F5 Archive

On May 30, 1967, Roy Disney announced “Walt Disney World” as a living tribute to Walt, launching a massive central Florida project that would open its first phase in 1971 with Magic Kingdom, two resorts, and the Monorail.

In May 1997, a rare F1 tornado tore through downtown Miami, flipping cars, damaging buildings, and knocking out power to 21,000 people over an 8-mile path, though fortunately no one was killed. The storm became one of the most famous tornadoes in history because of dramatic photos and videos capturing the funnel moving through the Miami skyline and across the causeways toward the cruise ship MS Sovereign of the Seas.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas, author of The Everglades: River of Grass, spent her 108-year life fiercely advocating for Florida’s environment, earning the nickname “Mother Everglades.” Her relentless vision and influence helped protect the Everglades from severe ecological damage and forced powerful leaders to take conservation seriously.

In 1562, French explorer Jean Ribault established a short-lived Huguenot colony near the St. Johns River, marking one of the earliest European settlement attempts in America. The effort ended when Spanish forces took control, later founding St. Augustine, but both groups predate the better-known Plymouth colony.

In April 1886, a struggling worker in Ybor City dismissed cigar rolling as a short-lived trend, unaware it would spark one of the most influential industries in American history. By the late 1920s, Ybor City was producing over a million cigars daily, earning its reputation as the “cigar capital of the world” and leaving a legacy still celebrated more than 140 years later.

Opened in 1903 in Fernandina Beach, the Palace Saloon is Florida’s oldest continuously operating bar. Designed with help from Adolphus Busch and owner Louis Hirth, it has survived Prohibition, economic downturns, and a major fire in 1999. Today, it still keeps much of its original character and remains a popular waterfront landmark.

With The Masters Tournament underway, it’s the perfect time to talk golf. But not just any golf… we’re talking Florida golf history with a twist. From 1890s coastal courses to a bold claim that Sarasota hosted America’s first ever swing back in 1886, this one’s got a little controversy and a lot of bragging rights.

Despite many locals dismissing the threat of an approaching storm, the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane struck South Florida and caused catastrophic flooding around the lake. The resulting devastation claimed at least 2,500 lives, making it the deadliest disaster in the state's history.

Would you like to know more about the historical context of this storm or how Florida's hurricane preparedness changed afterward?

For three weeks you and your ballpark-obsessed buddies attend exhibition games in what would become FL’s first spring training season. The boys look good and you’re convinced they’re going to win it all.

Spring break in Florida began with a 1938 swim forum event in Fort Lauderdale that attracted college students from across the country. As the tradition grew and crowds surged, restrictions in the 1980s pushed spring breakers to other Florida hotspots like Daytona Beach and Panama City Beach.

If you’re in this part of Florida and come across a snake, be forewarned: he may persuade you to bite the forbidden fruit.