1. In 1821, Florida officially became a United States territory. Prior to this, Florida had been a Spanish territory and then a British territory before being ceded to the United States in 1819.
2. In 1861, the Civil War Battle of Santa Rosa Island took place off the coast of Florida. Union forces successfully defended the island against a Confederate attack.
3. In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Overseas Highway, a road that spans the Florida Keys and connects the mainland to Key West. The highway was built using materials from the abandoned Overseas Railroad and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
4. In 1974, the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park opened in White Springs, Florida. The park is dedicated to preserving and showcasing traditional Florida folk music and culture.
5. In 2018, Hurricane Michael made landfall in Florida as a Category 5 storm. The hurricane caused widespread destruction and was one of the most powerful storms to hit the United States in recent history.