June
June 1, 1937
Amelia Earhart leaves Miami on doomed voyage Earhart remains an iconic and inspirational figure, with her name gracing streets, schools and airports around the nation and Amelia Earhart scholarships and awards giving out annually. June 2, 2008 Rock icon Bo Diddley, 79, dies at his home in Archer The Bo Diddley beat can be heard on countless records, including "Wille and the Hand Jive" by Johnny Otis Show, "Hey Little Girl" by Brownsville Station, "Shame Shame Shame" by Shirley and Company, "Volcano" by Jimmy Buffet, "Please Go Home" by the Rolling Stones, and "Faith" by George Michael, to name just a very few. June 3, 1961 Arrest made in case that leads to 'right to an attorney' In 1963, the Supreme Court ruled that every poor person charged with a felony had a right to free counsel for his defense. June 4, 1939 Jewish refugee ship turned away from Florida coast The ship was so close to the U.S., passengers could see the lights of Miami. It was anchored four miles off Miami Beach when Coast Guard boats approached and escorted it away. June 5, 2013 Zephyrhills woman, 84, claims record Powerball prize She took her prize in a $370 lump sum and netted about $278 million after federal taxes. June 6, 1990 Federal judge rules 2 Live Crew album 'obscene' The ruling touched off a fierce debate over what constitutes obscenity in popular music, and in fact whether a music album could be obscene. June 7, 1928 Tampa elections workers shot in failed ballot box heist Ballot fraud was a way of life during this era in Hillsborough as ballot boxes were regularly stuffed with fake votes, or actual vote totals were ignored and results fabricated to favor candidates friendly to the gangsters. June 8, 1888 First train rolls into terminus 'St. Petersburg' Peter Demens was so proud he named the terminus St. Petersburg, after Saint Petersburg, Russia, where he had spent half his youth. June 9, 1903 Fire destroys Flagler's Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach Opened in 1896, the Breakers burned on June 3, 1903 and was quickly rebuilt by the following year. June 10, 1991 S. Fla. learns it will get major league baseball team The news was stunning to baseball supporters in St. Petersburg, which had already built a stadium specifically to lure an expansion franchise to the area, which had hosted spring training for decades. June 11, 1953 Sabal palmetto palm becomes official state tree The cold-hardy tree has been used for food, shelter, roads across swamps, wharf pilings, hats, baskets, pocketbooks and brooms. June 12, 1913 With first bridge, Miami Beach is open for business At the time, it was the longest wooden bridge in the country -- two and a half miles. It required 2,100 pilings and cost more than $150,000. June 13, 1974 Gov. Askew appoints first female Cabinet member The governor followed his announcement by planting a big kiss on Mrs. Glisson's cheek. Not to be outdone, Stone, the man she is replacing, followed up with a full smooch on the lips. June 14, 1966 Miami, St. Pete set record for longest baseball game The game began at 7:30 a.m. with 740 fans watching and ended at 2:29 a.m. with just 150 still in the stands. June 15, 1822 Jacksonville founded, named after Andrew Jackson Happy Birthday, Jacksonville! You are one of Florida's oldest communities and remain its largest and one of its most important cities. June 16, 1955 Judge Chillingworth and his wife go missing Florida residents woke up to the first story in what would become a years-long kidnapping mystery and murder trial June 17, 1942 German U-boat saboteurs land at Ponte Vedra Beach Their mission: To join up with four other saboteurs who had came ashore at Long Island, N.Y. and disperse throughout the United States, blowing up key infrastructure, including electric plants, bridges, train stations, water facilities and factories. June 18, 1983 Sally Ride becomes first American woman in space Ride was selected to become an astronaut in 1978 after she responded to an advertisement in the Stanford University student newspaper seeking applicants for the space program. June 19, 1972 Hurricane Agnes makes landfall in Panhandle In the U.S. as a whole, 119 people died and damages were estimated at $3 billion. Today, Agnes ranks as the 10th costliest hurricane in U.S. history. June 20, 2003 Wikipedia established as non-profit in St. Petersburg As of 2013, the company had $45 million in assets, employed 142 people and ranks in the top five of the world's most visited websites with 16 billion page views a month. June 21, 1926 Miami barbers don't want to be called 'chirotonsors' Promotion of the term in the early 20th century coincided with efforts to professionalize and elevate the public's perception