When you ask foreigners about the US and what state they would like to live in, Florida rarely is mentioned first, or even second. As some of my friends like to say "The only problem with Florida is, well, that it is Florida". So, what is Florida?
I put together this mini series to share a few images, facts and trivia about this under-appreciated elected home state of mine. Let's take a look at a few things Florida.
Florida seems boring. From a landscape perspective, Florida is as flat as a pancake. The highest natural elevation in Florida is Britton Point in Walton County in Florida's panhandle - 345 feet (105m). No majestic mountain ranges to climb or photograph. You can drive for 8 hours the length of Florida, and no hill or valley to see.
But boring certainly not. What Florida lacks in mountains, it makes up with cloud formations, especially in the stormy summertime. Storm clouds can be as dramatic as the tallest mountain ranges and they have a lot of dynamic to them.
Florida is hot and humid. This holds true for summers, but the temperatures are balmy and the air is pleasant during the other eight months, and all Northerners seem to know it. Florida has the highest net domestic migration in the US, with nearly 1,000 people moving to Florida every day. Florida became the 27th state in the union in 1845 and is now the nation's third most populous state with almost 22 million inhabitants.
Florida is for old people. Still true. To mind come all the developments for retirees only. "The Villages" is a prime example. With almost 80,000 retires living together, the median age is 79 years. However, this retirement state perception is slowly changing. Urban areas with a younger mix of people are growing rapidly. Miami, for one, is certainly not a haven for old people. It is a hub for all things latino, and has a vibrant art scene (also a vibrant crime and drug scene). Most retirees are rather scared to visit or drive in Miami.
Additionally, Florida has always had a certain amount of tax refugees, but in recent years this number has increased dramatically. Private citizens and corporations alike are moving their domicile to state tax free Florida, and this changes the demographics. The median age in Florida is now under 43 years.
Florida is wet. Oh yes! Whether coastal or inland, this state is all about water - it's rivers, creeks, and famously, it's swamps. Sure, we have cattle, and cowboys and rodeos, and birds, but the essence of Florida is water. Fresh or stagnant, salty or murky, it is our lifeline. Hence, all this humidity that comes with it.
Most noteworthy of Florida's water bodies are its springs. The state has 33 first-magnitude springs, each one discharges over 64.4 million gallon of water per day. The water is incredibly clear and you can see all the way to the bottom to its feed.
Most of the original wetlands have been drained and the ecological destruction continues relentlessly, all in the name of progress, commerce, and a hot real estate market. I will write about the urban sprawl in a future issue. But to give some credit, Florida has 175 State Parks, and they are all worth a visit.
The biggest and most notable of all parks is the Everglades National Park, the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. It protects the southern twenty percent of the original Florida everglades and is the heart of our ecosystem. It is the most significant breeding ground for wading birds in North America, providing important foraging and breeding habitat for more than 400 species. They don't just winter in Florida like the human "snow birds", Florida is crucial for their survival - they cannot go elsewhere.
Florida is steeped in traditions. Well, in way. Let's go back to one of Florida's better known river names, the Suwannee River, as in the "Swanee River" song. It is the most recognized song about Florida and I am sure that many of you know it.
The very first Florida State Anthem was "Florida, My Florida". Sung to the tune of "Oh Tannenbaum", it became the official Florida State Anthem in 1913. It praised the virtues of the state from "sun kissed land", the "gardens", the "golden fruit" to even, yep, "thy phosphate mines". Since I could not find a recording anywhere, I asked my friend, folk singer/songwriter Carlene Thissen for a quick rendition of some verses. Click below to listen.
In 1935, Florida's anthem was replaced by "The Swanee River (Old Folks at Home)", a popular minstrel song. After several failed attempts throughout the years, its racially charged lyrics were finally revised in 2008. But lawmakers still clung to it, and, as a compromise, the song was re-dedicated as Florida State Song. A new Florida State Anthem was chosen with "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky". The current state anthem, just like the very first one, touts Floridas natural treasures and industries and portrays the state as a haven for everyone. You can click this link and listen.
In Florida, the trees have beards. Florida is home to, among many other species, skinny pine trees, magnificent oaks, and cypress trees. Birds drop pieces of Spanish moss onto trees and with time, the trees look "bearded", a now iconic look for the Southern United States.
Credits:
All images by Hilda Champion