Statehood 1845

Florida

Florida's written history begins with the arrival of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León in 1513. Florida was under colonial rule by Spain from the 16th century to the 19th century, and briefly by Great Britain during the 18th century (1763–1783). It became a territory of the United States in 1821, and on March 3, 1845, Florida was admitted to the Union as the 27th U.S. state.

Statehood
1845
Admitted as
27th U.S. state
Historic sites
1,937
Military engagements
616

Pre-contact era

The first Paleo-Indians began to inhabit the peninsula as early as 14,000 years ago, leaving behind artifacts and archeological remains.

Colonial history

Spanish Florida initially extended over much of the southeastern United States, including portions of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida Parishes of Louisiana.

French Florida existed only briefly between 1562 and 1565 as a colonial territory of New France established by French Huguenot colonists.

By the 18th century, Spain's control did not extend much beyond a handful of forts near St. Augustine, St. Marks, and Pensacola. Missions stretching from St. Augustine to the Florida panhandle were destroyed by Carolina and Creek raiders from 1702 to 1704.

Neither Spain nor Britain maintained a large military or civilian population. The sparsely populated colonies remained loyal to Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War.

By the early 1800s, Spain had shown little interest in, and limited capacity for, administering either of the two Floridas beyond their capital cities.

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Overview
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The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Regional histories

West Florida
›
East Florida
›

Explore Florida records

1,937
National Register historic sites
National Register listings ›
616
Military engagements
Military history records ›
1
Civil War regiments
Union, Confederate, USCT ›
9
Indigenous groups
Heritage records ›
12
Notable figures
Born in Florida ›
79
Colonial-era events
1492 to early statehood ›
1
Archaeological sites
Prehistoric sites ›
Florida counties
Census population history ›
Sources

State history content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Historic sites data: National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

About Florida

When did Florida become a state?
Florida was admitted to the Union in 1845 as the 27th U.S. state.
What European powers colonized Florida?
The territory that became Florida passed through several colonial periods. Spanish Florida initially extended over much of the southeastern United States, including portions of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida Parishes of Louisiana. French Florida existed only briefly between 1562 and 1565 as a colonial territory of New France established by French Huguenot colonists. By the 18th century, Spain's control did not extend much b
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