Description: A VINTAGE ORIGINAL PHOTO FROM 1924 MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 6 1/2 X 8 1/2 INCHES FEATURING A TRAIN WRECK IN PENSACOLA, FL Pensacola (/ˌpɛnsəˈkoʊlə/ PEN-sə-KOH-lə) is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida.[4] Pensacola is the principal city of the Pensacola Metropolitan Area, which had an estimated 502,629 residents in 2019.[5] At the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the site of the first Spanish settlement within the borders of the continental United States in 1559, predating the establishment of St. Augustine by 6 years, although the settlement was abandoned due to a hurricane and not re-established until 1698. Pensacola is a seaport on Pensacola Bay, which is protected by the barrier island of Santa Rosa and connects to the Gulf of Mexico. A large United States Naval Air Station, the first in the United States, is located southwest of Pensacola near Warrington; it is the base of the Blue Angels flight demonstration team and the National Naval Aviation Museum. The main campus of the University of West Florida is situated north of the city center. The area was originally inhabited by Muskogean-speaking peoples. The Pensacola people lived there at the time of European contact, and Creek people frequently visited and traded from present-day southern Alabama and Mississippi and southeast of Louisiana. Spanish explorer Tristán de Luna founded a short-lived settlement in 1559.[6] In 1698 the Spanish established a presidio in the area, from which the modern city gradually developed. The area changed hands several times as European powers competed in North America. During Florida's British rule (1763–1781), fortifications were strengthened. It is nicknamed "The City of Five Flags", due to the five governments that have ruled it during its history: the flags of Spain (Castile), France, Great Britain, the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America. Other nicknames include "World's Whitest Beaches" (due to the white sand of Florida panhandle beaches), "Cradle of Naval Aviation", "Western Gate to the Sunshine State", "America's First Settlement", "Emerald Coast", and "P-Cola". HistoryHistorical affiliations Spanish Empire 1559–1719, 1722–1763 and 1781–1821 French Empire 1719–1722 British Empire 1763–1781 United States 1821–1861 Confederate States of America 1861–1865 United States 1865 to present Pensacola: Site of 1698 settlement near Fort Barrancas is marked "X" (above left end of Santa Rosa Island).Main article: History of Pensacola, FloridaFor a chronological guide, see Timeline of Pensacola, Florida.Pre-EuropeanThe original inhabitants of the Pensacola Bay area were Native American peoples. At the time of European contact, a Muskogean-speaking tribe known to the Spanish as the Pensacola lived in the region. This name was not recorded until 1677, but the tribe appears to be the source of the name "Pensacola" for the bay and thence the city.[7] Creek people, also Muskogean-speaking, came regularly from present-day southern Alabama to trade, so the peoples were part of a broader regional and even continental network of relations.[8] The best-known Pensacola culture site in terms of archeology is the Bottle Creek site, a large site located 59 mi (95 km) west of Pensacola north of Mobile, Alabama. This site has at least 18 large earthwork mounds, five of which are arranged around a central plaza. Its main occupation was from 1250 CE to 1550. It was a ceremonial center for the Pensacola people and a gateway to their society. This site would have had easy access by a dugout canoe, the main mode of transportation used by the Pensacola.[9] SpanishMain articles: Spanish Florida, Spanish West Florida, and Treaty of Paris (1763)See also: Seven Years' War and French and Indian WarThe area's written recorded history begins in the 16th century, with documentation by Spanish explorers who were the first Europeans to reach the area. The expeditions of Pánfilo de Narváez in 1528 and Hernando de Soto in 1539 both visited Pensacola Bay, the latter of which documented the name "Bay of Ochuse".[10] In the age of sailing ships Pensacola was the busiest port on the Gulf of Mexico, having the deepest harbor on the Gulf.[11] The Spanish Navy training ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano fires a 21-gun salute in honor of Pensacola's 450th anniversary in 2009.In 1559, Tristán de Luna y Arellano landed with some 1,500 people on 11 ships from Veracruz, Mexico.[12][10][13][14] The expedition was to establish an outpost, ultimately called Santa María de Ochuse by Luna, as a base for Spanish efforts to colonize Santa Elena (present-day Parris Island, South Carolina.) But the colony was decimated by a hurricane on September 19, 1559,[12][10][14] which killed an unknown number of sailors and colonists, sank six ships, grounded a seventh, and ruined supplies. The survivors struggled to survive, most moving inland to what is now central Alabama for several months in 1560 before returning to the coast; but in 1561, the effort was abandoned.[12][14] Some of the survivors eventually sailed to Santa Elena, but another storm struck there. Survivors made their way to Cuba and finally returned to Pensacola, where the remaining fifty at Pensacola were taken back to Veracruz. The Viceroy's advisers later concluded that northwest Florida was too dangerous to settle. They ignored it for 137 years.[12][14] In the late 17th century, the French began exploring the lower Mississippi River with the intention of colonizing the region as part of La Louisiane or New France in North America. Fearful that Spanish territory would be threatened, the Spanish founded a new settlement in western Florida. In 1698 they established a fortified town near what is now Fort Barrancas, laying the foundation for permanent European-dominated settlement of the modern city of Pensacola.[15] The Spanish built three presidios in Pensacola:[16] Presidio Santa Maria de Galve (1698–1719): the presidio included fort San Carlos de Austria (east of present Fort Barrancas) and a village with church;[16]Presidio Isla de Santa Rosa (1722–1752): this next presidio was on western Santa Rosa Island near the site of present Fort Pickens, but hurricanes battered the island in 1741 and 1752. The garrison was moved to the mainland;[16]Presidio San Miguel de Panzacola (1754–1763): the final presidio was built about 5 mi (8 km) east of the first presidio; the present-day historic district of downtown Pensacola, named from "Panzacola", developed around the fort.[16]During the early years of settlement, a tri-racial creole society developed. As a fortified trading post, the Spanish had mostly men stationed here. Some married or had unions with Pensacola, Creek or African women, both slave and free, and their descendants created a mixed-race population of mestizos and mulattos. The Spanish encouraged fugitive slaves from the Southern colonies to come to Florida as a refuge, promising freedom in exchange for conversion to Catholicism. King Charles II of Spain issued a royal proclamation freeing all slaves who fled to Spanish Florida and accepted conversion and baptism. Most went to the area around St. Augustine, but escaped slaves also reached Pensacola. St. Augustine had mustered an all-black militia unit defending Spain as early as 1683.[17] BritishMain articles: West Florida, British West Florida, Siege of Pensacola, Gulf Coast campaign, and Treaty of Paris (1783)See also: American Revolutionary War and Spain and the American Revolutionary War Engraving (1783) depicting the Siege of PensacolaAfter years of settlement, the Spanish ceded Florida to the British in 1763 as a result of an exchange following British victory over both France and Spain in the French and Indian War (the North American theater of the Seven Years' War), and French cession of its territories in North America. The British designated Pensacola as the capital of their new colony of West Florida. From 1763, the British strengthened defenses around the mainland area of fort San Carlos de Barrancas, building the Royal Navy Redoubt. George Johnstone was appointed as the first British Governor, and in 1764 a colonial assembly was established.[18][19] The structure of the colony was modeled after the existing British colonies in America, as opposed to French Canada, which was based on a different structure. West Florida was invited to send delegates to the First Continental Congress which was convened to present colonial grievances against the British Parliament to George III, but along with several other colonies, including East Florida, they declined the invitation. Once the American War of Independence had broken out, the colonists remained overwhelmingly loyal to the Crown. In 1778 the Willing Expedition proceeded with a small force down the Mississippi, ransacking estates and plantations, until they were eventually defeated by a local militia. In the wake of this, the area received a small number of British reinforcements. British military resources were limited and Pensacola ranked fairly low on their list of priorities. For this reason only small token amounts of British military forces were ever sent to defend Pensacola. This was in contrast to colonies such as South Carolina, where large numbers of British soldiers were sent.[20] After Spain joined the American Revolution in 1779 on the side of the rebels, Spanish forces captured the city in the 1781 Siege of Pensacola, gaining control of West Florida.[13] After the war, the British officially ceded both West Florida and East Florida to Spain as part of the post-war peace settlement. In 1785 many Creek from southern Alabama and Georgia came to trade and Pensacola developed as a major trade center. It was a garrison town, predominantly males in the military or trade.[8] Americans made raids into the area, and settlers pressured the federal government to gain control of this territory. United StatesMain articles: War of 1812, Battle of Pensacola (1814), Seminole Wars § First Seminole War, Adams–Onís Treaty, Florida Territory, and Florida in the American Civil WarIn the final stages of the War of 1812, American troops launched an offensive on Pensacola against the Spanish and British garrisons protecting the city, which surrendered after two days of fighting. Pensacola was conquered again by the US in 1818. In 1819, Spain and the United States negotiated the Adams–Onís Treaty, by which Spain recognized the American control over Florida in exchange of the American recognition of Spanish control over Texas.[13] A Spanish census of 1820 indicated 181 households in the town, with a third of mixed-blood. The people were predominantly French and Spanish Creole. Indians in the area were noted through records, travelers' accounts, and paintings of the era, including some by George Washington Sully and George Catlin. Creek women were also recorded in marriages to Spanish men, in court records or deeds.[8] In 1821, with Andrew Jackson as provisional governor, Pensacola became part of the United States.[13] The Creek continued to interact with European Americans and African Americans, but the dominant whites increasingly imposed their binary racial classifications: white and black ("colored", within which were included free people of color, including Indians). However, American Indians and mestizos were identified separately in court and Catholic church records, and as Indians in censuses up until 1840, attesting to their presence in the society. After that, the Creek were not separately identified as Indian, but the people did not disappear. Even after removal of many Seminole to Indian Territory, Indians, often of mixed-race but culturally identifying as Muskogean, lived throughout Florida.[8] St. Michael's Cemetery was established in the 18th century at a location in a south central part of the city, which developed as the Downtown area. Initially owned by the Church of St. Michael, it is now owned and managed by St. Michael's Cemetery Foundation of Pensacola, Inc.[21] Preliminary studies indicate that there are over 3,200 marked burials as well as a large number unmarked.[21] Tensions between the white community and Indians tended to increase during the Removal era. In addition, an increasing proportion of Anglo-Americans, who constituted the majority of whites by 1840, led to a hardening of racial discrimination in the area.[8] There was disapproval of white men living with women of color, which had previously been accepted. In 1853 the legislature passed a bill prohibiting Indians from living in the state, and provided for capture and removal to Indian Territory.[8] Confederate battery north of Fort McRee at Pensacola, FloridaWhile the bill excluded mixed-Indians and those already living in white communities, they went "underground" to escape persecution. No Indians were listed in late 19th and early 20th century censuses for Escambia County. People of Indian descent were forced into the white or black communities by appearance, and officially, in terms of records, "disappeared". It was a pattern repeated in many Southern settlements. Children of white fathers and Indian mothers were not designated as Indian in the late 19th century, whereas children of blacks or mulattos were classified within the black community, related to laws during the slavery years.[8] Pensacola experienced the Civil War when in 1861 Confederate forces lost the nearby Battle of Santa Rosa Island and federal forces of the United States subsequently failed to win the Battle of Pensacola. After the fall of New Orleans in 1862 the Confederacy abandoned the city and it was occupied by the North.[22] In June, 1861, the Pensacola Guards were mustered in as a company in the 1st Florida Infantry Regiment.[23] A North Hill line streetcar travels south down Palafox Street past State militia encampments. State militiamen posing in front of a Gatling gun brought in when martial law was declared.Pensacola streetcar strike of 1908In 1907–1908 there were 116 Creek in Pensacola who applied for the Eastern Cherokee enrollment, thinking that all Indians were eligible to enroll. Based on Alabama census records, most of these individuals have been found to be descendants of Creek who had migrated to the Pensacola area from southern Alabama after Indian removal of the 1830s.[8] In 1908, a citywide streetcar strike occurred in the city, this led to state militia being stationed in the city and marital law being declared.[24][25] GeographyTopographyPensacola is located on the north side of Pensacola Bay. It is 59 mi (95 km) east of Mobile, Alabama, and 196 mi (315 km) west of Tallahassee, the capital of Florida. According to the United States Census Bureau, Pensacola has a total area of 40.7 sq mi (105.4 km2), consisting of 22.5 sq mi (58.4 km2) of land and 18.1 sq mi (47.0 km2), 44.62%, water.[26] The land is sloped up northward from Pensacola Bay, with most of the city at an elevation above that which a potential hurricane storm surge could affect.[27] ClimateWeather statistics since the late 20th century have been recorded at the airport. The city has seen single digit temperatures (below −12 °C) on three occasions: 5 °F (−15 °C) on January 21, 1985; 7 °F (−14 °C) on February 13, 1899; and 8 °F (−13 °C) on January 11, 1982.[28] According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Pensacola has a humid subtropical climate,[29] (Köppen Cfa), with short, mild winters and hot, humid summers. Typical summer conditions have highs in the lower 90s °F (32–34 °C) and lows in the mid 70s °F (23–24 °C).[30] Afternoon or evening thunderstorms are common during the summer months. Due partly to the coastal location, temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are relatively rare, and last occurred in June 2011, when two of the first four days of the month recorded highs reaching the century mark.[31] The highest temperature ever recorded in the city was 106 °F (41 °C) on July 14, 1980.[30] In the 1991–2020 climate normals, the daily average temperature in January is 53.2 °F (11.8 °C). Freezing temperatures occur an average of 11 days per winter, with the average first and last dates for a freeze being December 12 and February 14, giving Pensacola an average growing season of 301 days. However, the relatively recent winter season of 2018-19 did not record a freeze, the median first and last freeze dates are earlier and later than the averages of December 12 and February 14, and the median number of freezes per season is 11 or fewer.[32] The mean coldest temperature reached in a given winter season is about 24 °F (−4.4 °C); although the median is slightly higher, at no colder than 25 °F (−3.9 °C) most years, placing Pensacola in USDA zone 9b. Temperatures below 20 °F (−6.7 °C) are very rare, and last occurred on January 8, 2015,[33] when a low of 19 °F (−7.2 °C) was seen.[34] The lowest temperature ever recorded in the city was 5 °F (−15 °C) on January 21, 1985.[30] Snow is rare in Pensacola, but does occasionally fall. The most recent snowfall event occurred December 9, 2017,[35] and the snow event previous to it occurred on February 12, 2010.[36] The city receives 65.27 in (1,660 mm) of precipitation per year, with a slightly more rainy season in the summer. The rainiest month is July, with 7.40 in (188 mm), with May being the driest month at 4.17 in (106 mm).[30] In June 2012 over one foot (300 mm) of rain fell on Pensacola and adjacent areas, leading to widespread flooding.[37] On April 29, 2014, Pensacola was drenched by at least 20 inches of rain within a 24-hour period, causing the worst flooding in 30 years.[38] The city suffered a major blow on February 23, 2016, when a large EF3 wedge tornado hit the northwest part of Pensacola, causing major damage and several injuries.