[FHStoday] TODAY IN FLORIDA HISTORY FOR DECEMBER 21

[Nick Wynne]

TODAY IN FLORIDA HISTORY
DECEMBER 21
1824            The United States Quartermaster Corps today signed 
contracts for the construction of a 16-foot wide roadway from Tallahassee 
to St. Augustine.  This road was part of the St. Augustine to Pensacola 
Road and the cost of the project was $13,500.

1858            Suwannee County, the thirty-fifth county in Florida, was 
established today.  The county is named for the famous river that flows 
through it.

1858            Bradford County, the 36th county in Florida, was 
established today as "New River County."  On December 6, 1861, the name of 
the county was changed to honor Captain Richard Bradford, the first Florida 
officer killed in the Civil War.  He died at the Battle of Santa Rosa 
Island on October 9, 1861.  The county seat is Starke.

1862            The U.S.S. Gem of the Sea left Key West today to take up 
station off Jupiter Inlet, the Indian River, and Cape Canaveral.

1864            The U.S.S. Tallapoosa was ordered by Federal Secretary of 
the Navy Gideon Welles to proceed from the Boston Naval Yard directly to 
Key West for duty with the East Gulf Blockading Squadron.

1915            A special election was held in Dade County and the City of 
Miami for the purpose of considering the question of the legal sale of 
alcohol.  The City of Miami's residents voted to continue their "dry" 
status, while the rest of Dade County voted to become "dry."  The term 
"dry" was used to describe a situation where in the sale of liquor has 
"dried" up.

1968            The Apollo 8 mission to orbit the moon was launched today 
from Cape Kennedy (Canaveral).  James A. Lovell, William Anders, and Frank 
Borman traveled the 250,000 miles to the moon where they made ten orbits of 
this celestial body before returning to earth.  Live television broadcasts 
to an anxious world added to the high drama of the event.  The trio of 
space travelers splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on December 27.