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Pensacola

Pensacola History

  St. Augustine may be "America's Oldest City," but Pensacola holds the honor of being "America's First Settlement." Spanish explorer Don Tristan de Luna colonized Pensacola in 1559, six years before St. Augustine was founded. Although the original settlement was abandoned in 1561, Spanish troops returned to Pensacola in 1698 and created a port city that would stand under five flags: Spanish, French, English, Confederate and American.
   Because of its location along the Gulf of Mexico, Pensacola has a long maritime history. It also has a long military history, dating back to Fort San Carlos, which was destroyed during the French-Spanish battles of 1720. The ruins of many old forts lie on the shores of Pensacola Bay, and Fort Pickens still stands on nearby Pensacola Beach.
   Pensacola served a British base in the War of 1812, until it was captured by Andrew Jackson. The United States took formal possession in 1821, and Pensacola acquired a federal navy yard. The navy yard and the city were seized by the Confederates during the Civil War, but Fort Pickens remained under Union control. The city was reunited at war's end, when lumber and commercial fishing began to thrive in the area.
   In 1913, the navy yard became a naval air station, and the influx of servicemen boosted the city's population as well as its economy. Known as "The Cradle of Naval Aviation," the Pensacola area is home to a variety of military installations, including NAS Pensacola; the Naval Technical Training Center; NAS Whiting Field in Milton; Hurlburt Field, home of Air Force Special Operations Command; and Eglin Air Force Base, the largest Air Force base in the country.
   Today, Pensacola is still known for its military influence, but it's also a popular tourist spot for those seeking white sands and emerald waters. It's also the closest city to the Alabama border, and this "Flora-Bama" strip is a popular hangout for Spring Break revelers.

Activities

  Pensacola offers a variety of cultural and recreational activities. Whether it's the inland waters of Pensacola Bay and East Bay, the calming waves of Santa Rosa Sound or the crashing surf of the Gulf of Mexico, there's a body of water to suit any temperament.
   Sports fans can participate in a variety of outdoor activities, on water or land. And spectators have several options as well. Hockey fans can watch the IcePilots Hockey, a Tampa Bay Lightning affiliate club, while baseball fanatics can catch the Pelicans, who are members of the Southeastern League of Professional Baseball. The Pensacola Greyhound Park offers nightly live greyhound racing and thoroughbred racing via satellite.
   Fans of the arts can attend the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and the Pensacola Little Theatre. The Saenger Theatre, which is listed on the National Register of Historic sites, also presents touring productions and local events.
   The Pensacola Historic District offers a glimpse into the past at the Pensacola Historical Museum; the Civil War Soldiers Museum; and Old Christ Church, which is Florida's oldest church.
   Learn more about the city's military past at the National Museum of Naval Aviation, located at the Naval Air Station. Admission is free. While you're there, you may be lucky enough to catch a performance by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the famed flight demonstration squadron that's stationed at Sherman Field.
   Each year, the city celebrates the founding of Pensacola during the Fiesta of Five Flags. Other annual events include Pensacola Jazz Fest, the Pensacola Seafood Festival, the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival and the Pensacola Interstate Fair.

Pensacola Fast Facts

   Location: Pensacola is located in the far western Florida Panhandle.
  *Total area: 39.65 square miles (22.70 square miles land area; 16.96 square miles water area)
  *Population: 56,255
  *Housing units: 26,995
   Average annual rainfall: 64.28 inches
   Average temperatures: 83ºF in summer, 55ºF in winter
*Information provided by 2000 Census

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Maps of Pensacola

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Photos by John Vanhara for CoastParadise.com

  
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