1. On September 18, 1565, the Spanish explorer Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés founded St. Augustine, which is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established city in the United States.

2. In 1902, the deadliest hurricane in U.S. history struck the city of Pensacola, Florida, on September 18, killing 343 people and causing widespread destruction.

3. On September 18, 1947, the first regularly scheduled commercial flight from the United States to Europe took off from Miami International Airport. The flight was operated by Pan American World Airways and landed in Lisbon, Portugal, the following day.

4. In 1970, the Florida State University football team played their first game in their newly constructed Doak Campbell Stadium on September 18, defeating the University of Houston 40-14.

5. On September 18, 1990, Hurricane Hugo made landfall in Charleston, South Carolina, causing significant damage across the Southeast United States, including in Florida. The storm caused $15.9 billion in damage and was responsible for 49 deaths.