[39] Climate data for Pensacola, Florida (Pensacola Int'l), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1879–presentMonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYearRecord high °F (°C)81(27)84(29)90(32)96(36)102(39)102(39)106(41)105(41)102(39)97(36)89(32)81(27)106(41)Mean maximum °F (°C)74.9(23.8)77.4(25.2)82.5(28.1)85.2(29.6)92.6(33.7)95.7(35.4)97.0(36.1)96.2(35.7)94.8(34.9)88.9(31.6)82.3(27.9)77.6(25.3)98.4(36.9)Average high °F (°C)62.7(17.1)66.4(19.1)72.0(22.2)77.6(25.3)85.1(29.5)90.0(32.2)91.6(33.1)91.0(32.8)88.5(31.4)81.1(27.3)71.8(22.1)65.1(18.4)78.6(25.9)Daily mean °F (°C)53.2(11.8)56.8(13.8)62.3(16.8)68.3(20.2)76.0(24.4)81.7(27.6)83.5(28.6)83.0(28.3)80.0(26.7)71.3(21.8)61.4(16.3)55.5(13.1)69.4(20.8)Average low °F (°C)43.7(6.5)47.2(8.4)52.7(11.5)59.0(15.0)66.9(19.4)73.5(23.1)75.3(24.1)75.0(23.9)71.5(21.9)61.6(16.4)51.0(10.6)45.9(7.7)60.3(15.7)Mean minimum °F (°C)25.7(−3.5)30.2(−1.0)35.1(1.7)44.0(6.7)54.1(12.3)66.7(19.3)70.4(21.3)69.2(20.7)60.3(15.7)44.6(7.0)34.1(1.2)30.5(−0.8)24.1(−4.4)Record low °F (°C)5(−15)7(−14)22(−6)33(1)44(7)55(13)61(16)60(16)43(6)32(0)22(−6)11(−12)5(−15)Average precipitation inches (mm)5.03(128)4.77(121)5.25(133)5.52(140)3.90(99)7.32(186)7.89(200)7.50(191)6.61(168)4.70(119)4.42(112)5.40(137)68.31(1,735)Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)9.68.68.17.17.612.015.314.79.36.47.19.5115.3Source: NOAA[40][32]Hurricanes Damage from Hurricane Ivan at bayou near Naval Air Station, 2004Pensacola's location on the Florida Panhandle makes it vulnerable to hurricanes. Hurricanes which have made landfall at or near Pensacola since the late 20th century include Eloise (1975), Frederic (1979), Juan (1985), Erin (1995), Opal (1995), Georges (1998), Ivan (2004), Dennis (2005), and Sally (2020). In July 2005, Hurricane Dennis made landfall just east of the city, sparing it the damage received from Ivan the year before. However, hurricane and near-hurricane-force winds were recorded in downtown, causing moderate damage. Pensacola received only a glancing blow from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, resulting in light to moderate damage reported in the area. The aftermath of the extensive damage from Katrina was a dramatic reduction in tourism coming from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Hurricane IvanMain article: Hurricane IvanOn September 16, 2004,[41] Pensacola and several surrounding areas were devastated by Hurricane Ivan. Pensacola was on the eastern side of the eyewall, which sent a large storm surge into Escambia Bay; this destroyed most of the I-10 Escambia Bay Bridge. The storm knocked 58 spans off the eastbound and westbound bridges and misaligned another 66 spans, forcing the bridge to close to traffic in both directions.[42] The surge also destroyed the fishing bridge that spanned Pensacola Bay alongside the Phillip Beale Memorial Bridge, locally known as the Three Mile Bridge.[43] Over $6 billion in damage occurred in the metro area and more than 10,000 homes were destroyed, with another 27,000 heavily damaged. 105,000 households in Northwest Florida were impacted in some way by the storm, and 4,300 businesses in the area permanently closed as a result of Hurricane Ivan.[44] NASA created a comparison image to illustrate the massive damage. This widespread destruction of property caused a temporary lack of affordable housing in the Pensacola real estate market, and Hurricane Dennis and Hurricane Katrina contributed to a general scarcity of construction labor and resources along the Gulf Coast.[44] Hurricane SallyMain article: Hurricane SallyIn September 2020, Pensacola suffered heavy damage by Hurricane Sally. Damages in Escambia County were estimated by local officials at $29 million. Downtown Pensacola was flooded.[45] DemographicsHistorical populationCensusPop.Note%±18502,164—18602,87632.9%18703,34716.4%18806,845104.5%189011,75071.7%190017,74751.0%191022,98229.5%192031,03535.0%193031,5791.8%194037,44918.6%195043,47916.1%196056,75230.5%197059,5074.9%198057,619−3.2%199058,1650.9%200056,255−3.3%201051,923−7.7%202054,3124.6%U.S. Decennial Census[46]See also: Escambia County, Florida DemographicsPensacola's first appearance in the U.S. Census dataset was in 1850, with a total recorded population of 2,164.[47] Pensacola was Florida's largest city in 1860 with the population of 2,876.[48] 2020 censusPensacola city, Florida - Demographic Profile(NH = Non-Hispanic)Race / EthnicityPop 2010[49]Pop 2020[50]% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)33,38335,10564.29%64.64%Black or African American alone (NH)14,42012,05427.77%22.19%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)2691940.52%0.36%Asian alone (NH)1,0241,2901.97%2.38%Pacific Islander alone (NH)62430.12%0.08%Some Other Race alone (NH)582690.11%0.50%Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)9962,5191.92%4.64%Hispanic or Latino (any race)1,7112,8383.30%5.23%Total51,92354,312100.00%100.00%Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race. 2010 CensusAs of the census[2] of 2010, there were 51,923 people, 23,600 households, and 14,665 families residing in the city, and 402,000 people in the Pensacola MSA. The population density was 2,303.5 inhabitants per square mile (889.4/km2). There were 26,848 housing units at an average density of 1,189.4 per square mile (459.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 66.3% White, 28.0% African American, 2.0% Asian, 0.6% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from two or more races. 3.3% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 24,524 households, out of which 24.6% had children living with them, 39.7% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.92. Out of the total population in Pensacola, 45.9% identified with a religion, slightly lower than the national average of 48.3%.[51] Over 48% of Pensacolians who practice a religion identify as Baptists (22.1% of all city residents).[51] Other Christian denominations include Roman Catholics (9.2% of city residents), Pentecostal (3.8%), Methodist (3.8%), Episcopal (1.1%), Presbyterian (1.1%), and Orthodox (0.3%).[51] Pensacola is home to a small (0.2% of city residents)[51] but significant Jewish community, whose roots date mostly to German Jewish immigrants of the mid-to-late 19th century. There were also Sephardic Jewish migrants from other areas of the South, and immigrants from other areas of Europe. The first Florida chapter of B'nai Brith was founded downtown in 1874, as well as the first temple, Beth-El, in 1876. Apart from the Reform Beth-El, Pensacola is also served by the Conservative B'nai Israel Synagogue.[52] Paula Ackerman, the first woman who performed rabbinical functions in the United States, was a Pensacola native and led services at Beth-El. The median income for a household in the city was $34,779, and the median income for a family was $42,868. Males had a median income of $32,258 versus $23,582 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,556 in 2011. About 12.7% of families and 16.3%[53] of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over. Economy Blue Angels over Naval Air Station PensacolaMilitaryThe city has been referred to as "The Cradle of Naval Aviation".[54] Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP) was the first Naval Air Station commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1914. Tens of thousands naval aviators have received their training there, including John H. Glenn, USMC, who became the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962, and Neil Armstrong, who became the first man to set foot on the Moon in 1969.[55] The Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, is stationed there. The National Museum of Naval Aviation is located on the Naval Air Station and is free to the public. The museum cares for and exhibits hundreds of vintage Naval Aviation aircraft and preserves the history of Naval Aviation through displays, symposiums, IMAX movies and tours. Corry Station Naval Technical Training Center serves as an annex for the main base and the center for Information Dominance. CWO3 Gary R. Schuetz Memorial Health Clinic is at Corry Station, Naval Hospital Pensacola, as is the main Navy Exchange and Defense Commissary Agency commissary complex for both Corry Station and NAS Pensacola. The Army National Guard B Troop 1-153 Cavalry, Bravo Company 146th Expeditionary Signal Battalion is stationed in Pensacola. TourismPensacola is home to a number of annual festivals, events, historic tours, and landmarks. The Pensacola Seafood Festival and the Pensacola Crawfish Festival have been held for nearly 30 years in the city's historic downtown. The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is held annually in November in Seville Square, and often draws more than 200 regional and international artists. The Children's Art Festival, also held in Seville Square, displays art by local schoolchildren. Pensacon is a comic convention held each February, with nearly 25,000 attendees from around the world. The Pensacola Interstate Fair is held each fall.[56] Scuba diving and deep sea fishing are a large part of Pensacola's tourism industry. The USS Oriskany was purposefully sunk in 2004 to create an artificial reef off the shores of Pensacola.[57] There are several walking tours of restored 18th-century-era neighborhoods in Pensacola. Pensacola is the site of the Vietnam Veterans' Wall South. There are a number of historical military installations from the Civil War, including Fort Barrancas. Fort Pickens served as a temporary prison for Geronimo. Other military landmarks include the National Naval Aviation Museum and Pensacola Lighthouse at NAS Pensacola. The city's convention and visitors' bureau, Visit Pensacola,[58] is overseen by the Greater Pensacola Chamber.[59] Top employersRankEmployerEmployees1Navy Federal Credit Union7,7232Baptist Health Care6,6333Sacred Heart Health Systems4,8204Florida Power And Light1,7745West Florida Healthcare1,2006Ascend Performance Materials8887Alorica (fka West Corporation)8008Innisfree Hotels7509Santa Rosa Medical Center52110Medical Center Clinic500[60] Arts and cultureThe arts and theatre Saenger Theater in Downtown PensacolaThere are a number of performance venues in the Pensacola area, including the Pensacola Bay Center (formerly the Pensacola Civic Center),[61] often used for big-ticket events, and the Saenger Theater, used for performances and mid-level events. Other theatres used for live performances, plays, and musicals include the Pensacola Little Theatre, Pensacola State College, University of West Florida, Vinyl Music Hall, and Loblolly Theatre. Pensacola is also home to the Pensacola Opera, Pensacola Children's Chorus, Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Pensacola Civic Band, Pensacola Bay Concert Band, and the Choral Society of Pensacola, as well as Ballet Pensacola. There is also the Palafox Place entertainment district. Architecture Seville Tower in PensacolaPensacola does not have a prominent skyline, but has several low-rise buildings. The tallest is the 15-floor Crowne Plaza Grand Hotel, at 146 ft (45 m). Other tall buildings include the Scenic Apartments (98 feet; 30 m), SunTrust Tower (96 feet; 29 m), Seville Tower (88 feet; 27 m), and the AT&T Building (76 feet; 23 m). Historic buildings in Pensacola include the First National Bank Building. MuseumsHistoric Pensacola's Museum of CommerceMuseum of IndustryNational Naval Aviation MuseumPensacola MESS HallPensacola Museum of ArtPelican DropThe Pelican Drop was a New Year's Eve celebration that took place each year in downtown Pensacola. At the ceremony, a pelican, the city's mascot, was dropped instead of the typical New Year's ball. The event included live music and fireworks. Since 2008, The Pelican Drop has become a significant attraction in the area, drawing in crowds of up to 50,000 local residents, making it one of the largest events of its kind in the Central Time Zone. In 2014, the event was named as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society.[62] HistoryThe First Pelican Drop New Year's Celebration took place in 2008. The Pensacola News Journal released an article stating that the CRA (or Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency) was working on making a new kind of New Year's Eve celebration. The paper said that the celebration will be held at the Plaza Ferdinand VII and will also be live on WEAR-TV; beginning with the 2017 celebration, events were carried in simulcast on WEAR's Website. Almost 45,000 people showed up for the event, including residents of Mobile, Alabama (which hosts its own competing drop, a Moon Pie), Milton, Florida, Navarre, Florida, and Destin, Florida.[63] In December 2019, organizers announced that the Pelican Drop had been canceled due to financial issues and the burden the event had caused on local police and public services. A smaller fireworks display, which does not require the same amount of traffic disruption, will be held instead.[64] The pelican was made and designed by Emmett Andrews LLC.[65] Made of polished aluminum and decorated with over 2,000 lights, the bird has a 17-foot (5.2 m) wingspan and is 12 ft (3.7 m) high.[62] SportsNotable sports teams in Penascola include: TeamSportLeagueVenuePensacola Ice FlyersIce hockeySPHLPensacola Bay CenterGulf Coast RiptideAmerican footballWomen's Spring Football LeagueEscambia High SchoolPensacola Blue WahoosBaseballSouthern League (AA)Pensacola Bayfront StadiumPensacola FCSoccerGulf Coast Premier LeagueAshton Brosnaham StadiumWest Florida ArgonautsBaseball, Basketball, American FootballNCAA Division II Gulf South ConferenceUniversity of West FloridaPensacola Roller GurlzFlat Track Roller DerbyWomen's Flat Track Derby AssociationDreamland Skate CenterPreviously, the Pensacola Pelicans was an independent league baseball team that played at Jim Spooner Field from 2002 to 2010. The city hosted professional golf tournaments such as the Pensacola Open (PGA Tour, 1958–1988), the Pensacola Ladies Invitational (LPGA Tour, 1965–1968) and Pensacola Classic (Nike Tour, 1990–1995). America's Cup team American Magic call Pensecola their home port until the 2024 America's Cup commences. The Five Flags Speedway is a half-mile paved racetrack that opened in 1953. It hosts the Snowball Derby stock car race every December since 1968. It has also hosted rounds of the NASCAR Grand National (now NASCAR Cup Series), Superstar Racing Experience, NASCAR Southeast Series, ARCA Racing Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ASA National Tour, CARS Pro Cup Series and Southern Super Series. Parks and recreationGulf Islands National SeashoreBig Lagoon State Park - approximately 10 mi (16 km) southwest of Pensacola on Gulf Beach Highway[66]Perdido Key State Park - located on a barrier island 15 mi (24 km) southwest of Pensacola, off S.R. 292[67]Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park - 10 mi (16 km) southwest of Pensacola,[68]Pensacola Bayfront Stadium - a multi-use park in Pensacola[69]Plaza Ferdinand VIIBayview Park[70]Miraflores Park[71]GovernmentSee also: List of mayors of Pensacola, FloridaCouncil MembersDistrictCouncil member1Jennifer Brahier2Charles Bare3Casey Jones4Jared Moore5Teniade Broughton6Allison Patton7Delarian WigginsThe city of Pensacola utilizes a strong mayor-council form of government, which was adopted in 2011 after citizens voted in 2009 to approve a new city charter. An elected mayor serves as the chief executive of the city government, while a seven-member city council serves as the city's governing body. A council president is selected by the council from its members, along with a vice president. City voters approved a charter amendment on June 11, 2013, which eliminated the then-nine member council's two at-large seats; one seat was phased out in November 2014, and the other expired in November 2016. Two additional charter amendments were approved on November 4, 2014, which made the position of mayor subject to recall and provided the city council with the authority to hire staff. The current city hall was opened in 1986. PoliticsAfter the Civil War, Pensacola, like the rest of the South, was controlled by Republicans during the Reconstruction era (1865-1877). The Republican government had numerous African American politicians, including several county commissioners, city aldermen, constables, state representatives, and even one African American mayor—Salvador Pons. However, with the 1884 election of native Pensacolian and former Confederate general Edward Perry, a dramatic shift occurred. Perry, a Democrat who actually lost the Escambia County vote during the statewide election, acted to dissolve the Republican city government of Pensacola and in 1885 replaced this government with hand-picked successors, including railroad magnate William D. Chipley. The only African American to remain in city government was George Washington Witherspoon, a pastor with the African Methodist Episcopal Church who was previously a Republican and switched parties to the Democrats. Following Governor Perry's dissolution of the Republican government, the city remained Democratic for more than a century after the Civil War with no African Americans serving in an elected capacity for nearly a century. Presidential election results in Pensacola[72]YearDemocraticRepublicanOthers202051.5% 18,18146.4% 16,3562.1% 751201646.7% 15,18347.3% 15,3866.1% 1,974This changed in 1994, when Republican attorney Joe Scarborough defeated Vince Whibbs, Jr., the son of popular former Democratic mayor Vince Whibbs, in a landslide to represent Florida's 1st congressional district, which is based in Pensacola. Republicans also swept all of the area's seats in the state legislature, the majority of which were held by Democrats. Since then, Republicans have dominated every level of government, although municipal elections are officially nonpartisan. Regional representativesPensacola is currently represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Matt Gaetz (R), in the state senate by Doug Broxson (R),[73] and in the state house by District 2 representative Alex Andrade (R).[74] EducationThe main campus of Pensacola State College is in the City of Pensacola. The University of West Florida (UWF) operates a campus in downtown Pensacola. Its main campus, located north of the city, has the largest library in the region, the John C. Pace Library. UWF is the largest post-secondary institution in the area. Public primary and secondary schools in Pensacola are administered by the Escambia County School District. The district operates two high schools (Booker T. Washington and Pensacola) within the City of Pensacola. District-run high schools near the city include Escambia, J. M. Tate, and Pine Forest. Other public schools in the city include A.K. Suter Elementary, Cordova Park Elementary, J.H. Workman Middle, N.B. Cook Elementary, O.J. Semmes Elementary, and Scenic Heights Elementary. The district also operates one magnet high school (West Florida High School of Advanced Technology) near the city. Several private schools operate within or near the city: East Hill Academy, East Hill Christian School, Episcopal Day School of Christ Church, Pensacola Catholic High School, Pensacola Christian Academy, Sacred Heart Cathedral School, Saint John the Evangelist Catholic School, Saint Paul Catholic School, Little Flower Catholic School, and Seville Bayside Montessori. The campus of Pensacola Christian College is near the city. MediaMain article: Escambia County, Florida mediaThe largest daily newspaper in the area is the Pensacola News Journal, with offices on Romana Street in downtown; the News Journal is owned by the Gannett Company. There is an alternative weekly newspaper, Inweekly. Pensacola is home to WEAR-TV, the ABC affiliate for Pensacola, Navarre, Fort Walton Beach, and Mobile, Alabama, and WSRE-TV, the local PBS member station, which is operated by Pensacola State College. Other television stations in the market include WALA-TV, the Fox affiliate; WKRG, the CBS affiliate; and WPMI, the NBC affiliate, which are all located in Mobile. Cable service in the city is provided by Cox Communications and AT&T U-Verse. WUWF is the area's NPR affiliate and is based at the University of West Florida. WPCS (FM) is broadcast from the Pensacola Christian College campus, where the nationwide Rejoice Radio Network maintains its studio.