FLORIDA
State Information
Nickname(s): The Sunshine State
Motto(s): In God We Trust
State song(s): Old Folks at Home
Capital: Tallahassee, Florida
Largest City: Jacksonville, Florida
Admitted to US: 3/27/1845 27th State
Brief History
Ponce de Leon explored Florida looking for the Fountain of Youth. The Spanish settled Florida but lost it to England in 1763. During the Revolutionary War, the Spanish reclaimed the area. But, in 1814, the Americans took control.
Here are a few interesting facts about Florida:
The first commercial airline flight occurred in 1914 between Tampa and St Petersburg.
Florida is a leading producer of oranges, grapefruits, and limes.
Some famous people born in Florida include Burt Reynolds (actor), Sidney Poitier (actor), Deacon Jones (football), Emmitt Smith (football), and many others.
- Disney World is the most popular recreation destination in the United States.
Interesting Stories
Philip Don Estridge was born in Jacksonville just as the Great Depression ended. He was tenacious, loyal, and a little moody. IBM hired him to come up with a mini-computer. When it flopped, he talked his boss into giving him another try. That, too, flopped, ending the research. When Apple began marketing a personal computer, IBM turned to Philip. There’s nothing like competition to invigorate management. The IBM PC was born. It was so successful that Steve Jobs offered Philip to take over as president of Apple. Perseverance and competition inspire success.
Sara Blakely was born in Clearwater, Florida. She invented Spanx and became the youngest female self-made billionaire in America. However, she did not start rich. Sara sold fax machines door-to-door in the hot, sweaty Florida heat. It was what gave her the idea of a seamless panty liner. She saved up her money, went to a patent attorney, and began searching for a company to make and market her product. One of her favorite quotes is, “Trust your gut.” That guided her to her success even after countless rejections.
Pat Boone was born in Jacksonville. His father was a contractor, and his mother was a nurse. Both were staunchly religious. When he was 19, Pat married Shirley Foley, and the two began his songwriting and singing career. He sold more records in the 1950s than any other male singer. Pat said that he once had Elvis open for him at a concert. At that time, Elvis was not well-known, and Pat thought he was too shy. After Elvis went on stage and started gyrating, the crowd when nuts. Pat said he would never have Elvis open for him again. Pat and Elvis remained very close friends until Elvis’ death.
Abraham Lincoln Lewis was born in Madison, Florida. Respect for God laid the foundation for his core values. The family was impoverished and had difficulty putting food on the table. He was forced to work as a water boy in a local lumber mill rather than attend school. His never-give-up attitude and hard work made him indispensable to the mill. Abraham saved his money and invested in businesses. In the next 28 years, he became Florida’s first African American millionaire. This was all done without a high school degree. Work ethic, reliability, grit, and willingness to take a little risk define success. Abraham Lincoln Lewis is the essence of the American dream.
Steve “Lefty” Carlton was born and raised in Miami. He was drafted by the St Lewis Cardinals and took them to the World Series. He was the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards. The media hated him. They questioned his training techniques, called him a bigot, an anti-Semitic, and everything else they could make up. In 1976 he severed all ties with the media and refused to answer their questions, leading the media to allege that Steve did not speak English. But that didn’t stop him. In his career, he struck out 4136 batters and set many records, including the most pick-offs.
Charles E Merrill was born in the small community of Green Cove Springs. With its sulfur aroma, this town was thought to be the original Fountain of Youth. Charles played semiprofessional baseball and had the nickname “Good Time Charlie.” He moved to New York to work for a textile company, where he met Edmund Lynch. The two met while looking for a place to rent. From there, they became close friends and formed Merrill Lynch. Charles orchestrated the merger to create Safeway and became its principal stockholder. Anticipating the stock market crash, he advised his customers to sell. The crash occurred a year later. Merrill was the most successful stockbroker in American History. He made investing commonplace among the middle class.