When people think of Florida, the first thing that usually comes to mind is Disney World and seasonal hurricanes. But there is so much more to this wonderful state that gives it a rich history and bright future, and makes it a current hot spot for politics, education and science, national military strength and monetary power.
The state
Sharing state lines with Alabama and Georgia, it is much better known for its proximity to water, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean. With 1,350 miles of coastline, the “Sunshine State” has the longest continuous coastline in the continental United States. In 2009, this southern state was the fourth most populous state in America. The state seal is a complex circular design that includes images of a steamboat, waterways, a tall palm tree, flowers, marshland wildlife, and a woman standing on a beach with the sun on the horizon in the background. The state flag is simply this seal placed at the crossing point of a red “X” extending from each corner.
Tallahassee: The State Capital
For being such a major city in the state, Tallahassee has a noticeably “small town” feel. Located at the beginning of the “Florida Panhandle” in Leon County, the state capital is also home to several well-known institutions of higher education, most notably Florida State University and Florida A&M University. One of the city’s greatest distinctions is having the third oldest police force in the country. The Tallahassee Police Department was established in 1841, behind the Philadelphia Police Department and the Boston Police Department. Combining the excitement of a “college town” with the gravitas of bureaucracy, government, law, and justice, this city was established in 1824 on what was then US territory. The state capital is also a base for scientific research and is home to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory which, as its name suggests, focuses on magnet research. This laboratory is the largest and most powerful of its kind in the world.
Jacksonville: the largest city
Bordering the Atlantic Ocean, Jacksonville is the largest city by both size and population in this resort state. Located in Duval County, it is also the 13th largest city by population in the country with more than 1,300,000 people, as well as the largest in terms of land in America. Just south of the Georgia border (blockaded only by Florida’s Nassau County), Jacksonville was originally a French colony in 1564, making it one of the first European settlements in the United States. Finally reaching the US via Spain in the early 1820s, the settlement was named for President Andrew Jackson, who was also the then territory’s first military governor. Now, it is home to two US Navy bases and a large deepwater seaport, making it the third largest military presence in the United States. While your local economy is known for healthcare, banking, and insurance, you can’t help but be part of a high-traffic tourist state. He is best known for his golf, in that sense.
