The Florida History Podcast

With Ian approaching Florida we take a look back at September storms that impacted Florida previously from 1935 to present day.

In this episode we chronicle the 1774 journey of William Bartram through East Florida and exploration of the St Johns River. 

In this short episode, we discuss sites in Florida associated with the DeSoto trail. 

We discuss the Cross Florida Barge Canal project, long in the making that got cancelled in 1971. 

We discuss Florida's central role in the US' first modern military conflict: the Spanish-American War of 1898.

We discuss General and President Zachary Taylor's tremendous relationship and impact upon Florida.

We discuss the escape of runaway slaves to the Bahamas and Caribbean via Florida in the 1800's. 

Of the first 16 movies in the 007 franchise, Florida was involved in filming of  five of them, with Goldfinger and License to Kill being set partly in Florida. We discuss those films, plus why Casino Royale was not filmed in Florida despite much of the movie being set in Miami. 

We discuss the history of Disney's Reddy Creek Improvement District, signed into law in 1967 and rescinded in 2022 by the Florida Legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis.  

We launch a new season of the podcast today. New topics and fresh looks/deeper dives at topics we've previously discussed.  In this podcast, 50 years on we take a fresh look at Watergate and Florida. 

The Civil Rights movements St Augustine campaign had one of its most important moments at this spot. 

Chief Osceola’s resting place is in South Carolina where he was moved after being taken prisoner. 

We discuss Fort King, an important(present) Marion County US fort which existed from 1827 to 1844.

Silver Springs, Florida's original tourist attraction first opened in 1878.

In part two of our look back at the Florida GOP’s evolution we cover the years from Jeb Bush to Ron DeSantis.

We discuss the evolution of the Florida GOP from 1960 to 2000 talking ideology, environment and political success

We look at the site of the second battle of the Loxahatchee River which took place in January 1838.

Our first video episode features the battle site of Powell’s Battle, The First Battle of Loxahatchee in the second Seminole War. 

Update on Podcast - next few weeks we will feature video programming also available on YouTube. A new season of audio content with Robert & Kartik beginning in July is being planned now. Thanks for listening!

We close out our Albion Florida series with a quick look at the Second Spanish Period from 1784-1821. We discuss lingering British influence, a state of anarchy that has developed and Florida’s importance to the new United States which sought to incorporate it in the new nation. 

St Augustine's population swelled with loyalists and prisoners' including signers of the Declaration of Independence. By early 1781, St Augustine had one of the largest populations in British North America and was heavily fortified. British St Augustine was at its apex, but American victory at Yorktown would change everything. 

We discuss the 1781 siege of Pensacola and its critical role in securing the ultimate American victory at Yorktown, later that year. 

We discuss the Spanish and American efforts to free West Florida from British rule between 1779 and 1781. 

The American Continental Army tried three times to invade East Florida. The region had a military significance and even George Washington was concerned about the British presence in St Augustine. All three times they were repulsed before crossing the St Johns River. 

We discuss Governor Patrick Tonyn's missteps that left East Florida vulnerable as well as the Continental Army's first attempted invasion for East Florida.