[75] Pensacola Magazine, the city's monthly glossy magazine, and Northwest Florida's Business Climate, the only business magazine devoted to the region, are published locally. The News Journal also publishes Home & Garden Weekly magazine as well as the monthly Bella, devoted to women. InfrastructureTransportation ECAT bus, June 2006AviationMajor air traffic in the Pensacola and greater northwest Florida area is handled by Pensacola International Airport. Pensacola International is the largest airport in Northwest Florida by passenger count and is the second busiest in all of North Florida, just behind Jacksonville.[citation needed] As of August 2023, airlines serving Pensacola International Airport are American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and United Airlines.[76] RailroadsPensacola was first connected by rail with Montgomery, Alabama, via the Alabama and Florida Railroad, completed in 1861 just before the start of the Civil War. During the war, most of the rails between Pensacola and the Alabama state line were removed to construct other railroad lines urgently needed elsewhere in the Confederacy. The line to Pensacola was not rebuilt until 1868, and was acquired by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in 1880. In 1882, the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad was completed from Pensacola to Chattahoochee, Florida, linking Pensacola with the rest of the state. This line was also acquired by the L&N. By 1928, a number of short lines built northward from Pensacola to Kimbrough, Alabama, were acquired by the Frisco Railroad, giving it access to the port of Pensacola.[77][78] Some thirty years later, retired Frisco steam engine 1355 was donated to the city and stands in the median of Garden Street, near the site of the now-demolished Frisco passenger station.[79] Frisco passenger service to Pensacola ended in 1955, and L&N passenger service, including the streamlined Gulf Wind, ended in 1971 with the advent of Amtrak. However, from early 1993 through August 2005 Pensacola was served by the tri-weekly Amtrak Sunset Limited, but service east of New Orleans to Jacksonville and Orlando was suspended due to damage to the rail line of CSX during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.[80] In the 21st century, freight service to and from Pensacola is provided by L&N successor CSX as well as Frisco successor Alabama and Gulf Coast Railway, a short line. On June 1, 2019, the newly formed Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad, a Class III railroad headquartered in Tallahassee, acquired the CSX main line from Pensacola to Baldwin, Florida, near Jacksonville, becoming the Panhandle's only east–west freight hauler. A news report on the new railroad in mid-2019 noted that Amtrak indicated that the Panhandle had a "near-zero chance" of seeing passenger service restored.[81] Pensacola and Tallahassee are the two largest metropolitan areas in Florida without any passenger rail service. Major highways Interstate 10 Interstate 110 U.S. Route 29 U.S. Route 90 & U.S. Route 90 Alternate U.S. Route 98 & U.S. Route 98 Business State Road 289 Ninth Avenue State Road 291 Davis Highway State Road 292 Pace Boulevard State Road 295 New Warrington Road, Farfield Drive State Road 296 Michigan Avenue, Beverly Parkway, Brent Lane, Bayou Boulevard, Perry Street State Road 742 Creighton Road, Burgess Road State Road 750 Airport BoulevardMass transitThe local bus service is the Escambia County Area Transit.[82] ECAT operates fixed route bus service and paratransit service. The ECAT system currently provides fixed-route bus service, as well as the seasonal Pensacola Beach trolley and University of West Florida on-campus trolley.[82] There is a website and an app for bus times called moovit.[83] The app can be downloaded from this site, which also shows the service area and lists the routes.[84] Pensacola also has a ferry service owned by the National Park Service. It has stops in Downtown Pensacola, Pensacola Beach and Fort Pickens. BusThe city is served by Greyhound Bus and Greyhound Lines.[85] Escambia County is the westernmost and oldest county in the U.S. state of Florida. It is in the state's northwestern corner. At the 2020 census, the population was 321,905.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Pensacola.[2] Escambia County is included within the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county population has continued to increase as the suburbs of Pensacola have developed. HistoryMain article: History of Pensacola, FloridaThe area had been inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples of varying cultures. Historic American Indian tribes at the time of European-American settlement were the Pensacola and Muscogee, known among the English as the Creek. Escambia County had been part of Spanish colonial settlement before the United States acquired it in 1818. The county was organized by European-Americans on July 21, 1821; it was named for the Escambia River. The name "Escambia" may have been derived from the Creek name Shambia, meaning "clear water",[3] or the Choctaw word for "cane-brake" or "reed-brake".[4] The Choctaw were another major tribe in the Southeast. Created on the same date, Escambia and St. Johns Counties were Florida's two original counties, covering the entire territory within modern state boundaries. The Suwannee River was the border between them,[5] following a winding path from the northern border of the state to the Gulf of Mexico. Essentially, the Escambia county government had jurisdiction over the "panhandle" and "big bend" areas, and St. Johns over the remainder of the entire state. As population increased in the frontier territory, 21 counties were later organized from Escambia county directly or indirectly. They include Jackson (1821), Gadsden (created from Jackson)(1823), Leon (1824), Walton (1824), Washington (created from Jackson and Walton)(1825), Hamilton (1827), Jefferson (1827), Madison (created from Jefferson) (1827), Franklin (1832), Calhoun (1838), Santa Rosa (1842), Wakulla (created from Leon) (1843), Holmes (created from Jackson and Walton) (1848), Liberty (created from Gadsden) (1855), Lafayette and Taylor (created from Madison) (1856), Bay (created from Washington) (1913), Okaloosa (created from Santa Rosa and Walton) (1915), Dixie (created from Lafayette) (1921), and Gulf (created from Calhoun) (1925). The number of counties in Florida since 1925 has been stable at 67. GeographyAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 875 square miles (2,270 km2), of which 656 square miles (1,700 km2) is land and 218 square miles (560 km2) (25.0%) is water.[6] The county jurisdiction includes the island of Santa Rosa south of Pensacola; it is not part of Santa Rosa County proper. Escambia County is part of the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area. Adjacent countiesEscambia County, Alabama — northSanta Rosa County, Florida — eastBaldwin County, Alabama — westEscambia County, Florida, and Escambia County, Alabama, are two of 22 counties or parishes in the United States with the same name to border each other across state lines. National protected areasGulf Islands National Seashore (part)DemographicsHistorical populationCensusPop.Note%±18303,386—18403,99317.9%18504,3519.0%18605,76832.6%18707,81735.5%188012,15655.5%189020,18866.1%190028,31340.2%191038,02934.3%192049,38629.9%193053,5948.5%194074,66739.3%1950112,70650.9%1960173,82954.2%1970205,33418.1%1980233,79413.9%1990262,79812.4%2000294,41012.0%2010297,6191.1%2020321,9058.2%U.S. Decennial Census[7]1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[11] 2020[1]Escambia County racial composition as of 2020(NH = Non-Hispanic)[a]RacePop 2010[15]Pop 2020[16]% 2010% 2020White (NH)196,901200,96266.16%62.43%Black or African American (NH)67,44368,14822.66%21.17%Native American or Alaska Native (NH)2,3841,9980.8%0.62%Asian (NH)8,0159,8662.69%3.06%Pacific Islander (NH)4004100.13%0.13%Some Other Race (NH)4721,7710.16%0.55%Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)7,94317,9572.67%5.58%Hispanic or Latino14,06120,7934.72%6.46%Total297,619321,905100.00%100.00%As of the 2020 United States census, there were 321,905 people, 122,169 households, and 74,083 families residing in the county. 2010 CensusAt the 2010 census there were 297,619 people, 116,238 households, and 74,040 families living in the county. The population density was 449 inhabitants per square mile (173/km2). There were 136,703 housing units at an average density of 206 per square mile (80/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 68.9% White, 22.9% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.3% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. 4.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[17] Of the 116,238 households 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 28.9% of households were one person and 10.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.96. The age distribution was 21.6% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males. The median household income was $43,707 and the median family income was $54,543. Males had a median income of $38,878 versus $30,868 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,773. About 12.7% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over. 2000 CensusAt the 2000 census there were 294,410 people, 111,049 households, and 74,180 families living in the county. The population density was 444 inhabitants per square mile (171/km2). There were 124,647 housing units at an average density of 188 per square mile (73/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 72.4% White, 21.4% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. 2.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[17] Of the 111,049 households 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 26.9% of households were one person and 9.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98. The age distribution was 23.5% under the age of 18, 12.2% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males. The median household income was $35,234 and the median family income was $41,708. Males had a median income of $31,054 versus $22,023 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,641. About 12.1% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over. EducationMain article: Escambia County School DistrictPublic primary and secondary education schools in Pensacola are administered by the Escambia County School District, the county's only school district.[18] The University of West Florida, Pensacola State College, and Pensacola Christian College are in Escambia County. MediaNewspapersThe largest daily print newspaper in the area is the Pensacola News Journal. There is also a weekly print newspaper, The Independent News.[19] TelevisionOne major network broadcasts from Pensacola, ABC affiliate WEAR. Several major networks are broadcast from nearby Mobile, such as CBS affiliate WKRG, NBC affiliate WPMI-TV, and Fox affiliate WALA. The following is a list of broadcast television stations in the Mobile, Alabama – Pensacola – Fort Walton Beach, Florida market.[20] Cox Communications provides cable television service in the county's urbanized areas, and television advertising through its subsidiary, Cox Media. Spectrum holds the cable television franchise for the county's mainland rural areas, while Mediacom serves the Pensacola Beach community on Santa Rosa Island. WALAWAWDWFNAWBQP-CDWEAR-TVWEIQWFBDWFGXWHBRWJTCWKRG-TVWMPV-TVWPANWPMI-TVWRBD-LPWSRERadioRadio stations in the Pensacola / Mobile market:[21] vteRadio stations in the Pensacola, Florida, metropolitan areaTransportationAirportsCoastal AirportFerguson AirportPensacola International AirportTransitEscambia County is served by buses run by Escambia County Area Transit.[22] Major highwaysSee also: List of county roads in Escambia County, Florida I-10 / SR 8 I-110 US 29 US 90 US 98 BUS US 98 State Road 4 State Road 97 State Road 173 State Road 289 State Road 291 State Road 292 State Road 295 State Road 296RailroadsPensacola was a scheduled stop on the route of Amtrak's Los Angeles-Orlando Sunset Limited from 1993 to 2005, when damage to railroad bridges and tracks caused by Hurricane Katrina resulted in cancellation of the route east of New Orleans. Escambia County has had no passenger train service since then. Before the creation of Amtrak in 1971, Pensacola was served by the New Orleans-Jacksonville Gulf Wind, operated jointly by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (predecessors of CSX). The following freight railroads serve Escambia County: CSX from Flomaton, Alabama, to PensacolaFlorida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad, which acquired most of the CSX main line from Pensacola to Jacksonville on June 1, 2019Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway from Amory, Mississippi, to Pensacola (predecessor: the Frisco Railway).LibraryEscambia County is served by the West Florida Regional Library System. GovernmentEscambia County government is led by a five-member Board of County Commissioners. Each is elected from a single-member district. The county commission appoints a professional county administrator as chief administrative officer of the county. The chief law enforcement authority of Escambia County is the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, also an elective office. The sheriff of Escambia County is Chip Simmons, elected in 2020. The fire protection arm of the Escambia County is the Escambia County Fire Rescue (Florida). Board of County CommissionersEscambia County is divided into five districts. One county commissioner is elected from each district to serve a four-year term. Commissioners are chosen in partisan elections by voters from the districts in which they live. The board appoints a county administrator to be chief administrative officer of the county, responsible to the commission for the orderly operations of matters within the board's jurisdiction. The current office holders are, Escambia County District 1: Jeff BergoshEscambia County District 2: Mike KohlerEscambia County District 3: Lumon May (chair)Escambia County District 4: Robert BenderEscambia County District 5: Steven BarryEscambia County administrator: Wes MorenoEscambia County assistant administrator: Debbie BowersEscambia County assistant administrator: Wesley HallEscambia County attorney: Alison P. RogersCounty jailThis section is too long. Consider splitting it into new pages, adding subheadings, or condensing it. (January 2014)In 2011, the US Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division issued a letter detailing the results of its investigation into conditions at Escambia County Jail, which houses roughly 1,300 prisoners. The department found that, although Sheriff David Morgan had recently implemented a series of reforms, conditions at the jail still routinely violated prisoners' constitutional rights.[23] Specifically, the department concluded that known systemic deficiencies, stemming mainly from staffing shortages, subjected prisoners to excessive risk of assault by other prisoners and to inadequate mental health care. Additionally, the department found that, until recently, the jail had an informal policy and practice of segregating its housing units, reserving one for African-American prisoners. According to the Department of Justice, this race-based segregation stigmatized and discriminated against many of the prisoners, and aggravated racial tensions in the jail.[23] Between April 2012 and March 2013, the prison recorded 176 inmate-on-inmate assaults, including 20 serious head wounds.[24] The investigation released a letter of findings: Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults are a common occurrence at the jail, making the Facility unsafe for prisoners. Assaults occur routinely primarily because of a shortage of correctional staff. The facility needs more staff to patrol jail pods, intervene when altercations or fights break out, and search cells for dangerous items that could be used as weapons against fellow prisoners;[24]A staffing study released in March 2011 commissioned by county leadership has given Jail leadership good reason to know that staffing shortages pose a significant risk to prisoner safety. Among other findings, the study concluded that: the jail "is operating with only about three-fourths of its needed staff; that "the [j]ail has been understaffed for many years;" that "[d]eputies ... are routinely borrowed from other jobs which results in leaving their posts unmanned;" that "[t]he frequency of some important operations, such as cell searches, is reduced due to lack of staff to conduct the searches;" that "[p]osts are understaffed or not staffed at all;" and that, "[l]arge insufficiencies in jail staffing ... raise the likelihood that something serious could happen that would overwhelm the jail's ability to respond;"[24]The Jail's leadership fails to appropriately monitor and track prisoner-on-prisoner violence and staff-on-prisoner uses of force;[24]The jail's decades-long practice of housing some prisoners in housing units designated as only for black prisoners ("black-only pods") racially discriminates against African-Americans, contributes to prisoner perceptions that the jail favors white prisoners over black prisoners, and reduces safety by exacerbating racial tensions among prisoners at the Facility;[24]Prisoners are not given timely and adequate access to appropriately skilled mental health care professionals;[24]The jail routinely fails to provide appropriate medications to prisoners with mental illness;[24]The jail provides inadequate housing and observation for prisoners with serious mental illness and/or at risk of self-injury, including suicide;[24] andOn average, the jail sends roughly one prisoner per month to the hospital after an incident of self-injury, a rate judged indicative of an inadequate mental health program.[24]The Department of Justice concluded from these facts that Escambia County Jail's practices violated the fourteenth amendment's due process protections for pre-trial detainees, as well as the eighth amendment's protections for those convicted of a criminal offense. Jail officials must refrain from showing deliberate indifference to conditions of confinement posing an excessive risk of harm to prisoners.[24] Roy L. Austin Jr., deputy assistant attorney general of the Civil Rights Division, commended Sheriff Morgan for his willingness to remedy problems identified during the course of the investigation. The department conducted this investigation under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) to enforce constitutional mandates. The department's investigation was broad-based.[23] The investigation was conducted by Special Litigation Counsel Avner Shapiro and Senior Trial Attorney David Deutsch of the Civil Rights Division's Special Litigation Section.