Here are a few things about Florida that you may not know… or care to know… but read it anyway you just might learn something. Hope everyone has a great day! (Also read my newer post: “10 more awesome and interesting facts about Florida.”)

1. The name Florida means “land of flowers” in Spanish. It was named by Ponce de Leon when he first landed here in 1513.

2. Florida is home to 4,510 islands. Wowie! Alaska has more though. You can buy a private island and build a house on it. You might want to have a backup on the mainland though for when your island home gets ripped apart and thrown into the sea by a hurricane.

3. The Spanish, who were the first Europeans to settle in the area, did not call themselves as Floridians. They were Floridanos.

4. Florida has a state amphibian. It’s called the barking tree frog.

Read more about this frog on the University of Florida’s wildlife page.

5. Florida has several state mammals, including the Florida Cracker Horse. There are also Florida Cracker cattle. Both were named for early British and American settlers, who were called… Florida Crackers (he, he, not kidding at all.) 

Read more about this on Florida’s Department of Agriculture website.

6. The most populous municipality in Florida is not Miami, Tampa or Orlando. It’s Jacksonville.

7. The early Spanish settlers lived in relative peace with the Native Ameican tribes that resided here–many even intermarried. During that time the area also became a safe-haven for runaway slaves.

8. Florida is home to 51 billionaires. In 2018 the poverty rate was 14%.

9. Florida is the flattest state in the U. S. It’s highest point is located in the panhandle and is only 345 feet above sea level.

Flat as a… wow, that looks yummy!

10. Florida has a state pie–the lusciuos Key lime pie, so named for the lime trees that grow in the Florida Keys. In 1965 legislation was presented to impose a $100 fine for claiming that a Key lime pie was made with anything other than Key limes. OMG that’s funny! Luckily, the bill did not pass…

Scroll down for some yummy Key lime recipes and some mouth-watering food photos that I discovered from some awesome bloggers.

Key Lime Pie: https://www.modernhoney.com/key-lime-pie/

Key Lime Pie Thumbprint Cookies: https://beadyarnspatula.com/2019/02/26/key-lime-pie-thumbprints/

Key Lime Linzer Cookies: https://e2bakesbrooklyn.com/2019/04/17/key-lime-linzer-cookies/

Key Lime Pie Smoothie: https://alettablends.wordpress.com/2019/03/18/key-lime-pie-smoothie/

Follow me on Instagram.