[FHStoday] TODAY IN FLORIDA HISTORY FOR NOVEMBER 19

[Nick Wynne]

TODAY IN FLORIDA HISTORY 
NOVEMBER 19   
     
1810 The first session of the Senate of the “State of Florida”--known as the
Republic of West Florida--started today in Francisville, Louisiana.  Today’s
Florida was still under the control of the Spanish government.

1824 This is the date officially established as the founding of Tallahassee as
the Capital of Florida.

1861 Governor John Milton requested 1,000 Enfield rifles and two rifled cannon
for the defense of St. Marks and Apalachicola.   In addition, the governor
requested 1,000 sabers, 1,000 cavalry pistols and “a few hundred bags of
buckshot.”

1883 “Tater Hill Bluff,” was renamed Arcadia and received its first U.S. Post
Office today.

1927 Florida consumers were delighted when the first Sears, Roebuck and
Company
store opened today in Jacksonville.

1969 Apollo 12 astronauts walked on the moon and established a research
station.  [See related story entry for November 14:  1969 Today the Apollo 12
space mission was launched from Cape Canaveral.  This was mankind’s second
effort to land on the Moon.  Apollo 12 astronauts were Charles Conrad, Jr.,
Richard F. Gordon, Jr., and Alan F. Bean.  On November 19, Bean and Conrad had
a successful 32-hour stay on the Moon.  In recognition of their successful
venture and upon the return to Earth, President Richard M. Nixon called them
aboard the aircraft carrier Hornet to express his thanks and the gratitude of
the people of the United States.  He also informed them that had all been
given
promotions.] 
    1996 Astronaut Story Musgrave made his record setting sixth shuttle flight
today as the shuttle Columbia lifted off for outer space.  Astronauts Kenneth
Cockrell, Kent Rominger, Tamara Jernigan and Thomas Jones were also on board.

1997 The first Japanese astronaut to walk in space, Takao Doi, was on board
the
shuttle Columbia when it was launched today.  Doi was joined by astronauts
Kevin Kregel, Steven Lindsey, Kalpana Chawla, Leonid Kadenyuk and Winston
Scott.