[23] The findings letter is available on the department's website. Communities Juan Sebastian de Elcano, a Spanish tall ship, initiates a 21-gun salute in honor of the city of Pensacola's 450th anniversary in 2009.CityPensacolaTownCenturyCensus-designated placesBellviewBrentEnsleyFerry PassGonzalezGouldingMolinoMyrtle GroveWarringtonWest PensacolaOther unincorporated communitiesBarrineau ParkBarthBeulahBluff SpringsBogia[25]BrattBrownsvilleCantonmentInnerarity PointMcDavidMillviewOak GrovePensacola BeachPerdido KeyPleasant GroveWalnut HillGhost townsMuscogeePine BarrenPoliticsVoter registrationAccording to the secretary of state's office, Republicans constitute a plurality of registered voters in Escambia County. Escambia County voter registration & party enrollment as of September 30, 2022[26]Political partyTotal votersPercentageRepublican98,98744.25%Democratic71,74632.07%No party affiliation48,73421.78%Minor parties4,2521.90%Total223,719100.00%Statewide electionsEscambia County is very conservative politically, like the rest of the Western Panhandle. Before 1994, the area traditionally voted Democratic in local elections and sent Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives and the state legislature. This was particularly the case in the decades of the 20th century when most African Americans were disenfranchised by the state constitution until the federal Voting Rights Act passed. In 1994 incumbent representative Earl Hutto declined to run for reelection. That year, Republican Joe Scarborough was elected to the House of Representatives. Voters of the county have not supported a Democratic presidential candidate since John F. Kennedy in 1960. In 1964, a majority of the county's voters supported Republican nominee Barry Goldwater. In 1968, third-party candidate George Wallace won Escambia County with 54% of the vote. In 1972, Republican Richard Nixon received 80% of the vote. Since 1972, Republican nominees in every presidential election have won an absolute majority in Escambia County, but in recent years, the Democratic Party has increased its share of the presidential vote. In 2020, Joe Biden was the first Democratic presidential nominee to win over 40% of the county's vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976. Growth in the Pensacola suburbs as well as the sizable black population has made Escambia County the least Republican-leaning of the Western Panhandle counties. United States presidential election results for Escambia County, Florida[27] YearRepublicanDemocraticThird partyNo. %No. %No. %202096,67456.58%70,92941.51%3,2531.90%201688,80857.60%57,46137.27%7,9035.13%201288,71159.55%58,18539.06%2,0711.39%200891,41159.02%61,57239.76%1,8911.22%200493,56665.30%48,32933.73%1,3830.97%200073,17162.62%40,99035.08%2,6952.31%199660,99756.52%37,83835.06%9,0908.42%199252,86850.24%32,04530.45%20,30819.30%198864,95968.05%29,97731.40%5240.55%198466,71571.32%26,81228.66%220.02%198051,79458.49%33,51337.84%3,2523.67%197641,47151.38%38,27947.42%9651.20%197256,07179.57%14,07819.98%3150.45%196815,08922.07%16,28123.81%37,00054.12%196432,41456.09%25,37143.91%00.00%196017,92538.79%28,28861.21%00.00%195613,22737.21%22,32062.79%00.00%195212,17637.27%20,49562.73%00.00%19483,26714.75%13,98263.11%4,90722.15%19443,19116.42%16,24083.58%00.00%19402,24912.19%16,20187.81%00.00%19361,56714.64%9,13885.36%00.00%19321,65821.15%6,18278.85%00.00%19284,44353.32%3,77245.27%1181.42%19241,27429.34%2,29052.74%77817.92%19201,22722.96%3,48565.20%63311.84%191641615.05%2,18378.95%1666.00%1912723.48%1,59377.11%40119.41%190871821.39%1,88756.23%75122.38%190449723.02%1,57372.86%894.12%190043219.11%1,43563.47%39417.43%189623313.97%1,28577.04%1508.99%189200.00%2,61695.37%1274.63%Gubernatorial Election ResultsYearRepublicanDemocraticThird parties202264.46% 74,60834.63% 40,0760.91% 1,053201857.76% 74,71940.84% 52,8351.40% 1,812201461.99% 60,71934.13% 33,4343.88% 3,798201056.93% 54,60738.44% 36,8734.63% 4,436200659.09% 51,19538.98% 33,7771.93% 1,674200264.92% 60,09534.40% 31,8440.68% 633199866.83% 50,32533.14% 24,9560.03% 23199457.68% 45,26142.32% 33,2100.00% 1See alsoNational Register of Historic Places listings in Escambia County, FloridaFlorida PanhandleNotes Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[13][14] Florida is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico; Alabama to the northwest; Georgia to the north; the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean to the east; and the Straits of Florida and Cuba to the south. It is the only state that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. With a population exceeding 21 million, it is the third-most populous state in the nation and ranks eighth in population density as of 2020. It spans 65,758 square miles (170,310 km2), ranking 22nd in area among the 50 states. The Miami metropolitan area, anchored by the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, is the state's largest metropolitan area with a population of 6.138 million, and the state's most-populous city is Jacksonville with a population of 949,611. Florida's other major population centers include Tampa Bay, Orlando, Cape Coral, and the state capital of Tallahassee. Various Native American groups have inhabited Florida for at least 14,000 years. In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León became the first known European to make landfall, calling the region La Florida ([la floˈɾiða] for its lush greenery and the Easter season (Pascua Florida in Spanish). Florida subsequently became the first area in the continental U.S. to be permanently settled by Europeans, with the Spanish colony of St. Augustine, founded in 1565, being the oldest continuously inhabited city. Florida was repeatedly contested by Spain and Great Britain before being ceded to the U.S. in 1819; it was admitted as the 27th state on March 3, 1845. Florida was the principal location of the Seminole Wars (1816–1858), the longest and most extensive of the Indian Wars in U.S. history. The state seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861, becoming one of the seven original Confederate States, and was readmitted to the Union after the Civil War on June 25, 1868. Since the mid-20th century, Florida has experienced rapid demographic and economic growth. Its economy, with a gross state product (GSP) of $1.4 trillion, is the fourth-largest of any U.S. state and the 16th-largest in the world; the main sectors are tourism, hospitality, agriculture, real estate, and transportation. Florida is world-renowned for its beach resorts, amusement parks, warm and sunny climate, and nautical recreation; attractions such as Walt Disney World, the Kennedy Space Center, and Miami Beach draw tens of millions of visitors annually. Florida is a popular destination for retirees, seasonal vacationers, and both domestic and international migrants; it hosts nine out of the ten fastest-growing communities in the U.S. The state's close proximity to the ocean has shaped its culture, identity, and daily life; its colonial history and successive waves of migration are reflected in African, European, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian influences. Florida has attracted or inspired some of the most prominent American writers, including Ernest Hemingway, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and Tennessee Williams, and continues to attract celebrities and athletes, particularly in golf, tennis, auto racing, and water sports. Florida has been considered a battleground state in American presidential elections, particularly those in 2000, 2016, and 2020. About two-thirds of Florida occupies a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. It has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, spanning approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km), not including its many barrier islands. Florida has 4,510 islands that are ten acres (4.0 hectares) or larger in area, the second-largest of any state after Alaska. Much of Florida is at or near sea level, and is characterized by sedimentary soil. Florida is the flattest state in the country, with the lowest high point of any U.S. state, at just 345 feet (105 meters). Florida's climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south. It is the only state besides Hawaii to have a tropical climate, and is the only continental state with both a tropical climate, located at the southern portion of the state, and a coral reef. Florida has several unique ecosystems, including Everglades National Park, the largest tropical wilderness in the U.S. and among the largest in the Americas. Unique wildlife include the American alligator, American crocodile, American flamingo, Roseate spoonbill, Florida panther, bottlenose dolphin, and manatee. The Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States, and the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef and the Belize Barrier Reef. HistoryMain article: History of FloridaPeople, known as Paleo-Indians, entered Florida at least 14,000 years ago.[12] By the 16th century, the earliest time for which there is a historical record, major groups of people living in Florida included the Apalachee of the Florida Panhandle, the Timucua of northern and central Florida, the Ais of the central Atlantic coast, and the Calusa of southwest Florida.[13] European arrivalMain articles: New Spain, Spanish Florida, French and Indian War, Treaty of Paris (1763), West Florida, East Florida, Indian Reserve (1763), American Revolutionary War, Gulf Coast campaign, Treaty of Paris (1783), and Spanish West Florida Map of Florida, likely based on the expeditions of Hernando de Soto (1539–1543). The Castillo de San Marcos. Originally white with red corners, its design reflects the colors and shapes of the Cross of Burgundy and the subsequent Flag of Florida. East Florida and West Florida in British period (1763–1783).Florida was the first region of what is now the contiguous United States to be visited and settled by Europeans. The earliest known European explorers came with the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León. Ponce de León spotted and landed on the peninsula on April 2, 1513. He named it La Florida in recognition of the verdant landscape and because it was the Easter season, which the Spaniards called Pascua Florida (Festival of Flowers). The following day they came ashore to seek information and take possession of this new land.[14][15] The story that he was searching for the Fountain of Youth is mythical and appeared only long after his death.[16] In May 1539, Conquistador Hernando de Soto skirted the coast of Florida, searching for a deep harbor to land. He described a thick wall of red mangroves spread mile after mile, some reaching as high as 70 feet (21 m), with intertwined and elevated roots making landing difficult.[17] The Spanish introduced Christianity, cattle, horses, sheep, the Castilian language, and more to Florida.[18] Spain established several settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. In 1559, Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano established a settlement at present-day Pensacola, making it the first attempted settlement in Florida, but it was mostly abandoned by 1561. In 1564–1565, there was a French settlement at Fort Caroline, in present Duval County, which was destroyed by the Spanish.[19] In 1565, the settlement of St. Augustine (San Agustín) was established under the leadership of admiral and governor Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, creating what would become one of the oldest, continuously occupied European settlements in the continental U.S. and establishing the first generation of Floridanos and the Government of Florida.[20] Spain maintained strategic control over the region by converting the local tribes to Christianity. The marriage between Luisa de Abrego, a free black domestic servant from Seville, and Miguel Rodríguez, a white Segovian, occurred in 1565 in St. Augustine. It is the first recorded Christian marriage in the continental United States.[21] Some Spanish married or had unions with Pensacola, Creek, or African women, both slave and free, and their descendants created a mixed-race population of mestizos and mulattoes. The Spanish encouraged slaves from the Thirteen Colonies to come to Florida as a refuge, promising freedom in exchange for conversion to Catholicism. King Charles II of Spain issued a royal proclamation freeing all slaves who fled to Spanish Florida and accepted conversion and baptism. Most went to the area around St. Augustine, but escaped slaves also reached Pensacola. St. Augustine had mustered an all-black militia unit defending Spanish Florida as early as 1683.[22] The geographical area of Spanish claims in La Florida diminished with the establishment of English settlements to the north and French claims to the west. English colonists and buccaneers launched several attacks on St. Augustine in the 17th and 18th centuries, razing the city and its cathedral to the ground several times. Spain built the Castillo de San Marcos in 1672 and Fort Matanzas in 1742 to defend Florida's capital city from attacks, and to maintain its strategic position in the defense of the Captaincy General of Cuba and the Spanish West Indies. In 1738, the Spanish governor of Florida Manuel de Montiano established Fort Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose near St. Augustine, a fortified town for escaped slaves to whom Montiano granted citizenship and freedom in return for their service in the Florida militia, and which became the first free black settlement legally sanctioned in North America.[23][24] In 1763, Spain traded Florida to the Kingdom of Great Britain for control of Havana, Cuba, which had been captured by the British during the Seven Years' War. The trade was done as part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris which ended the Seven Years' War. Spain was granted Louisiana from France due to their loss of Florida. A large portion of the Florida population left, taking along large portions of the remaining indigenous population with them to Cuba.[25] The British soon constructed the King's Road connecting St. Augustine to Georgia. The road crossed the St. Johns River at a narrow point called Wacca Pilatka, or the British name "Cow Ford", reflecting the fact that cattle were brought across the river there.[26][27][28] The British divided and consolidated the Florida provinces (Las Floridas) into East Florida and West Florida, a division the Spanish government kept after the brief British period.[29] The British government gave land grants to officers and soldiers who had fought in the French and Indian War in order to encourage settlement. In order to induce settlers to move to Florida, reports of its natural wealth were published in England. A number of British settlers who were described as being "energetic and of good character" moved to Florida, mostly coming from South Carolina, Georgia and England. There was also a group of settlers who came from the colony of Bermuda. This was the first permanent English-speaking population in what is now Duval County, Baker County, St. Johns County and Nassau County. The British constructed good public roads and introduced the cultivation of sugar cane, indigo and fruits, as well as the export of lumber.[30][31] The British governors were directed to call general assemblies as soon as possible in order to make laws for the Floridas, and in the meantime they were, with the advice of councils, to establish courts. This was the first introduction of the English-derived legal system which Florida still has today, including trial by jury, habeas corpus and county-based government.[30][31] Neither East Florida nor West Florida sent any representatives to Philadelphia to draft the Declaration of Independence. Florida remained a Loyalist stronghold for the duration of the American Revolution.[32] Spain regained both East and West Florida after Britain's defeat in the Revolutionary War and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles in 1783, and continued the provincial divisions until 1821.[33] Statehood and Indian removalSee also: Republic of East Florida, Seminole Wars, Adams–Onís Treaty, Florida Territory, Admission to the Union, and List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union A Cracker cowboy, 19th centuryDefense of Florida's northern border with the United States was minor during the second Spanish period. The region became a haven for escaped slaves and a base for Indian attacks against U.S. territories, and the U.S. pressed Spain for reform. Americans of English and Scots-Irish descent began moving into northern Florida from the backwoods of Georgia and South Carolina. Though technically not allowed by the Spanish authorities and the Floridan government, they were never able to effectively police the border region and the backwoods settlers from the United States would continue to immigrate into Florida unchecked. These migrants, mixing with the already present British settlers who had remained in Florida since the British period, would be the progenitors of the population known as Florida Crackers.[34] These American settlers established a permanent foothold in the area and ignored Spanish authorities. The British settlers who had remained also resented Spanish rule, leading to a rebellion in 1810 and the establishment for ninety days of the so-called Free and Independent Republic of West Florida on September 23. After meetings beginning in June, rebels overcame the garrison at Baton Rouge (now in Louisiana), and unfurled the flag of the new republic: a single white star on a blue field. This flag would later become known as the "Bonnie Blue Flag". In 1810, parts of West Florida were annexed by the proclamation of President James Madison, who claimed the region as part of the Louisiana Purchase. These parts were incorporated into the newly formed Territory of Orleans. The U.S. annexed the Mobile District of West Florida to the Mississippi Territory in 1812. Spain continued to dispute the area, though the United States gradually increased the area it occupied. In 1812, a group of settlers from Georgia, with de facto support from the U.S. federal government, attempted to overthrow the Floridan government in the province of East Florida. The settlers hoped to convince Floridians to join their cause and proclaim independence from Spain, but the settlers lost their tenuous support from the federal government and abandoned their cause by 1813.[35] Traditionally, historians argued that Seminoles based in East Florida began raiding Georgia settlements, and offering havens for runaway slaves. The United States Army led increasingly frequent incursions into Spanish territory, including the 1817–1818 campaign against the Seminole Indians by Andrew Jackson that became known as the First Seminole War. The United States now effectively controlled East Florida. Control was necessary according to Secretary of State John Quincy Adams because Florida had become "a derelict open to the occupancy of every enemy, civilized or savage, of the United States, and serving no other earthly purpose than as a post of annoyance to them."