of the barber industry. June 22, 1990 Florida ban on thong bikini takes effectA Pompano Beach swim shop owner gathered hundreds of signatures protesting the ban but relaxed when told it only applied to state parks and not public beaches June 23, 1938 Marine Studios, 'world's first oceanarium,' opens The iconic attraction enjoyed several decades as one of Florida's most popular until Sea World opened in 1973 near Disney World. June 24, 1987 S. Fla's most famous resident, Jackie Gleason, dies at 71 Publicist Hank Meyer lured Gleason to bring his show to Miami Beach by promising he could play golf year-round June 25, 1981 Dolphins QB Bob Griese retires after 14 seasons Bob Griese and Coach Don Shula made the Dolphins one of the NFL's glamour teams in the early 1970s, helping the league explode in popularity following the NFL-AFL merger. June 26, 1964 Governor orders extra police into riot-torn St. Augustine "Hundreds of white segregationists raced into a civil rights march last night, screaming and flailing at Negroes in this city's worst outbreak of racial violence," the Associated Press reported. June 27, 1964 State tells Daytona: Stop price-gouging your tourists! Daytona Beach can be like an unkempt uncle who has to be taken aside from time to time and reminded how to behave. June 28, 1911 President Taft creates Big Cypress Indian Reservation The 81,000 square-mile reservation is the largest of six Seminole reservations in Florida and has a population of 591, according to the 2010 Census. June 29, 1931 Monticello records hottest-ever Florida temperature, 109° Record high of 109 set in Monticello. But it was a chilly 87 in Miami. June 20, 1975 Cher marries former Daytona Beach resident Gregg Allman America scratched its head and said, "huh?" |
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Florida History Today
- TB Times: St. Augustine coming to grips with civil rights history
- Strawberry Festival organizers collecting material for new history book
- Tarpon Springs' Greektown added to National Register as Traditional Cultural Property
- Volunteers begin cleanup of historic Ocala cemetery
- Jax museum presents 'Megalodon,' biggest-ever shark
- Proposed museum switch generates anger in St. Pete
- Report: Ocala's original cemetery lying in ruins
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seeking camera-wielding Elvis fans
- Service of Florida Jews in World War II focus of new WLRN doc
- Seventeen honored for Big Bend preservation efforts
- Long dresses, long pants, no shorts: Life before AC was uncool
- Sunken shipwrecks are being turned into "parks" off Florida coast
- Run-down Dunedin hotel to be rebuilt in same architectural style
- Painting at Ringling Museum leads scholar to discover slavery roots of Spanish painter Juan de Pareja
- Hampton Inn in downtown Bradenton gets state historic preservation award
- Civil War re-enactment draws criticism in Holly Hill
- New documentary spotlights Anna Maria Historic Green Village
- Tampa-area NAACP launching effort to save historic rooming house
- Ride on "America's Movie Train" this weekend in Ocoee, Winter Garden
- Tampa's historic Kress building set for reimagination
- 67-year-old shipwreck off Florida identified
- Florida History Today - Project studies South Florida native communites
- Florida History Today - Tarpon Springs halts Sponge Docks upgrades
- Florida History Today - Compromise reached on Tequesta circles preservation
- Florida History Today - Sears homes remembered in Sanibel
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On this day in Florida history - August
- Aug. 15, 1887 - Eatonville becomes one of first all-black towns in U.S.
- Aug. 13, 2004 - Hurricane Charley kicks off unusually active 'cane year
- Aug. 12, 1981 - Developed in Boca Raton, first PC released by IBM
- Aug. 11, 1987 - Santeria church vows to sacrifice animals despite Hialeah ban
- Aug. 10, 1981 - Tragic discovery confirms death of missing Adam Walsh, 6
- Aug. 9, 1956 - Reporters look down noses covering Elvis in Daytona Beach
- Aug. 8, 1896 - Cross Creek, Yearling author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings born
- Aug. 6, 1868 - Great Seal of the State of Florida adopted by Legislature
- Aug. 5, 1763 - Britain takes over Pensacola, expands slavery over two-decade Fla. rule
- Aug. 4, 1842: U.S. gives free Florida land to settlers willing to fight Seminoles
- Aug. 1, 1939 - Florida Highway Patrol formed; to begin with 60 troopers
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On this day in Florida history - July
- July 31, 1962 - Actor, tax evader Wesley Snipes born in Orlando
- July 30, 1956: Delta Burke, star of tabloids and television, born in Orlando
