ORANGE CITY, Fla. – Saturday is National Florida Day and you better S-H-E-L-L-E-B-R-A-T-E!

The Sunshine State officially became the 27th state on March 3, 1845, “after centuries of Spanish rule, 20 years of British control, and almost 25 years as a U.S. territory,” according to the Florida Historical Society.

To honor this wacky and wonderful state, here are some fun, eclectic, and weird facts about Florida:

• It is believed that Ponce de Leon planted the first orange trees near St. Augustine in the 1500s.

• According to the FWC, two subspecies of sandhill crane are found in Florida: The Florida sandhill crane – a non-migratory year-round breeding resident and greater sandhill cranes who winter in Florida, but nests in the Great Lakes region.
• Geologists estimate that there are over 600 springs in the state with 30 of them listed as “Outstanding Florida Springs” as part of the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act. This requires additional protections to ensure their conservation and restoration for future generations.
• It’s said that the city of St. Petersburg was decided by a coin flip. According to the city’s website, “In 1875 John Constantine Williams of Detroit, Michigan moved to Tampa and bought 2,500 acres of warm waterfront land that would eventually become St. Petersburg. Thirteen years later, he transferred part of that land to Peter Demens, an exiled Russian aristocrat. Legend says that Williams and Demens flipped a coin to see who would name the city. Demens won the coin toss and named it after Saint Petersburg, Russia. Williams named the city’s first hotel after his birthplace, Detroit.”

• Every April, thousands gather on the beach where Florida meets Alabama and throw dead mullets over the state line to see who can toss the fish the furthest. It’s called The Interstate Mullet Toss & Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party hosted by the Flora-Bama beach bar.

• Florida Man stories. No explanation needed.

• Florida takes an alligator census every year. It should surprise no one that Lake Okeechobee, Florida’s largest lake, also has the most gators, according to the most recent data obtained by News 6 through a public records request. The Central Florida lake with the most alligators is Lake Kissimmee, along the Osceola-Polk county line, where 15,404 gators were counted. After that, Lake Jesup in Seminole County comes in third with 11,881 gators.

• The small town of Pierson in Volusia County is known as the Fern Capital of the World.

• Kansas is not the flattest state in the country – Florida is!

• John D. Rockefeller died at the age of 97 at his winter home, The Casements, which is located on Ormond Beach.

• According to the CDC, the life expectancy at birth in Florida is 76.1 years.
• Greater Miami is the only metropolitan area in America with two national parks: Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park.

Do what you will with this knowledge, but do it greatly, Florida Man (and Florida Woman)!

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