[36] A U.S. Marine boat searching the Everglades for Seminoles (hiding in foreground) during the Second Seminole War.More recent historians describe that after U.S. independence, settlers in Georgia increased pressure on Seminole lands, and skirmishes near the border led to the First Seminole War (1816–19). The United States purchased Florida from Spain by the Adams-Onis Treaty (1819) and took possession in 1821. The Seminole were moved out of their rich farmland in northern Florida and confined to a large reservation in the interior of the Florida peninsula by the Treaty of Moultrie Creek (1823). Passage of the Indian Removal Act (1830) led to the Treaty of Payne's Landing (1832), which called for the relocation of all Seminole to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma).[37] Some resisted, leading to the Second Seminole War, the bloodiest war against Native Americans in United States history. By 1842, however, most Seminoles and Black Seminoles, facing starvation, were removed to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. Perhaps fewer than 200 Seminoles remained in Florida after the Third Seminole War (1855–1858), having taken refuge in the Everglades, from where they never surrendered to the US. They fostered a resurgence in traditional customs and a culture of staunch independence.[38] Florida had become a burden to Spain, which could not afford to send settlers or troops due to the devastation caused by the Peninsular War. Madrid, therefore, decided to cede the territory to the United States through the Adams–Onís Treaty, which took effect in 1821.[39] President James Monroe was authorized on March 3, 1821, to take possession of East Florida and West Florida for the United States and provide for initial governance.[40] Andrew Jackson, on behalf of the U.S. federal government, served as a military commissioner with the powers of governor of the newly acquired territory for a brief period.[41] On March 30, 1822, the U.S. Congress merged East Florida and part of West Florida into the Florida Territory.[42] By the early 1800s, Indian removal was a significant issue throughout the southeastern U.S. and also in Florida. In 1830, the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Removal Act and as settlement increased, pressure grew on the U.S. government to remove the Indians from Florida. Seminoles offered sanctuary to blacks, and these became known as the Black Seminoles, and clashes between whites and Indians grew with the influx of new settlers. In 1832, the Treaty of Payne's Landing promised to the Seminoles lands west of the Mississippi River if they agreed to leave Florida. Many Seminole left at this time. Some Seminoles remained, and the U.S. Army arrived in Florida, leading to the Second Seminole War (1835–1842). Following the war, approximately 3,000 Seminole and 800 Black Seminole were removed to Indian Territory. A few hundred Seminole remained in Florida in the Everglades. The Historic Call-Collins House, the Grove, built by slaves in the 1840s, is an antebellum plantation house in Tallahassee. 1840 advertisement in the Pensacola Gazette offering a $10 ($330 in 2022) reward for the return of a fugitive slave.On March 3, 1845, only one day before the end of President John Tyler's term in office, Florida became the 27th state,[43] admitted as a slave state and no longer a sanctuary for runaway slaves. Initially its population grew slowly.[44] As European settlers continued to encroach on Seminole lands, the United States intervened to move the remaining Seminoles to the West. The Third Seminole War (1855–58) resulted in the forced removal of most of the remaining Seminoles, although hundreds of Seminole Indians remained in the Everglades.[45] The first settlements and towns in South Florida were founded much later than those in the northern part of the state. The first permanent European settlers arrived in the early 19th century. People came from the Bahamas to South Florida and the Keys to hunt for treasure from the ships that ran aground on the treacherous Great Florida Reef. Some accepted Spanish land offers along the Miami River. At about the same time, the Seminole Indians arrived, along with a group of runaway slaves. The area was affected by the Second Seminole War, during which Major William S. Harney led several raids against the Indians. Most non-Indian residents were soldiers stationed at Fort Dallas. It was the most devastating Indian war in American history, causing almost a total loss of population in Miami. After the Second Seminole War ended in 1842, William English re-established a plantation started by his uncle on the Miami River. He charted the "Village of Miami" on the south bank of the Miami River and sold several plots of land. In 1844, Miami became the county seat, and six years later a census reported there were ninety-six residents in the area.[46] The Third Seminole War was not as destructive as the second, but it slowed the settlement of southeast Florida. At the end of the war, a few of the soldiers stayed. Civil War and ReconstructionMain article: Florida in the American Civil WarSee also: American Civil War and Reconstruction era The Battle of Olustee during the American Civil War, 1864.American settlers began to establish cotton plantations in north Florida, which required numerous laborers, which they supplied by buying slaves in the domestic market. By 1860, Florida had only 140,424 people, of whom 44% were enslaved. There were fewer than 1,000 free African Americans before the American Civil War.[47] On January 10, 1861, nearly all delegates in the Florida Legislature approved an ordinance of secession,[48][49] declaring Florida to be "a sovereign and independent nation"—an apparent reassertion to the preamble in Florida's Constitution of 1838, in which Florida agreed with Congress to be a "Free and Independent State." The ordinance declared Florida's secession from the Union, allowing it to become one of the founding members of the Confederate States. The Confederacy received little military help from Florida; the 15,000 troops it offered were generally sent elsewhere. Instead of troops and manufactured goods, Florida did provide salt and, more importantly, beef to feed the Confederate armies. This was particularly important after 1864, when the Confederacy lost control of the Mississippi River, thereby losing access to Texas beef.[50][51] The largest engagements in the state were the Battle of Olustee, on February 20, 1864, and the Battle of Natural Bridge, on March 6, 1865. Both were Confederate victories.[52] The war ended in 1865. Following the American Civil War, Florida's congressional representation was restored on June 25, 1868, albeit forcefully after Reconstruction and the installation of unelected government officials under the final authority of federal military commanders. After the Reconstruction period ended in 1876, white Democrats regained power in the state legislature. In 1885, they created a new constitution, followed by statutes through 1889 that disfranchised most blacks and many poor whites.[53] In the pre-automobile era, railroads played a key role in the state's development, particularly in coastal areas. In 1883, the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad connected Pensacola and the rest of the Panhandle to the rest of the state. In 1884 the South Florida Railroad (later absorbed by Atlantic Coast Line Railroad) opened full service to Tampa. In 1894 the Florida East Coast Railway reached West Palm Beach; in 1896 it reached Biscayne Bay near Miami. Numerous other railroads were built all over the interior of the state. 20th and 21st century Vacationers at the newly opened Don Cesar Hotel in St. Pete Beach, Florida in 1928.Historically, Florida's economy has been based primarily upon agricultural products such as citrus fruits, strawberries, nuts, sugarcane and cattle.[54] The boll weevil devastated cotton crops during the early 20th century.[55][56] Until the mid-20th century, Florida was the least-populous state in the southern United States. In 1900, its population was only 528,542, of whom nearly 44% were African American, the same proportion as before the Civil War.[57] Forty thousand blacks, roughly one-fifth of their 1900 population levels in Florida, left the state in the Great Migration. They left due to lynchings and racial violence and for better opportunities in the North and the West.[58] Disfranchisement for most African Americans in the state persisted until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s gained federal legislation in 1965 to enforce protection of their constitutional suffrage. Black and white photograph of segregationists fighting on a beachWhite segregationists (foreground) trying to prevent black people from swimming at a "White only" beach in St. Augustine during the 1964 Monson Motor Lodge protests.In response to racial segregation in Florida, a number of protests occurred in Florida during the 1950s and 1960s as part of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1956–1957, students at Florida A&M University organized a bus boycott in Tallahassee to mimic the Montgomery bus boycott and succeeded in integrating the city's buses.[59] Students also held sit-ins in 1960 in protest of segregated seating at local lunch counters, and in 1964 an incident at a St. Augustine motel pool, in which the owner poured acid into the water during a demonstration, influenced the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.[60] Economic prosperity in the 1920s stimulated tourism to Florida and related development of hotels and resort communities. Combined with its sudden elevation in profile was the Florida land boom of the 1920s, which brought a brief period of intense land development. In 1925, the Seaboard Air Line broke the FEC's southeast Florida monopoly and extended its freight and passenger service to West Palm Beach; two years later it extended passenger service to Miami. Devastating hurricanes in 1926 and 1928, followed by the Great Depression, brought that period to a halt. Florida's economy did not fully recover until the military buildup for World War II. Miami's Freedom Tower, built in 1925, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.In 1939, Florida was described as "still very largely an empty State."[61] Subsequently, the growing availability of air conditioning, the climate, and a low cost of living made the state a haven. Migration from the Rust Belt and the Northeast sharply increased Florida's population after 1945. In the 1960s, many refugees from Cuba fleeing Fidel Castro's communist regime arrived in Miami at the Freedom Tower, where the federal government used the facility to process, document and provide medical and dental services for the newcomers. As a result, the Freedom Tower was also called the "Ellis Island of the South."[62] In recent decades, more migrants have come for the jobs in a developing economy. Walt Disney World opened on October 1, 1971, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee.With a population of more than 18 million, according to the 2010 census, Florida is the most populous state in the southeastern United States and the third-most populous in the United States.[63] The population of Florida has boomed in recent years with the state being the recipient of the largest number of out-of-state movers in the country as of 2019.[64] Florida's growth has been widespread, as cities throughout the state have continued to see population growth.[65] In 2012, the killing of Trayvon Martin, a young black man, by George Zimmerman in Sanford drew national attention to Florida's stand-your-ground laws, and sparked African-American activism nationally, including the Black Lives Matter movement.[66] After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017, a large population of Puerto Ricans began moving to Florida to escape the widespread destruction. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans arrived in Florida after Maria dissipated, with nearly half of them arriving in Orlando and large populations also moving to Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.[67] Memorials to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting left on the fence of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando in 2016.A handful of high-profile mass shootings have occurred in Florida in the 21st century. In June 2016, a gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando. It is the deadliest incident in the history of violence against LGBT people in the United States, as well as the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since the September 11 attacks in 2001, and it was the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history until the 2017 Las Vegas shooting. In February 2018, 17 people were killed in a school shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, leading to new gun control regulations at both the state and federal level.[68] On June 24, 2021, a condominium in Surfside, Florida, near Miami collapsed, killing at least 97 people.[69] The Surfside collapse is tied with the Knickerbocker Theatre collapse as the third-deadliest structural engineering failure in United States history, behind the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse and the collapse of the Pemberton Mill.[70][71] GeographyMain article: Geography of FloridaSee also: List of counties in Florida, List of places in Florida, List of municipalities in Florida, List of islands of Florida, and List of Florida state parksMuch of Florida is on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida. Spanning two time zones, it extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is bordered on the north by Georgia and Alabama, and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. It is the only state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Florida also is the southernmost of the 48 contiguous states, Hawaii being the only one of the fifty states reaching farther south. Florida is west of the Bahamas and 90 miles (140 km) north of Cuba. Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi River, and only Alaska and Michigan are larger in water area. The water boundary is 3 nautical miles (3.5 mi; 5.6 km) offshore in the Atlantic Ocean[72] and 9 nautical miles (10 mi; 17 km) offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.[72] At 345 feet (105 m) above mean sea level, Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state.[73] Much of the state south of Orlando lies at a lower elevation than northern Florida, and is fairly level. Much of the state is at or near sea level. However, some places such as Clearwater have promontories that rise 50 to 100 ft (15 to 30 m) above the water. Much of Central and North Florida, typically 25 mi (40 km) or more away from the coastline, have rolling hills with elevations ranging from 100 to 250 ft (30 to 76 m). The highest point in peninsular Florida (east and south of the Suwannee River), Sugarloaf Mountain, is a 312-foot (95 m) peak in Lake County.[74] On average, Florida is the flattest state in the United States.[75] Florida is mostly low-lying and flat as this topographic map shows.Lake Okeechobee, the largest lake in Florida, is the tenth largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwater lake contained entirely within the contiguous 48 states, after Lake Michigan.[76] ClimateMain article: Climate of FloridaSee also: List of Florida hurricanes and U.S. state temperature extremes The state tree, Sabal palmetto, flourishes in Florida's overall warm climate.The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by the fact that no part of the state is distant from the ocean. North of Lake Okeechobee, the prevalent climate is humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa), while areas south of the lake (including the Florida Keys) have a true tropical climate (Köppen: Aw, Am, and Af).[77] Mean high temperatures for late July are primarily in the low 90s Fahrenheit (32–34 °C). Mean low temperatures for early to mid January range from the low 40s Fahrenheit (4–7 °C) in north Florida to above 60 °F (16 °C) from Miami on southward. With an average daily temperature of 70.7 °F (21.5 °C), it is the warmest state in the U.S.[78][79] In the summer, high temperatures in the state rarely exceed 100 °F (37.8 °C). Several record cold maxima have been in the 30s °F (−1 to 4 °C) and record lows have been in the 10s (−12 to −7 °C). These temperatures normally extend at most a few days at a time in the northern and central parts of Florida. South Florida, however, rarely encounters below freezing temperatures.[80] The hottest temperature ever recorded in Florida was 109 °F (43 °C), which was set on June 29, 1931, in Monticello. The coldest temperature was −2 °F (−19 °C), on February 13, 1899, just 25 miles (40 km) away, in Tallahassee.[81][82] Due to its subtropical and tropical climate, Florida rarely receives measurable snowfall.[83] However, on rare occasions, a combination of cold moisture and freezing temperatures can result in snowfall in the farthest northern regions like Jacksonville, Gainesville or Pensacola. Frost, which is more common than snow, sometimes occurs in the panhandle.[84] The USDA Plant hardiness zones for the state range from zone 8a (no colder than 10 °F or −12 °C) in the inland western panhandle to zone 11b (no colder than 45 °F or 7 °C) in the lower Florida Keys.[85] Fog also occurs all over the state or climate of Florida.[86] Average high and low temperatures for various Florida cities°FJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJacksonville[87]65/4268/4574/5079/5586/6390/7092/7391/7387/6980/6174/5167/44Miami[88]76/6078/6280/6583/6887/7389/7691/7791/7789/7686/7382/6878/63Orlando[89]71/4974/5278/5683/6088/6691/7292/7492/7490/7385/6678/5973/52Pensacola[90]61/4364/4670/5176/5884/6689/7290/7490/7487/7080/6070/5063/45Tallahassee[91]64/3968/4274/4780/5287/6291/7092/7292/7289/6882/5773/4866/41Tampa[92]70/5173/5477/5881/6288/6990/7490/7591/7689/7485/6778/6072/54°CJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJacksonville18/620/723/1026/1330/1732/2133/2333/2331/2127/1623/1119/7Miami24/1626/1727/1828/2031/2332/2433/2533/2532/2430/2328/2026/17Orlando22/923/1126/1328/1631/1933/2233/2333/2332/2329/1926/1523/11Pensacola16/618/821/1124/1429/1932/2232/2332/2331/2127/1621/1017/7Tallahassee18/420/623/827/1131/1733/2133/2233/2232/2028/1423/919/5Tampa21/1123/1225/1427/1731/2132/2332/2433/2432/2329/1926/1622/12Florida's nickname is the "Sunshine State", but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country.[93] Florida has one of the highest average precipitation levels of any state,[94] in large part because afternoon thunderstorms are common in much of the state from late spring until early autumn.[95] A narrow eastern part of the state including Orlando and Jacksonville receives between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of sunshine annually. The rest of the state, including Miami, receives between 2,800 and 3,200 hours annually.