Jacksonville, Florida
National Harvey Wallbanger Day on November 8th recognizes a fruity and spirited cocktail made with 3 parts vodka, 1 part Galliano and 6 parts orange juice. Pour it into a highball glass and garnish it with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. In 1968 Read More …
In 1562, French explorers landed on Florida’s northeast coast and traveled up the St. Johns River into present-day Jacksonville. Two years later, on June 29, 1564, French colonists led by Captain René Goulaine de Laudonnière (1529-74) constructed one of the first European forts in what Read More …
Residents of Jacksonville experienced tremors from a small magnitude earthquake on this date in 1900. At 11:15 a.m. residents reported seismic activity that lasted no more than 10 seconds and caused little damage to city buildings. Although earthquakes are rare in Florida, a few quakes Read More …
Marie Louise Gato was the 19-year-old daughter of Jacksonville cigar factory owner Gabriel Hidalgo Gato. At the time of her death Jacksonville was home to 15 cigar manufacturing companies, her father’s company, Modelo Cigar Manufacturing, was the largest. She was shot five times as she Read More …
The residents of Washington Irving’s Sleepy Hollow had their Albany Post Road, which the Headless Horseman rode upon. Jacksonville has Greenbriar Road. Greenbriar Road runs from Mandarin toward Fruit Cove and Switzerland. It was a dirt road for many years, sand actually. The road wasn’t Read More …
There are woods filled with ancient oaks across the street from Fernandina Beach High School. Those woods hold the burial site of a young girl. A girl who was executed for witchcraft hundreds of years before the school was built. Some spins on the legend Read More …
Q: What do owls say when they go trick or treating? A: Happy Owl-ween! Q: Why did the skeleton go to the prom alone? A: Because he couldn’t find any “body” to go with. Q: Which type of pants do ghosts wear? A: Boo-Jeans. Q: Read More …
Need to add a little fright to your night? Try these Podcasts. Winner of the iTunes “Best of 2015” & “Best of 2016”, and winner of “Best History Podcast 2016” by the Academy of Podcasters. Lore is an award-winning, critically-acclaimed podcast about true life scary Read More …
The first Vela Hotel Satellites were launched from Cape Canaveral on this date in 1963. The Vela, short for “velador” (Spanish for watchman) was designed to detect and monitor nuclear explosions from anywhere on earth. The system was utilized after the 1963 Partial Test Ban Read More …
Congratulations to the U.S. Navy celebrating their 245th birthday today. Thank you for upholding the tradition of serving with Honor, Courage, and Commitment. We appreciate your service!
Apollo 7 was launched from Cape Canaveral on this date in 1967. Apollo 7 was the first manned mission in the United States Apollo space program, and the first manned U.S. space flight after a cabin fire killed the crew of what would have been Read More …
Florida folk musician Gamble Rogers died on this date in 1991. While Rogers was camping at Flagler Beach, a young girl ran to him, begging him to help her father, who was in trouble in rough surf. Despite suffering from spinal arthritis that had been Read More …
Edward William Bok (born Eduard Willem Gerard Cesar Hidde Bok) was born in Den Helder, Netherlands, on this date in 1863. He immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1870 when he was only six years old. Bok became a world-renowned editor and Read More …
Apple TV+ became the new home of the Peanuts gang last year when they acquired the exclusive rights to air the beloved family favorites. After massive public outcry over the removal of the Halloween special from public airwaves Apple back peddled and allowed both the Read More …
French corsair (privateer) Louis-Michel Aury, along with Scottish adventurer Gregor MacGregor, raised the flag of the revolutionary republic of Mexico over Amelia Island in northeast Florida on this date, in 1817, beginning a brief occupation of the island. The occupation did not last long and Read More …
Crowds gathered on this date in 1951 at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs, Florida, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the publishing of the tune “Old Folks at Home.” Commonly known by its first line, “Way Down upon the Read More …
Banned Books Week (September 26- October 2, 2021) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. It brings together the entire book community Read More …
The Miami Seaquarium opened its doors on this date in 1955. The 38-acre facility, located on Virginia Key in Miami, is the oldest oceanarium in the United States. The Seaquarium is home to fish, sharks, sea turtles, birds, and manatees, as well as other marine Read More …