Summary of the key dates about Florida

Summary of the key dates about Florida

10,000 BC

Florida was home to Native Americans beginning about 10,000 B.C.

First Spanish Period 1513-1763

In 1513 Juan Ponce de Leon claims Florida for Spain and Florida is under Spanish control until 1763.

English Period 1763 to 1784

England controlled Florida. Florida was loyal to the English crown during the American Revolutionary War.

Second Spanish Period 1784 to July 17, 1821

When the 13 American Colonies won the Revolutionary War, one might think that Florida would have been handed over to those victorious Americans, but instead, England gave Florida back to Spain.

On July 17, 1821, about 40 years after Spain took Florida for a second time, the 300 year history of Florida as a part of Spain came to an end. It will take us another 100 years for Florida to equal the time it spent as a part of Spain. 

Florida Territory Period July 17, 1821 to 1845

Florida Statehood 1845

General Overview

De Soto  

Brief summary with map of Hernando de Soto's expedition.  He landed in the southern part of Tampa Bay in Manatee County.  

The former De Soto Celebration begun in 1939 is now the month-long Florida Heritage Festival in Manatee County, just south of Hillsborough County.    

Short history of Florida  

Short history of the Tampa Bay Area to 1763 

How is this area related to the story of Pocahontas?

Which Indians were actually treated well by Hernando de Soto, and why?

Listen to Humanities Radio Stories  

Short accounts of little-known and well-known parts of Florida's heritage.  

Why were long whips unique to Florida cowboys?  Find out when you listen to Cowboy/Cow whip. 

Florida Facts and History  

Florida Contexts

The 266-page scholarly overview by many authors on Florida's ancient history.  It provides the context for further study of Florida's Paleoindians and the Spanish period.  Florida Contexts was a project directed by Jerald T. Milanich in 1990 who has written several books on Florida history. 

 

Florida History Links by Bob Leonard a professor at the local community college.  

Florida Historical Places  

Pictures and a brief description of buildings throughout Florida 

Phosphate, history -- Alafia River

The Alafia River, (pronounced AL-uh-fi, and not AL-uh-FI-uh, by most speakers) gets its name from an old Indian term meaning "River of Fire" because of the flashes of light that could be seen in the river at night.  Those sparkling streaks were caused by the phosphorus in the water.  

In the 1890's a phosphate mining facility was built near where US Highway 301 crosses the river.  That company was named the Peruvian Mining Company.  It was named after the settlement of Peru (pronounced PEE-rue by the old times).  Peru was the settlement south of the Alafia, Riverview was the area north of the Alafia River.  

Lake St. Charles -- Origin of Name  added 12/19

According to message-board poster Ted, this is the St. Charles for whom the Lake St. Charles community is named.  Thank you Ted. 

Florida Trails by County  

Extensive, detailed.  The hidden pearl on this web site is the interesting historical information that is also given for many places on each trail. 

Native Americans

The ancient Indians of the Tampa Bay area

The Mocoso lived near LSC

Indian Mounds  

Seminole History 

Colorful site with a short overview of Seminole history.  The Seminoles were not the Indians who were here when the Spanish arrived.  It was after the original Indians had died or left for the Caribbean Islands that the Seminoles arrived.  Where did the Seminoles come from?

The Seminoles  

Sundogna  NEW added November 21

This is a beautiful site on Native Americans.  

It contains links to Native American Websites and Tribal information. It is a great resource - including Biographies, Music, Literature and Story Telling, Pow Wows, Native American Greeting Cards, Photographs, and Prints .

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fossils!  Yes, we've got Paleontology Right here in Ruskin City, well near here   

From the web site, "In the winter of 1980-81, Frank Garcia....discovered a wealth of Pleistocene fossil remains, unlike any other in the world."  [Thanks to Terrell William "Terry" Proctor for maintaining this web site.]

Tampa Bay Fossil Club  

Fossil Hunting in Florida

De Soto National Memorial Visitors Center  

In Bradenton

Florida A Collection of Pages   

From Old Photos to Ship Wrecks -- pages from the Florida Division of Historical Resources

Florida Historical Museums, Monuments, & Places  

Florida History

Mostly archaeology links from the state of Florida's web site

Tampa History Summary

Florida Division of Historical Resources  

Florida History & the Arts Magazine  

Only partial articles are online, but you can get a good introduction to this magazine.  Subscriptions are about $20 per year. 

Florida and the Civil War  

A summary narrative. Organized by category.

The Hillsborough River Raid 
and the Battle of Ballast Point  

Account of a Civil War encounter in Tampa

Civil War Era

Long list of civil web sites and resources. 

Florida National Guard Heritage Center  

Excellent description of the First Spanish period (1500 to 1763), the British Period (1763 to 1784), the Second Spanish Period (1784 to 1821), the Territory Period (1821 to 1845), and statehood.

Florida and WWII   

Long list of places, memorials, parks, library materials, and more, related to WWII and west central Florida.  

Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields   

West central Florida. The author has collected and then presents an interesting enhancement to this area's history.  

 

The Floridians - A Comprehensive Resource Guide 

Also by Bob Leonard - local college professor

Florida Memory Project   

Florida Photographic Collection, Online Classroom, Highlights of Florida History, Collections, Timeline. 

Actual papers from WWI enlistments and the Board of Confederate Soldiers' Pension Board. 

Today in Florida History   new July 17, a red letter day for Florida

Day-by-day list.

Florida became a U.S. Territory on July 17, 1821.

 

Florida Historical Museums

A Short History of Florida

Tampa Bay History Center

If you want to research local history, this is a good place to go.

Historic Places Atlas

Florida's cultural heritage

The Florida Cracker Trail Association 

By horse.  This group helps preserve Florida's cattle and horse heritage and the East-West greenway from Bradenton to Ft. Pierce which was the Cracker Trail.  There is a ride every year.  In 2004 the ride dates February 22nd to February 27th.  But you can still participate even if you do not ride a horse.

The Cracker Trail was the first cross-Florida trading route and began in the 1870s.

The term "cracker" was used to describe the cracking of the whips used by Florida cowboys to herd cattle.  

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