[96] Florida leads the United States in tornadoes per area (when including waterspouts),[97] but they do not typically reach the intensity of those in the Midwest and Great Plains. Hail often accompanies the most severe thunderstorms.[98] Hurricanes pose a severe threat each year from June 1 to November 30, particularly from August to October. Florida is the most hurricane-prone state, with subtropical or tropical water on a lengthy coastline. Of the category 4 or higher storms that have struck the United States, 83% have either hit Florida or Texas.[99] From 1851 to 2006, Florida was struck by 114 hurricanes, 37 of them major—category 3 and above.[99] It is rare for a hurricane season to pass without any impact in the state by at least a tropical storm.[100] In 1992, Florida was the site of what was then the costliest weather disaster in U.S. history, Hurricane Andrew, which caused more than $25 billion in damages when it struck during August; it held that distinction until 2005, when Hurricane Katrina surpassed it, and it has since been surpassed by six other hurricanes. Andrew is the second-costliest hurricane in Florida's history.[101] FaunaFurther information: Fauna of Florida and List of invasive species in Florida An alligator in the Everglades West Indian manateeFlorida is host to many types of wildlife including: Marine mammals: bottlenose dolphin, short-finned pilot whale, North Atlantic right whale, West Indian manateeMammals: Florida panther, northern river otter, mink, eastern cottontail rabbit, marsh rabbit, raccoon, striped skunk, squirrel, white-tailed deer, Key deer, bobcats, red fox, gray fox, coyote, wild boar, Florida black bear, nine-banded armadillos, Virginia opossumReptiles: eastern diamondback and pygmy rattlesnakes, gopher tortoise, green and leatherback sea turtles,[102] brown anoles, and eastern indigo snake. In 2012, there were about one million American alligators and 1,500 crocodiles.[103]Birds: peregrine falcon,[104] bald eagle, American flamingo,[105] crested caracara, snail kite, osprey, white and brown pelicans, sea gulls, whooping and sandhill cranes, roseate spoonbill, American white ibis, Florida scrub jay (state endemic), and others. One subspecies of wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo osceola, is found only in Florida.[106] The state is a wintering location for many species of eastern North American birds.As a result of climate change, there have been small numbers of several new species normally native to cooler areas to the north: snowy owls, snow buntings, harlequin ducks, and razorbills. These have been seen in the northern part of the state.[107]Invertebrates: carpenter ants, termites, American cockroach, Africanized bees, the Miami blue butterfly, and the grizzled mantis.Florida also has more than 500 nonnative animal species and 1,000 nonnative insects found throughout the state.[108] Some exotic species living in Florida include the Burmese python, green iguana, veiled chameleon, Argentine black and white tegu, peacock bass, mayan cichlid, lionfish, White-nosed coati, rhesus macaque, vervet monkey, Cuban tree frog, cane toad, Indian peafowl, monk parakeet, tui parakeet, and many more. Some of these nonnative species do not pose a threat to any native species, but some do threaten the native species of Florida by living in the state and eating them.[109] FloraFurther information: Florida mangroves and List of invasive plant species in Florida Red mangroves in Everglades National ParkThe state has more than 26,000 square miles (67,000 km2) of forests, covering about half of the state's land area.[110] There are about 3,000 different types of wildflowers in Florida.[111] This is the third-most diverse state in the union, behind California and Texas, both larger states.[112] In Florida, wild populations of coconut palms extend up the East Coast from Key West to Jupiter Inlet, and up the West Coast from Marco Island to Sarasota. Many of the smallest coral islands in the Florida Keys are known to have abundant coconut palms sprouting from coconuts deposited by ocean currents. Coconut palms are cultivated north of south Florida to roughly Cocoa Beach on the East Coast and the Tampa Bay Area on the West Coast.[113] On the east coast of the state, mangroves have normally dominated the coast from Cocoa Beach southward; salt marshes from St. Augustine northward. From St. Augustine south to Cocoa Beach, the coast fluctuates between the two, depending on the annual weather conditions.[107] All three mangrove species flower in the spring and early summer. Propagules fall from late summer through early autumn.[citation needed] Florida mangrove plant communities covered an estimated 430,000 to 540,000 acres (1,700 to 2,200 km2) in Florida in 1981. Ninety percent of the Florida mangroves are in southern Florida, in Collier, Lee, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. Florida ReefMain article: Florida Reef Fish and corals in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park near Key LargoThe Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States.[114] It is also the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef and the Belize Barrier Reef.[115] The reef lies a little bit off of the coast of the Florida Keys. A lot of the reef lies within John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which was the first underwater park in the United States.[116] The park contains a lot of tropical vegetation, marine life, and seabirds. The Florida Reef extends into other parks and sanctuaries as well including Dry Tortugas National Park, Biscayne National Park, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Almost 1,400 species of marine plants and animals, including more than 40 species of stony corals and 500 species of fish, live on the Florida Reef.[117] The Florida Reef, being a delicate ecosystem like other coral reefs, faces many threats including overfishing, plastics in the ocean, coral bleaching, rising sea levels, and changes in sea surface temperature. Environmental issuesMain article: Environment of FloridaSee also: Environmental issues in Florida American flamingos in South Florida An American alligator and an invasive Burmese python in Everglades National ParkFlorida is a low per capita energy user.[118] As of 2008, it is estimated that approximately 4% of energy in the state is generated through renewable resources.[119] Florida's energy production is 6% of the nation's total energy output, while total production of pollutants is lower, with figures of 6% for nitrogen oxide, 5% for carbon dioxide, and 4% for sulfur dioxide.[119] Wildfires in Florida occur at all times of the year.[120] All potable water resources have been controlled by the state government through five regional water authorities since 1972.[121] Red tide has been an issue on the southwest coast of Florida, as well as other areas. While there has been a great deal of conjecture over the cause of the toxic algae bloom, there is no evidence that it is being caused by pollution or that there has been an increase in the duration or frequency of red tides.[122] Red tide is now killing off wildlife or Tropical fish and coral reefs putting all in danger.[123] The Florida panther is close to extinction. A record 23 were killed in 2009, mainly by automobile collisions, leaving about 100 individuals in the wild. The Center for Biological Diversity and others have therefore called for a special protected area for the panther to be established.[124] Manatees are also dying at a rate higher than their reproduction.[125] American flamingos are rare to see in Florida due to being hunted in the 1900s, where it was to a point considered completely extirpated. Now the flamingos are reproducing toward making a comeback to South Florida since it is adamantly considered native to the state and also are now being protected.[126][127] Much of Florida has an elevation of less than 12 feet (3.7 m), including many populated areas. Therefore, it is susceptible to rising sea levels associated with global warming.[128] The Atlantic beaches that are vital to the state's economy are being washed out to sea due to rising sea levels caused by climate change. The Miami beach area, close to the continental shelf, is running out of accessible offshore sand reserves.[129] Elevated temperatures can damage coral reefs, causing coral bleaching. The first recorded bleaching incident on the Florida Reef was in 1973. Incidents of bleaching have become more frequent in recent decades, in correlation with a rise in sea surface temperatures. White band disease has also adversely affected corals on the Florida Reef.[130] GeologyMain article: Geology of Florida The Florida Keys as seen from a satellite, December 2003[131]The Florida peninsula is a porous plateau of karst limestone sitting atop bedrock known as the Florida Platform. The largest deposits of potash in the United States are found in Florida.[132] The largest deposits of rock phosphate in the country are found in Florida.[132] Most of this is in Bone Valley.[133] Extended systems of underwater caves, sinkholes and springs are found throughout the state and supply most of the water used by residents.[134] The limestone is topped with sandy soils deposited as ancient beaches over millions of years as global sea levels rose and fell. During the last glacial period, lower sea levels and a drier climate revealed a much wider peninsula, largely savanna.[135] While there are sinkholes in much of the state, modern sinkholes have tended to be in West-Central Florida.[136][137] Everglades National Park covers 1,509,000 acres (6,110 km2), throughout Dade, Monroe, and Collier counties in Florida.[138] The Everglades, an enormously wide, slow-flowing river encompasses the southern tip of the peninsula. Sinkhole damage claims on property in the state exceeded a total of $2 billion from 2006 through 2010.[139] Winter Park Sinkhole, in central Florida, appeared May 8, 1981. It was approximately 350 feet (107 m) wide and 75 feet (23 m) deep. It was notable as one of the largest recent sinkholes to form in the United States. It is now known as Lake Rose.[140] The Econlockhatchee River (Econ River for short) is an 54.5-mile-long (87.7 km)[141] north-flowing blackwater tributary of the St. Johns River, the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida. The Econ River flows through Osceola, Orange, and Seminole counties in Central Florida, just east of the Orlando Metropolitan Area (east of State Road 417). It is a designated Outstanding Florida Waters.[142] Earthquakes are rare because Florida is not located near any tectonic plate boundaries.[143] Regions All of the 67 counties in FloridaFlorida PanhandleEmerald CoastForgotten CoastNorth FloridaPensacola metropolitan areaTallahassee metropolitan areaNorth Central FloridaBig BendNature CoastNorth FloridaGainesville metropolitan areaNortheast FloridaFirst CoastJacksonville metropolitan areaNorth FloridaCentral West FloridaNature CoastTampa Bay AreaFlorida SuncoastCentral FloridaGreater OrlandoCentral East FloridaDeltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropolitan areaSurf Coast/Fun Coast/Halifax AreaSpace CoastTreasure CoastSouthwest FloridaFlorida HeartlandFlorida EvergladesFlorida SuncoastSarasota metropolitan areaTen Thousand IslandsSouth FloridaEvergladesGold CoastFlorida KeysMiami metropolitan areaCities and townsSee also: List of metropolitan areas of Florida, List of municipalities in Florida, and List of urbanized areas in Florida (by population)The largest metropolitan area in the state as well as the entire southeastern United States is the Miami metropolitan area, with about 6.06 million people. The Tampa Bay Area, with more than 3.02 million, is the second largest; the Orlando metropolitan area, with more than 2.44 million, is third; and the Jacksonville metropolitan area, with more than 1.47 million, is fourth.[144] Florida has 22 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Forty-three of Florida's 67 counties are in an MSA. The legal name in Florida for a city, town or village is "municipality". In Florida there is no legal difference between towns, villages and cities.[145] Florida is a highly urbanized state, with 89 percent of its population living in urban areas in 2000, compared to 79 percent nationally.[146] In 2012, 75% of the population lived within 10 miles (16 km) of the coastline.[147] Largest cities or towns in FloridaSource:[148]RankNameCountyPop.RankNameCountyPop.JacksonvilleJacksonvilleMiamiMiami1JacksonvilleDuval949,61111Pembroke PinesBroward171,178TampaTampaOrlandoOrlando2MiamiMiami-Dade442,24112HollywoodBroward153,0673TampaHillsborough384,95913GainesvilleAlachua141,0854OrlandoOrange307,57314MiramarBroward134,7215St. PetersburgPinellas258,30815Coral SpringsBroward134,3946HialeahMiami-Dade223,10916Palm BayBrevard119,7607Port St. LucieSt. Lucie204,85117West Palm BeachPalm Beach117,4158TallahasseeLeon196,16918ClearwaterPinellas117,2929Cape CoralLee194,01619LakelandPolk112,64110Fort LauderdaleBroward182,76020Pompano BeachBroward112,046DemographicsMain article: Demographics of FloridaSee also: Culture of FloridaPopulation Population density of Florida according to the 2020 census Cuban American men playing dominoes in Miami's Little Havana. In 2010, Cubans made up 34.4% of Miami's population and 6.5% of Florida's.[149][150]Historical populationCensusPop.Note%±183034,730—184054,47756.9%185087,44560.5%1860140,42460.6%1870187,74833.7%1880269,49343.5%1890391,42245.2%1900528,54235.0%1910752,61942.4%1920968,47028.7%19301,468,21151.6%19401,897,41429.2%19502,771,30546.1%19604,951,56078.7%19706,789,44337.1%19809,746,32443.6%199012,937,92632.7%200015,982,37823.5%201018,801,31017.6%202021,538,18714.6%2022 (est.)22,244,8233.3%Sources: 1910–2020[151]The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the population of Florida was 21,477,737 on July 1, 2019, a 14.24% increase since the 2010 United States census.[152] The population of Florida in the 2010 census was 18,801,310.[153] Florida was the seventh fastest-growing state in the U.S. in the 12-month period ending July 1, 2012.[154] In 2010, the center of population of Florida was located between Fort Meade and Frostproof. The center of population has moved less than 5 miles (8 km) to the east and approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) to the north between 1980 and 2010 and has been located in Polk County since the 1960 census.[155] The population exceeded 19.7 million by December 2014, surpassing the population of the state of New York for the first time, making Florida the third most populous state.[156][157] The Florida population was 21,477,737 residents or people according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 Population Estimates Program.[158] By the 2020 census, its population increased to 21,538,187. In 2010, undocumented immigrants constituted an estimated 5.7% of the population. This was the sixth highest percentage of any U.S. state.[159][b] There were an estimated 675,000 illegal immigrants in the state in 2010.[160] Florida has banned sanctuary cities.[161] According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 25,959 homeless people in Florida.[162][163] Ethnic origins in FloridaFlorida racial breakdown Racial composition1970[164]1990[164]2000[165]2010[166]2020[167][168]Hispanic or Latino (of any race)6.6%12.2%16.8%22.5%26.5%Black or African American alone15.3%13.6%14.6%16.0%15.1%Asian alone0.2%1.2%1.7%2.4%3.0%Native American alone0.1%0.3%0.3%0.4%0.4%Two or more races——2.3%2.5%16.5%White alone, not Hispanic or Latino77.9%73.2%65.4%57.9%51.5%White alone84.2%83.1%78.0%75.0%57.7%In 2010, 6.9% of the population (1,269,765) considered themselves to be of only American ancestry (regardless of race or ethnicity).[169][170] Many of these were of English or Scotch-Irish descent; however, their families have lived in the state for so long they choose to identify as having "American" ancestry or do not know their ancestry.[171][172][173][174][175][176] In the 1980 United States census, the largest ancestry group reported in Florida was English with 2,232,514 Floridians claiming they were of English or mostly English American ancestry.[177] Some of their ancestry dated to the original thirteen colonies. As of 2010, those of (non-Hispanic white) European ancestry accounted for 57.9% of Florida's population. Out of the 57.9%, the largest groups were 12.0% German (2,212,391), 10.7% Irish (1,979,058), 8.8% English (1,629,832), 6.6% Italian (1,215,242), 2.8% Polish (511,229), and 2.7% French (504,641).[169][170] White Americans of all European backgrounds are present in all areas of the state. In 1970, non-Hispanic whites constituted nearly 80% of Florida's population.[178] Those of English and Irish ancestry are present in large numbers in all the urban/suburban areas across the state. Some native white Floridians, especially those who have descended from long-time Florida families, may refer to themselves as "Florida crackers"; others see the term as a derogatory one. Like whites in most other states of the southern U.S., they descend mainly from English and Scots-Irish settlers, as well as some other British American settlers.[179] As of 2010, those of Hispanic or Latino ancestry accounted for 22.5% (4,223,806) of Florida's population. Out of the 22.5%, the largest groups were 6.5% (1,213,438) Cuban, and 4.5% (847,550) Puerto Rican.[150] Florida's Hispanic population includes large communities of Cuban Americans in Miami and Tampa, Puerto Ricans in Orlando and Tampa, and Mexican/Central American migrant workers. The Hispanic community continues to grow more affluent and mobile. Florida has a large and diverse Hispanic population, with Cubans and Puerto Ricans being the largest groups in the state. Nearly 80% of Cuban Americans live in Florida, especially South Florida where there is a long-standing and affluent Cuban community.[180] Florida has the second-largest Puerto Rican population after New York, as well as the fastest-growing in the nation.[181] Puerto Ricans are more widespread throughout the state, though the heaviest concentrations are in the Orlando area of Central Florida.[182] Florida has one of the largest and most diverse Hispanic/Latino populations in the country, especially in South Florida around Miami, and to a lesser degree Central Florida. Aside from the dominant Cuban and Puerto Rican populations, there are also large populations of Mexicans, Colombians, Venezuelans and Dominicans, among numerous other groups, as most Latino groups have sizable numbers in the state. As of 2010, those of African ancestry accounted for 16.0% of Florida's population, which includes African Americans. Out of the 16.0%, 4.0% (741,879) were West Indian or Afro-Caribbean American.[169][170][150] During the early 1900s, black people made up nearly half of the state's population.