Edwards, who promoted the area as a resort to rival the communities of Miami Beach and Venice. With the coming of the space
program to Florida's Atlantic coast in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the area built upon elaborately drawn subdivision plats and a few scattered buildings to become the bustling modern city it is today.

Once the third-largest port on the Gulf of Mexico, Apalachicola's diverse and colorful past remains visible today.

This delightful little fishing village has a warm and friendly atmosphere, making it even more appropriate that Apalachicola's name is a Native American word meaning ""friendly people."" When Apalachicola was established in 1831, its major industry was cotton export, and the city soon became an important port on the Gulf of Mexico. When the railroads expanded throughout the United States, Franklin County developed several large lumber mills to harvest and process wood from the surrounding cypress forests. These lumber magnates built many of the magnificent historic homes that still line Apalachicola's streets today. With more than 900 historic homes and buildings in the National Register Historic District, visitors are invited to stroll along the picturesque, tree-lined streets where Victorian homes display the charm of years gone by.

These pictorial images of Greek heritage illustrate the people and events that have shaped the culture and history of Tarpon Springs.

Beginning in 1905, large numbers of Greeks from the Dodecanese and Saronic Gulf islands settled in Tarpon Springs to work in the sponge business. They significantly expanded the industry and changed Tarpon Springs forever. Greektown flourished with residences, stores, churches, restaurants, and recreational facilities stretching from the sponge docks to downtown. Sponge fishing and related activities served as the economic base for the community. By 1913, as many as half of Tarpon Springs residents were reputedly Greek, and many businesses displayed both Greek and American flags. Today, Tarpon Springs' Greek community preserves a strong ethnic and maritime heritage. While some major US cities have a larger Greek population, no other has a greater percentage with Greek heritage than Tarpon Springs.

Beyond the sunny shores and emerald waters of Panama City, restless spirits lurk.

The ghosts that haunt this lovely city are reminders of Florida's past: the battles, murders, and destructive acts of nature that took the lives of countless men and women. Staff at the City Center for the Arts can still hear the footsteps of inmates pacing the cells of the Old County Jail that once occupied the grounds, and a phantom known as Virginia still frequents the elevators of the historic Bay County Courthouse. Not all spirits bring doom and gloom, however--one local family learned how to befriend the resident ghost of their new home that was fond of whistling at night. Using extensive research and interviews, author Beverly Nield details the ghastly history of haunted Panama City.