- July 28, 1896: With railroad into town, city of Miami incorporated
- July 27, 1816: U.S. forces obliterate 300+ free blacks, Indians at 'Fort Negro'
- July 26, 1876 - Daytona incorporated, named after founder Matthias Day
- July 25, 1884 - St. Petersburg Times debuts as West Hillsborough Times
- July 25, 1957 - Country star, actress Pam Tillis born in Plant City
- July 23, 1836 - Cape Florida Lighthouse attacked by Seminoles
- July 22, 1964 - First 536 home lots sold in new city of Coral Springs
- July 21, 1821 - St. Johns and Escambia become first two Florida counties
- July 20, 1969 - U.S. astronauts walk on the moon
- July 19, 1952 - Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins is born; stardom and tragedy await
- July 18, 1940 - Winners of St. Pete mayor's safety slogan contest announced
- July 17, 1821 - Spain officially transfers Florida to United States
- July 16, 1943 - Former 'Canes, Dolphins, Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson born
- July 15, 1997 - Killer gigolo guns down Gianni Versace at South Beach mansion
- July 14, 1921 - Florida's most famous 'cracker cowboy' dies at 58
- July 13, 1927: Officials dump $250k in liquor into Gulf Stream
- July 10, 1972 - First of two major party conventions opens in Miami Beach
- July 9, 1957 - Pass-a-Grille and three other towns form St. Pete Beach
- July 8, 2011 - Last space shuttle launched from Cape Canaveral
- July 7, 1983 - 'Operation Everglades' drug bust rocks Everglades City
- July 6, 2003 - 'Hillbillies' star Buddy Ebsen, raised in Orlando, dies at 95
- July 5, 1928 - Elks begin arriving for 1st Florida national convention
- July 4: Florida celebrates America's Independence Day
- July 3, 1971 - Doors singer, Melbourne native Jim Morrison dies
- July 2, 1961: Key West icon Ernest Hemingway dies; cats live on
- July 1, 1951: St. Pete woman's burning death baffles investigators
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On this day in Florida history - June
- June 1, 1937 - Amelia Earhart leaves Miami to begin final voyage
- June 2, 2008 - Bo Diddley, 79, dies at his home in Archer
- June 3, 1961 - Arrest made in case that leads to 'right to an attorney'
- June 4, 1939 - Jewish refugee ship turned away from Florida coast
- June 5, 2013 - Zephyrhills woman, 84, claims $590 million Powerball jackpot
- June 6, 1990 - Broward Judge rules 2 Live Crew album 'obscene'
- June 7, 1928 - Two elections workers shot in Tampa ballot box heist
- June 8, 1888 - First train rolls into terminus "St. Petersburg"
- June 9, 1903 - Flagler's Breakers Hotel burns down in Palm Beach
- June 10, 1991 - South Florida learns it will get new major league baseball team
- June 11, 1953 - Sabal Palmetto palm becomes Florida's state tree
- June 12, 1913: With first bridge, Miami Beach is open for business
- June 13, 1974 - Askew appoints first female Cabinet member
- June 14, 1966 - FSL's Miami and St. Pete set record for longest baseball game
- June 15, 1822: City of Jacksonville founded, named after Andrew Jackson
- June 16, 1955 - Judge Chillingworth and wife go missing
- June 17. 1942 - German U-boat saboteurs land at Ponte Vedra Beach
- June 18, 1983 - Sally Ride becomes first American woman in space
- June 19, 1972 - Hurricane Agnes makes landfall in Panhandle
- June 20, 2003 - Non-profit Wikipedia established in St. Petersburg
- June 21, 1926 - Miami barbers don't want to be called 'chirotonsors'
- June 22, 1990 - Florida bans thong bikinis in state parks
- June 23, 1938 - Marine Studios, 'world's first oceanarium,' opens
- June 24, 1987 - S. Fla's most famous resident, Jackie Gleason, dies at 71
- June 25, 1981 - Dolphins QB Bob Griese retires after 14 seasons
- June 26, 1964 - Governor orders extra police to riot-torn St. Augustine
- June 27, 1964 - State tells Daytona: Stop price-gouging your tourists
- June 28, 1911 - Big Cypress Indian Reservation created by President Taft
- June 29, 1931 - Monticello hits 109 degrees -- hottest-ever for Florida
- June 30, 1975 - Cher marries Daytona Beach's favorite son Gregg Allman
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On this day in Florida history - May
- May 1, 1562 - Jean Ribault arrives at St. Johns River, claims Florida for France
- May 2, 1936 - Panama City Beach incorporated in Bay County
- May 3, 1901 - Jacksonville burns to the ground
- May 4, 1990 - Execution goes awry as flames, smoke shoot from head
- May 5, 1961 - Alan Shepard becomes first American in space
- May 6, 1965 - Rolling Stones play Clearwater, write 'Satisfaction' riff
- May 7, 1940 - Voting machine shortages create long wait at polls
- May 8, 1923 - Killings of work camp prisoners detailed in hearing
- May 9, 1981 - Sinkhole swallows house, five Porsches in Winter Park