[183] In response to segregation, disfranchisement and agricultural depression, many African Americans migrated from Florida to northern cities in the Great Migration, in waves from 1910 to 1940, and again starting in the later 1940s. They moved for jobs, better education for their children and the chance to vote and participate in society. By 1960, the proportion of African Americans in the state had declined to 18%.[184] Conversely, large numbers of northern whites moved to the state.[citation needed] Today, large concentrations of black residents can be found in northern and central Florida. Aside from blacks descended from African slaves brought to the southern U.S., there are also large numbers of blacks of West Indian, recent African, and Afro-Latino immigrant origins, especially in the Miami/South Florida area.[185] Florida has the largest West Indian population of any state, originating from many Caribbean countries, with Haitian Americans being the most numerous. In 2016, Florida had the highest percentage of West Indians in the United States at 4.5%, with 2.3% (483,874) from Haitian ancestry, 1.5% (303,527) Jamaican, and 0.2% (31,966) Bahamian, with the other West Indian groups making up the rest.[186] As of 2010, those of Asian ancestry accounted for 2.4% of Florida's population.[169][170] As of 2011, Florida contains the highest percentage of people over 65 (17.3%) in the U.S.[187] There were 186,102 military retirees living in the state in 2008.[188] About two-thirds of the population was born in another state, the second-highest in the U.S.[189] In 2020, Hispanic and Latinos of any race(s) made up 26.5% of the population, while Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders made up 0.1% of all Broward County residents.[190] LanguagesSee also: Demographics of Florida § Languages, and Miami accentIn 1988, English was affirmed as the state's official language in the Florida Constitution. Spanish is also widely spoken, especially as immigration has continued from Latin America.[191] About twenty percent of the population speak Spanish as their first language. Twenty-seven percent of Florida's population reports speaking a mother language other than English, and more than 200 first languages other than English are spoken at home in the state.[192][193] The most common languages spoken in Florida as a first language in 2010 are:[192] 73% English20% Spanish2% Haitian CreoleOther languages less than 1% eachReligion Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables, Florida Hindu Temple of Florida in TampaFlorida is mostly Christian (70%),[194] although there is a large irreligious and relatively significant Jewish community. Protestants account for almost half of the population, but the Catholic Church is the largest single denomination in the state mainly due to its large Hispanic population and other groups like Haitians. Protestants are very diverse, although Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals and nondenominational Protestants are the largest groups. Smaller Christian groups include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses. There is also a sizable Jewish community in South Florida. This is the largest Jewish population in the southern U.S. and the third-largest in the U.S. behind those of New York and California.[195] In 2010, the three largest denominations in Florida were the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the United Methodist Church.[196] The Pew Research Center survey in 2014 gave the following religious makeup of Florida:[197] Religion in Florida (2014)[194]Protestant 46%Catholic 21%Mormon 1%Jehovah's Witness 1%Other Christian 1%Nothing in Particular 17%Agnostic 4%Atheist 3%Jewish 3%Other faiths(e.g. Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism) 3%GovernanceMain article: Government of FloridaSee also: List of governors of Florida, United States congressional delegations from Florida, List of United States senators from Florida, and Florida Cabinet Old and New Florida State Capitol, Tallahassee, East viewThe basic structure, duties, function, and operations of the government of the State of Florida are defined by the Florida Constitution, which establishes the basic law of the state and guarantees various rights and freedoms of the people. As with the American federal government and all other state governments, Florida's government consists of three separate branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The legislature enacts bills, which, if signed by the governor, become law. The Florida Legislature comprises the Florida Senate, which has 40 members, and the Florida House of Representatives, which has 120 members. The governor of Florida is Ron DeSantis. The Florida Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and six justices. Florida has 67 counties. Some reference materials may show only 66 because Duval County is consolidated with the City of Jacksonville. There are 379 cities in Florida (out of 411) that report regularly to the Florida Department of Revenue, but there are other incorporated municipalities that do not. The primary revenue source for cities and counties is property tax; properties with unpaid taxes are subject to tax sales, which are held at the county level in May and are highly popular, due to the extensive use of online bidding sites. The state government's primary revenue source is sales tax. Florida is one of eight states that do not impose a personal income tax. There were 800 federal corruption convictions from 1988 to 2007, more than any other state.[198] In a 2020 study, Florida was ranked as the 11th hardest state for citizens to vote in.[199] In April 2022, the legistlature passed and the governor signed a new election law prohibiting Floridians from using ranked-choice voting in all federal, state and municipal elections.[200] Florida retains the death penalty. Authorized methods of execution include the electric chair and lethal injection.[201] Elections historyFurther information: Elections in Florida, Politics of Florida, Political party strength in Florida, and United States presidential elections in FloridaFrom 1952 to 1964, most voters were registered Democrats, but the state voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election except for 1964. The following year, Congress passed and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, providing for oversight of state practices and enforcement of constitutional voting rights for African Americans and other minorities in order to prevent the discrimination and disenfranchisement which had excluded most of them for decades from the political process. From the 1930s through much of the 1960s, Florida was essentially a one-party state dominated by white conservative Democrats, who together with other Democrats of the Solid South, exercised considerable control in Congress. They have gained slightly less federal money from national programs than they have paid in taxes.[202] Since the 1970s, conservative white voters in the state have largely shifted from the Democratic to the Republican Party. Though the majority of registered voters in Florida were Democrats,[203] it continued to support Republican presidential candidates through 2004, except in 1976 and 1996, when the Democratic nominee was from the South. In the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, Barack Obama carried the state as a northern Democrat, attracting high voter turnout, especially among the young, independents, and minority voters, of whom Hispanics comprise an increasingly large proportion. 2008 marked the first time since 1944, when Franklin D. Roosevelt carried the state for the fourth time, that Florida was carried by a Northern Democrat for president. The first post-Reconstruction era Republican elected to Congress from Florida was William C. Cramer in 1954 from Pinellas County on the Gulf Coast,[204] where demographic changes were underway. In this period, African Americans were still disenfranchised by the state's constitution and discriminatory practices; in the 19th century, they had made up most of the Republican Party. Cramer built a different Republican Party in Florida, attracting local white conservatives and transplants from northern and midwestern states. In 1966, Claude R. Kirk, Jr. was elected as the first post-Reconstruction Republican governor, in an upset election.[205] In 1968, Edward J. Gurney, also a white conservative, was elected as the state's first post-reconstruction Republican US senator.[206] In 1970, Democrats took the governorship and the open US Senate seat and maintained dominance for years. Florida is sometimes considered a bellwether state in presidential elections because every candidate who won the state from 1996 until 2016 won the election.[207] The 2020 election broke that streak when Donald Trump won Florida but lost the election. In 1998, Democratic voters dominated areas of the state with a high percentage of racial minorities and transplanted white liberals from the northeastern United States, known colloquially as "snowbirds".[208] South Florida and the Miami metropolitan area became dominated by both racial minorities and white liberals. Because of this, the area has consistently voted as one of the most Democratic areas of the state. The Daytona Beach area is similar demographically and the city of Orlando has a large Hispanic population, which has often favored Democrats. Republicans, made up mostly of white conservatives, have dominated throughout much of the rest of Florida, particularly in the more rural and suburban areas. This is characteristic of its voter base throughout the Deep South.[208] The fast-growing I-4 corridor area, which runs through Central Florida and connects the cities of Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Tampa/St. Petersburg, has had a fairly even breakdown of Republican and Democratic voters. The area has often been seen as a merging point of the conservative northern portion of the state and the liberal southern portion, making it the biggest swing area in the state. Since the late 20th century, the voting results in this area, containing 40% of Florida voters, has often determined who will win the state in federal presidential elections.[209] The Democratic Party maintained an edge in voter registration, both statewide and in 18 of the 67 counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, the state's three most populous.[210][when?] 2000–presentMain article: United States presidential election in Florida, 2000In 2000, George W. Bush won the U.S. presidential election by a margin of 271–266 in the Electoral College.[211] Of the 271 electoral votes for Bush, 25 were cast by electors from Florida.[212] The Florida results were contested and a recount was ordered by the court, with the results settled in a Supreme Court decision, Bush v. Gore. Reapportionment following the 2010 United States census gave the state two more seats in the House of Representatives.[213] The legislature's redistricting, announced in 2012, was quickly challenged in court, on the grounds that it had unfairly benefited Republican interests. In 2015, the Florida Supreme Court ruled on appeal that the congressional districts had to be redrawn because of the legislature's violation of the Fair District Amendments to the state constitution passed in 2010; it accepted a new map in early December 2015. The political make-up of congressional and legislative districts has enabled Republicans to control the governorship and most statewide elective offices, and 17 of the state's 27 seats in the 2012 House of Representatives.[214] Florida has been listed as a swing state in presidential elections since 1952, voting for the losing candidate only twice in that period of time.[215] Treemap of the popular vote by county, 2016 presidential electionIn the closely contested 2000 election, the state played a pivotal role.[211][212][216][217][218][219] Out of more than 5.8 million votes for the two main contenders Bush and Al Gore, around 500 votes separated the two candidates for the all-decisive Florida electoral votes that landed Bush the election win. Florida's felony disenfranchisement law is more severe than most European nations or other American states. A 2002 study in the American Sociological Review concluded that "if the state's 827,000 disenfranchised felons had voted at the same rate as other Floridians, Democratic candidate Al Gore would have won Florida—and the presidency—by more than 80,000 votes."[220] In 2008, delegates of both the Republican Florida primary election and Democratic Florida primary election were stripped of half of their votes when the conventions met in August due to violation of both parties' national rules. In the 2010 elections, Republicans solidified their dominance statewide, by winning the governor's mansion, and maintaining firm majorities in both houses of the state legislature. They won four previously Democratic-held seats to create a 19–6 Republican majority delegation representing Florida in the federal House of Representatives. In 2010, more than 63% of state voters approved the initiated Amendments 5 and 6 to the state constitution, to ensure more fairness in districting. These have become known as the Fair District Amendments. As a result of the 2010 United States Census, Florida gained two House of Representative seats in 2012.[213] The legislature issued revised congressional districts in 2012, which were immediately challenged in court by supporters of the above amendments. The court ruled in 2014, after lengthy testimony, that at least two districts had to be redrawn because of gerrymandering. After this was appealed, in July 2015 the Florida Supreme Court ruled that lawmakers had followed an illegal and unconstitutional process overly influenced by party operatives, and ruled that at least eight districts had to be redrawn. On December 2, 2015, a 5–2 majority of the Court accepted a new map of congressional districts, some of which was drawn by challengers. Their ruling affirmed the map previously approved by Leon County Judge Terry Lewis, who had overseen the original trial. It particularly makes changes in South Florida. There are likely to be additional challenges to the map and districts.[221] Voter registration totals as of July 31, 2023[222]PartyRegistered votersPercentageRepublican5,244,13837.26%Democratic4,676,08733.22%Unaffiliated3,861,95027.44%Minor parties292,3552.08%Total14,074,530100.00%According to The Sentencing Project, the effect of Florida's felony disenfranchisement law is such that in 2014, "[m]ore than one in ten Floridians—and nearly one in four African-American Floridians—are [were] shut out of the polls because of felony convictions", although they had completed sentences and parole/probation requirements.[223] The state switched back to the GOP in the 2016 presidential election, and again in 2020, when Donald Trump headed the party's ticket both times. 2020 marked the first time Florida sided with the eventual loser of the national election since 1992. In the 2018 elections, the ratio of Republican to Democratic representation fell from 16:11 to 14:13. The U.S. Senate election between Democratic incumbent senator Bill Nelson and then governor Rick Scott was close, with 49.93% voting for the incumbent and 50.06% voting for the former governor. Republicans also held onto the governorship in a close race between Republican candidate Ron DeSantis and Democratic candidate Andrew Gillum, with 49.6% voting for DeSantis and 49.3% voting for Gillum. In 2022, incumbent Governor DeSantis won reelection by a landslide against Democrat Charlie Crist. The unexpectedly large margin of victory led many pundits to question Florida's perennial status as a swing state, and instead identify it as a red state.[224] In November 2021, for the first time in Florida's history, the total number of registered Republican voters exceeded the number of registered Democrats.[225] StatutesSee also: Law of Florida Florida Supreme Court building in TallahasseeIn 1972, the state made personal injury protection auto insurance mandatory for drivers, becoming the second in the nation to enact a no-fault insurance law.[226] The ease of receiving payments under this law is seen as precipitating a major increase in insurance fraud.[227] Auto insurance fraud was the highest in the nation in 2011, estimated at close to $1 billion.[228] Fraud is particularly centered in the Miami-Dade and Tampa areas.[229][230][231] Capital punishment is applied in Florida.[232] If a person committing a predicate felony directly contributed to the death of the victim then the person will be charged with murder in the first degree. The only two sentences available for that statute are life imprisonment and the death penalty.[233][234] If a person commits a predicate felony, but was not the direct contributor to the death of the victim then the person will be charged with murder in the second degree. The maximum prison term is life.[233][234] In 1995, the legislature modified Chapter 921 to provide that felons should serve at least 85% of their sentence.[235][236] Florida approved its lottery by amending the constitution in 1984. It approved slot machines in Broward and Miami-Dade County in 2004. It has disapproved casinos (outside of sovereign Seminole and Miccosukee tribal areas) three times: 1978, 1986, and 1994.[237] TaxationTax is collected by the Florida Department of Revenue. EconomyMain article: Economy of FloridaThe economy of the state of Florida is the fourth-largest in the United States, with a $1.2 trillion gross state product (GSP) as of 2021.[238] If Florida were a sovereign nation (2021), it would rank as the world's 16th-largest economy according to the International Monetary Fund, ahead of Indonesia and behind Mexico.[238][239][240] In the 20th century, tourism, industry, construction, international banking, biomedical and life sciences, healthcare research, simulation training, aerospace and defense, and commercial space travel have contributed to the state's economic development.[241] HealthcareSee also: List of hospitals in Florida Jackson Memorial Hospital in the Miami Health District, the primary teaching hospital of the University of Miami's Leonard M. Miller School of MedicineThere were 2.7 million Medicaid patients in Florida in 2009. The governor has proposed adding $2.6 billion to care for the expected 300,000 additional patients in 2011.[242] The cost of caring for 2.3 million clients in 2010 was $18.8 billion.[243] This is nearly 30% of Florida's budget.[244] Medicaid paid for 60% of all births in Florida in 2009. The state has a program for those not covered by Medicaid. In 2013, Florida refused to participate in providing coverage for the uninsured under the Affordable Care Act, colloquially called Obamacare. The Florida legislature also refused to accept additional Federal funding for Medicaid, although this would have helped its constituents at no cost to the state. As a result, Florida is second only to Texas in the percentage of its citizens without health insurance.