1. In 1565, Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles first sighted the land that would later become St. Augustine, the oldest continuously inhabited European-established city in the United States.

2. In 1888, the first train arrived in Miami, marking the beginning of the city's growth as a major transportation hub and tourist destination.

3. In 1928, a powerful hurricane hit Florida, causing extensive damage and claiming over 2,500 lives. Known as the "Okeechobee Hurricane," it remains one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history.

4. In 1960, NASA announced that it had chosen Cape Canaveral as the site for its first manned space launches, putting Florida at the forefront of the nation's space program.

5. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew struck southern Florida, causing widespread devastation and leading to major reforms in building codes and disaster preparedness throughout the state.