[FHStoday] TODAY IN FLORIDA HISTORY FOR DECEMBER 26

[Nick Wynne]

TODAY IN FLORIDA HISTORY
DECEMBER 26
1702            The unsuccessful British siege of St. Augustine was 
severely curtailed today by the arrival of Spanish relief vessels in the 
harbor.

1827            Madison County, Florida's fourteenth county, was 
established today.  Named for President James Madison, the county was 
originally carved from Jefferson County and included the present counties 
of Taylor, Lafayette, and Dixie.  Many of the original settlers in the 
county were from Virginia.  Original County Seat was San Pedro, about 10 
miles south of the present city of Madison on the Bellamy Road.  County 
Seat:  Madison

1827            Florida's fifteenth county, Hamilton, was established 
today.  The county was named after Alexander Hamilton, the first United 
States Secretary of the Treasury.  Hamilton, whose firm financial guidance 
placed the fledgling United States on a sound economic footing during its 
infancy, was killed by Aaron Burr in a duel.  County Seat:  Jasper

1931            Today marked the first race held at Tropical Park in 
Miami.  According to newspaper reports, the track was "fast" with cool, 
cloudy weather.

1954            "Snowbirds" and Floridians listened intently today as the 
Cleveland Browns trampled the Detroit Lions, 56-10, to win the NFL 
championship.  The game was played in Cleveland.  In 1953, the Lions had 
barely beaten the Browns in the title game by a score of 17-16, while in 
1952, the Lions hand handily defeated the Browns by a score of 17-7.

1955            Some Florida football fans were delighted when the Los 
Angeles Rams defeated the Cleveland Browns 38-14 for pro football's title 
for this year.  Others, who supported the Browns, were less than 
enthusiastic about the outcome.

1960            Floridians watched the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Green 
Bay Packers 17-13 in a televised contest for the National Football League 
title.  The game was held in Philadelphia.

1972            Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States 
and a sometime resident of Key West, died this morning in a Kansas City 
hospital.  He was 88 years old.  Truman, who maintained a vacation retreat 
in Key West during his presidency, became president upon the death of 
Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1945.  He won the presidency on his own in the 
hotly contested race against Thomas E. Dewey in 1948.