[245] In 2022, the largest hospital network in Florida is HCA Healthcare[246] and the second largest is AdventHealth.[247][248] In 2023, the largest hospitals in Florida were Jackson Memorial Hospital, AdventHealth Orlando, Tampa General Hospital, UF Health Shands Hospital and Baptist Hospital of Miami.[249] ArchitectureSee also: Architecture of Miami and Architecture of Jacksonville Miami Art Deco District in South Beach, built during the 1920s–1930sFlorida has the largest collection of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne buildings, both in the United States and in the entire world, most of which are located in the Miami metropolitan area, especially Miami Beach's Art Deco District, constructed as the city was becoming a resort destination.[250] A unique architectural design found only in Florida is the post-World War II Miami Modern, which can be seen in areas such as Miami's MiMo Historic District.[251] Being of early importance as a regional center of banking and finance, the architecture of Jacksonville displays a wide variety of styles and design principles. Many of the state's earliest skyscrapers were constructed in Jacksonville, dating as far back as 1902,[252] and last holding a state height record from 1974 to 1981.[253] The city is endowed with one of the largest collections of Prairie School buildings outside of the Midwest.[254] Jacksonville is also noteworthy for its collection of Mid-Century modern architecture.[255] Some sections of the state feature architectural styles including Spanish revival, Florida vernacular, and Mediterranean Revival.[256] A notable collection of these styles can be found in St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement within the borders of the United States.[257] EducationMain article: Education in FloridaSee also: List of colleges and universities in Florida, List of high schools in Florida, and List of school districts in Florida Florida State University in Tallahassee University of Miami in Coral Gables University of Central Florida in Orlando Florida International University in Miami University of South Florida in Tampa University of Florida in GainesvilleIn 2020, Florida was ranked the third best state in America for K-12 education, outperforming the nation in 15 out of 18 metrics in Education Week's 2020 Quality Counts report.[258] In terms of K-12 Achievement, which measures progress in areas such as academic excellence and graduation rates, the state was graded "B-" compared to a national average of C.[258] Florida's higher education was ranked first and pre-K-12 was ranked 27th best nationwide by U.S. News & World Report.[259] Primary and secondary educationWith an educational system made up of public school districts and independent private institutions, Florida had 2,833,115 students enrolled in 4,269 public primary, secondary, and vocational schools in Florida's 67 regular or seven special school districts as of 2018.[260] Miami-Dade County is the largest of Florida's 67 regular districts with more than 350 thousand students and Jefferson County is the smallest with less than one thousand students. Florida spent $8,920 for each student in 2016, and was 43rd in the nation in expenditures per student.[261] Florida's primary and secondary school systems are administered by the Florida Department of Education. School districts are organized within county boundaries. Each school district has an elected Board of Education that sets policy, budget, goals, and approves expenditures. Management is the responsibility of a Superintendent of schools. The Florida Department of Education is required by law to train educators in teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).[262] While Florida's public schools suffer from more than 5,000 unoccupied teacher positions, according to Karla Hernández, teacher and president of United Teachers of Dade, decisions made by the DeSantis administration will make the situation worse. She referred to its blocking of an Advanced Placement African American studies course,[263] book bans and removing some lessons in courses as "really scary moments in the state of Florida".[264] In 2023, the state of Florida approved a public school curriculum including videos produced by conservative advocacy group PragerU, likening climate change skeptics to those who fought Communism and Nazism, implying renewable energy harms the environment, and saying global warming occurs naturally.[265] DeSantis has called climate change "leftwing stuff".[265] In August 2023, restrictions have been placed on the teaching of Shakespearean plays and literature by Florida teachers in order to comply with state law.[266][267] Higher educationThe State University System of Florida was founded in 1905, and is governed by the Florida Board of Governors. During the 2019 academic year, 346,604 students attended one of these twelve universities.[268] In 2016, Florida charged the second lowest tuition in the nation for four-year programs, at $26,000 for in-state students and $86,000 for out-of-state students; this compares with an average of $34,800 nationally for in-state students.[269] As of 2020, three Florida universities are among the top 10 largest universities by enrollment in the United States: The University of Central Florida in Orlando (2nd), the University of Florida in Gainesville (4th), and Florida International University in Miami (8th). The Florida College System comprises 28 public community and state colleges with 68 campuses spread out throughout the state. In 2016, enrollment exceeded 813,000 students.[270] The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida is an association of 30 private, educational institutions in the state.[271] This Association reported that their member institutions served more than 158,000 students in the fall of 2020.[272] The University of Miami in Coral Gables is one of the nation's top private research universities. Florida's first private university, Stetson University in DeLand, was founded in 1883. As of 2023, three universities in Florida are members of the Association of American Universities: University of Florida, University of Miami and University of South Florida.[273] TransportationMain article: Transportation in FloridaHighwaysFurther information: Florida State Highway System, List of state roads in Florida, and County roads in FloridaFlorida's highway system contains 1,495 mi (2,406 km) of interstate highway, and 10,601 mi (17,061 km) of non-interstate highway, such as state highways and U.S. Highways. Florida's interstates, state highways, and U.S. Highways are maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation.[274] In 2011, there were about 9,000 retail gas stations in the state. Floridians consumed 21 million gallons of gasoline daily in 2011, ranking it third in national use behind California and Texas.[275] Motorists have the 45th lowest rate of car insurance in the U.S. 24% are uninsured.[276] Drivers between 15 and 19 years of age averaged 364 car crashes a year per ten thousand licensed Florida drivers in 2010. Drivers 70 and older averaged 95 per 10,000 during the same time frame. A spokesperson for the non-profit Insurance Institute stated "Older drivers are more of a threat to themselves."[277] Intercity bus travel, which utilizes Florida's highway system, is provided by Greyhound, Megabus, and Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach. Before the construction of routes under the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, Florida began construction of a long cross-state toll road, Florida's Turnpike. The first section, from Fort Pierce south to the Golden Glades Interchange was completed in 1957. After a second section north through Orlando to Wildwood (near present-day The Villages), and a southward extension around Miami to Homestead, it was finished in 1974. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay is a part of Florida's interstate system.Florida's primary interstate routes include: I-4, which spans 133 miles, bisects the state, connecting Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando, and Daytona Beach, connecting with I-75 in Tampa and I-95 in Daytona Beach. I-10, which spans 362 miles in Florida, traverses the panhandle, connecting Pensacola, Tallahassee, Lake City, and Jacksonville, with interchanges with I-75 in Lake City and I-95 in Jacksonville. It is the southernmost east–west interstate in the United States terminating in Santa Monica with a total length of 2460 miles. I-75, which spans 470 miles in Florida, enters the state near Lake City (45 miles (72 km) west of Jacksonville) and continues southward through Gainesville, Ocala, Tampa's eastern suburbs, Bradenton, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples, where it crosses the "Alligator Alley" as a toll road to Fort Lauderdale before turning southward and terminating in Hialeah/Miami Lakes having interchanges with I-10 in Lake City and I-4 in Tampa. It is the second longest north–south interstate with a total length of 1786 miles and terminates at the Canadian border at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. I-95, which spans 382 miles in Florida, enters the state near Jacksonville and continues along the Atlantic Coast through Daytona Beach, the Melbourne/Titusville, Palm Bay, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Port Saint Lucie, Stuart, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale, before terminating in Downtown Miami. It has interchanges with I-10 in Jacksonville and I-4 in Daytona Beach, and there are four auxiliary routes associated with the interstate. It is the longest north–south interstate with a total length of 1924 miles and terminates at the Canadian border northeast of Houlton, Maine.AirportsSee also: List of airports in Florida and Aviation in Florida Orlando International Airport is the busiest airport in the state with 44.6 million total passengers traveled in 2017.[278]Florida has 131 public airports.[279] Florida's seven large hub and medium hub airports, as classified by the FAA,[280] are the following: City servedCodeAirport nameFAACategoryEnplanementsOrlandoMCOOrlando International AirportLarge Hub21,565,448MiamiMIAMiami International AirportLarge Hub20,709,225Fort LauderdaleFLLFort Lauderdale–Hollywood Int'l AirportLarge Hub15,817,043TampaTPATampa International AirportLarge Hub9,548,580Fort MyersRSWSouthwest Florida International AirportMedium Hub4,364,224West Palm BeachPBIPalm Beach International AirportMedium Hub3,110,450JacksonvilleJAXJacksonville International AirportMedium Hub2,701,861Intercity rail Brightline train at Fort Lauderdale's Brightline stationBrightline is a diesel–electric higher-speed rail system.[281] Service is only from West Palm Beach to Miami through express intercity service, with a stop at Fort Lauderdale. The complete project is intended to connect Miami and South Florida to Orlando, which requires a new line westward from the coast. It partially opened for passenger service between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach on January 13, 2018, as the only privately owned and operated passenger railroad in the United States.[282] With a top speed of 125 mph (201 km/h), Brightline will eventually be tied with Amtrak's Northeast Regional and the MARC's Penn Line commuter rail as the second fastest passenger train in North America, after Amtrak's Acela.Florida is also served by Amtrak, operating numerous lines throughout, connecting the state's largest cities to points north in the United States and Canada. The busiest Amtrak train stations in Florida in 2011 were: Sanford (259,944), Orlando (179,142), Tampa Union Station (140,785), Miami (94,556), and Jacksonville (74,733).[283] Sanford, in Greater Orlando, is the southern terminus of the Auto Train, which originates at Lorton, Virginia, south of Washington, D.C. Until 2005, Orlando was also the eastern terminus of the Sunset Limited, which travels across the southern United States via New Orleans, Houston, and San Antonio to its western terminus of Los Angeles. Florida is served by two additional Amtrak trains (the Silver Star and the Silver Meteor), which operate between New York City and Miami. MiamiCentral in Greater Downtown Miami and the Miami Intermodal Center near Miami International Airport are major hubs for rapid transit, commuter rail, intercity rail, and buses.Public transitFurther information: Transportation in South Florida Miami Metrorail is the state's only rapid transit system. About 15% of Miamians use public transit daily. The Jacksonville Skyway is one of the few People mover systems in use in the U.S. today, especially outside of an airport setting.Miami: Miami's public transportation is served by Miami-Dade Transit that runs Metrorail, a heavy rail rapid transit system, Metromover, a people mover train system in Downtown Miami, and Metrobus, Miami's bus system. Metrorail runs throughout Miami-Dade County and has two lines and 23 stations connecting to Downtown Miami's Metromover and Tri-Rail. Metromover has three lines and 21 stations throughout Downtown Miami. Outside of Miami-Dade County, public transit in the Miami metropolitan area is served by Broward County Transit and Palm Tran; intercounty commuter rail service is provided by Tri-Rail, with 18 stations including the region's three international airports.[284]Orlando: Orlando is served by the SunRail commuter train, which runs on a 32 miles (51 km) (61 miles (98 km) when complete) line including four stops in downtown. Lynx bus serves the greater Orlando area in Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties.[285]Tampa: Tampa and its surrounding area use the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority system ("HART"). In addition, downtown Tampa has continuous trolley services in the form of a heritage trolley powered by Tampa Electric Company. Pinellas County and St. Petersburg provide similar services through the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority or "PSTA". The beaches of Pinellas County also have a continuous trolley bus. Downtown St. Petersburg has a trolley system.[286][287]Jacksonville: Jacksonville is served by the Jacksonville Skyway, an automated people mover monorail connecting the Florida State College downtown campus, the Northbank central business district, Convention Center, and Southbank locations. The system includes eight stops connected by two lines. JTA bus has 180 vehicles with 56 lines.[288]SportsMain article: Sports in FloridaSee also: Sports teams in Florida Miami-Dade Arena in Miami LoanDepot Park in Little Havana Daytona International Speedway is home to various auto racing events.Florida has three NFL teams, two MLB teams, two NBA teams, two NHL teams, and two MLS teams. Florida gained its first permanent major-league professional sports team in 1966 when the American Football League added the Miami Dolphins. Florida has given professional sports franchises some subsidies in the form of tax breaks since 1991.[289] About half of all Major League Baseball teams conduct spring training in the state, with teams informally organized into the "Grapefruit League". Throughout MLB history, other teams have held spring training in Florida. NASCAR (headquartered in Daytona Beach) begins all three of its major auto racing series in Florida at Daytona International Speedway in February, featuring the Daytona 500. Daytona also has the Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR race weekend in August. NASCAR also has a race weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead in October. The 24 Hours of Daytona is one of the world's most prestigious endurance auto races. The Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and Grand Prix of Miami have held IndyCar races as well. Florida is a major golf hub. The PGA of America is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, the PGA Tour is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, and the LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach. The Players Championship, WGC-Cadillac Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational, Honda Classic and Valspar Championship are PGA Tour rounds. Florida has teams in all five American major league sports. Florida's most recent major-league team, Inter Miami, began play in MLS in 2020.[290] The Miami Masters is an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and WTA Premier tennis event, whereas the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships is an ATP World Tour 250 event. There are minor league baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer and indoor football teams based in Florida.[291] Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the largest football stadium in Florida, the 12th largest stadium in American college football, and the 18th largest stadium in the world, as measured by its official seating capacity of 88,548—though, it has often held over 90,000 for Florida's home football games. Florida's universities have a number of collegiate sport programs. Major college football programs include the Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference.[292] Since 1996, Florida has added four additional teams to the ranks of Division I FBS: UCF Knights, South Florida Bulls, Florida Atlantic Owls and FIU Panthers. State symbolsMain article: List of Florida state symbols In God We Trust motto on Florida license plate with an orange blossom, the state flower. The Florida panther is the state animal. These coconut palms in St. Petersburg, Florida are the state palm tree.The majority of the symbols were chosen after 1950; only the two oldest symbols—the state flower (chosen in 1909), and the state bird (chosen in 1927), and the state nickname (chosen in 1970)—are not listed in the 2010 Florida Statutes.[293] Amphibian: Barking tree frogAnimal: Florida pantherAnthem: "Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)"Beverage: Orange juiceBird: Northern mockingbirdBird: American flamingoFestival: "Calle Ocho-Open House 8"Fish(fresh water): Florida largemouth bassFish(salt water): Atlantic sailfishFlower: Orange blossomFruit: OrangeGem: MoonstoneHorse: Florida Cracker HorseInsect: Zebra longwingMammal(salt water): Common bottlenose dolphinMammal(marine): Florida manateeMotto: "In God We Trust"Nickname: The Sunshine StatePalm Tree: Coconut palmPie: Key lime piePlay: Cross and SwordReptile: American alligatorReptile(salt water): Loggerhead sea turtleRodeo: Silver Spurs RodeoShell: Horse conchSoil: Myakka soilSong: "Old Folks at Home"State day/week: Pascua FloridaStone: Agatized coralTortoise: Gopher tortoiseTree: Sabal palmettoWildflower: TickseedSister statesSister jurisdictionCountryYear[294]Languedoc-Roussillon France1989Taiwan Province Taiwan, R.O.C.1992Wakayama Prefecture Japan1995Western Cape South Africa1995Nueva Esparta Venezuela1999Kyonggi South Korea2000See alsoflagFlorida portalflagUnited States portalIndex of Florida-related articlesOutline of FloridaList of people from FloridaShips named FloridaNotes
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