- May 10, 1781 - Spanish Gen. Bernardo de Gálvez captures Pensacola
- May 11, 1996 - ValuJet Flight 592 crashes into Everglades
- May 12, 1997 - Tornado hits Miami, poses for photos, videos
- May 13, 1955 - Jax fans chase Elvis after show, tear off his clothes
- May 14, 1973 - Skylab launches new era of space study...and toys
- May 15, 1947 - Florida State College for Women goes co-ed, renamed FSU
- May 16, 1929 - Lake City mob lynches grocer after wife shoots chief
- May 17, 1980 - Not guilty verdict triggers three days of rioting in Miami
- May 18, 1955 - Educator Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune dies
- May 19, 2004 - Drugstore chain owner Jack Eckerd dies at 91
- May 20, 1913: Henry Morrison Flagler dies in his home at Palm Beach
- May 21, 1956 - Police close beach after catching black, white teens talking
- May 22, 1931 - Canned rattlesnake goes on sale from Arcadia
- May 23, 1898 - School for Deaf & Blind issues first diplomas
- May 24, 1931 - Writer develops Planet of the Apes storyline for Miami
- May 25, 1961 - JFK challenges nation to land on moon within decade
- May 26, 1845 - Florida holds first statewide election
- May 27, 1965 - Mysterious land deal near Orlando revealed
- May 28, 1935 - Now controversial "Old Folks At Home" becomes state song
- May 29, 1967 - Woman jailed after 25 kids found in station wagon
- May 30, 1989: Claude Pepper dies after 60 years of public service
- May 31, 1539 - DeSoto comes to Florida, changes continent forever
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On this day in Florida history - April
- April 1, 1926 - Air Mail service begins in four Florida cities
- April 2, 1513 - Juan Ponce de Leon lands in Florida
- April 3, 2006 - Gators basketball team win first-ever national title
- April 4, 1933 - NASCAR 2nd generation leader Bill France Jr. is born
- April 5, 1925 - 'Great Miami Tornado' kills 5, destroys 250 homes
- April 6, 1959 - Seminole Tribe votes to support building "Alligator Alley"
- April 7, 1890 - Author, Everglades crusader Marjorie Stoneman Douglas born
- April 8, 1923 - News of "lost" Tamiami trail blazers heats up
- April 9, 1921 - Whites kicked out of West Palm Beach "colored" town
- April 10, 1766 - John Bartram ends journey through Carolinas, Ga., Florida
- April 11, 1986 - FBI shootout in Dade prompts cops' need for more powerful guns
- April 12, 1981 - Space Shuttle launched for first time
- April 13, 1951 - Marion County sheriff killed by forged check suspect
- April 14, 1528 - Bumbling conqueror Pánfilo de Narváez lands near Tampa
- April 15, 1896 - Henry Flagler's railroad arrives in Miami for first time
- April 16, 1915 and 1917 - Aviation takes two steps forward
- April 17, 1961 - U.S. launches failed Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba
- April 18, 1957 - Florida to U.S.: Integration ruling unconstitutional
- April 19, 1930 - First Publix store incorporated in Winter Haven
- April 20, 1967 - Orange Juice becomes official state beverage
- April 21, 1924 - NY's infamous 'Bobbed Haired Bandit' caught in Jax
- April 22, 2000 - Elian Gonzalez seized in raid, returned to Cuba
- April 23, 1982 - Keys secede from Union, create Conch Republic
- April 24, 1965 - Orlando honors hometown astronaut with John Young Day
- April 25, 1966 - Gov. Haydon Burns says his plane trailed by UFO
- April 26, 1920 - Crop shippers seizing ice, creating shortage
- April 27, 1969 - 1,000 students help during FSU admin building fire
- April 28, 1985 - World's tallest sand sculpture built at Treasure Island
- April 29, 1980 - U.S. braces for magnitude of Mariel Boatlift
- April 30, 1915 - Broward County created, named after former governor
- Hontoon Changling: The ancient owl carving that represents the wrong tribe
- The Fierce Competition for Rollins College
- The Hidden History of Everglades City
- The Legend of Jose Gaspar
- Burdine's: Sunshine Fashions & The Florida Store
- Follow the Dollar - Horse breeding brings big money to Central Florida
- In Cassadaga, the Seance Room is where they talk to the dead
- St. Petersburg leaders worked overtime to promote their city
- Paradise for Sale: Florida's Booms and Busts
- Feature - The Curtiss-Bright Cities
- Feature - Collected Works of South Florida pioneer Byrd Spilman Dewey
- Facebook links - Spring Breakers riot in Fort Lauderdale
- Features Index
- Secret Florida life of the author of one of SF's greatest novels
- Casey Stengel was a Daytona Beach troublemaker
- True stories about The Real McCoy
- Daytona's Deadliest Air Crash: Aug. 10, 1937
- Blog - Zora Neale Hurston's Life on Florida's East Coast
- Blog - Florida's Worst Freezes
- Blog - Washtub baths and pot-bellied stoves in 1930s Florida
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