FUN WITH MAPS – ISSUE 2023-60 DAILY FEATURE:

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (March 30, 2023) – In today’s edition of Fun with Maps from Steve Kovacs, we celebrate sunshine from down south.

THE SUNSHINE STATE

Florida was a Spanish colony until 1763, when the British traded Havana for Florida.  It was good to the colonizing power in those days.

There were two Florida’s, and on March 29, 1822 the two parts of Florida were united.  West Florida was mostly today’s panhandle while East Florida accounted for the rest. 

In those days there wasn’t much to Florida’s peninsula south of St. Augustine, except for swamps and gators.  Native Americans sparsely populated the swampy land.  By the way, St. Augustine, founded in 1565, is the oldest city in the US.  Sorry Boston.

Florida is the third most populous state.  It sports three professional teams in the NFL which is a sign of a strong economy.  Attractions run from Disney World to the Salvador Dali Museum to Cape Kennedy/Canaveral, to Daytona 500 NASCAR races, and much more.

Florida’s map displayed here was created in 1855 by Johnson.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.