Florida Heritage Trails facts for kids
The Florida Heritage Trails are special guidebooks that help you explore Florida's amazing history and culture. These guides are available online and as small booklets. They are published by the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources.
Each guide focuses on a specific time period or group of people. They highlight interesting places like communities, old buildings, museums, and even places where archaeologists have found ancient artifacts. They also tell you about local arts and festivals. These guides are great for tourists, people who live in Florida, students, and anyone who wants to learn more. The best part is, you can find them all for free on the Florida Department of State website!
How the Guides Started
In 1990, the Florida Legislature wanted to find new ways to teach people about the history of African Americans in Florida. So, they created a group called the Study Commission on African American History. This group's job was to find buildings and other important places connected to the story of Black people in Florida. They hoped these places could become interesting sites for visitors.
In 1991, the Commission published the first guide: the Florida Black Heritage Trail. This guide became the example for all the other trails that followed. It has been updated a few times since then to include even more history.
Explore Florida's Heritage Trails
There are many different Florida Heritage Trails, each focusing on a unique part of Florida's past. Here are some of them:
This guide shows important places related to African American history across Florida, from Pensacola to Key West. It also shares stories and information about many famous and talented African Americans from Florida.
- British Heritage Trail
Learn about the time when the British were in Florida. This guide has information on over 80 historic sites connected to British history in Florida, from 1763 all the way to the 1900s.
- Civil War Heritage Trail
Discover the history of the Civil War in Florida. This guide includes a timeline of events and information on museums, battlefields, old forts, buildings, cemeteries, and monuments. It covers over 200 sites linked to the Civil War period in Florida.
- Cuban Heritage Trail
This guide describes more than 100 places that show the strong connection between Cuba and Florida. It also tells you about many famous Cuban Americans and highlights colorful Cuban festivals held throughout the state.
- French Heritage Trail
Written in both English and French, this guide starts in 1562 when French explorers first visited Florida. It covers stories of sea rivalries, wars, and revolutions, all the way up to today. It points out important sites and festivals on a map of Florida.
- Jewish Heritage Trail
This trail traces the contributions of Jewish people to Florida, starting in 1763. It highlights their achievements and successes, as well as times of difficulty. You'll find museums, historic landmarks, and old synagogues along the way.
- Native American Heritage Trail
This guide describes over 100 important sites with words and pictures. It covers more than 12,000 years of Native American presence and importance in Florida. It also shares stories about individuals who played a big role in Florida's Native American heritage.
- Spanish Colonial Heritage Trail
Starting in 1583, this guide covers key moments from the time of Spanish exploration, permanent settlements, and rivalries between colonial powers. It reviews over 50 Spanish heritage and historical sites across Florida.
- Women's Heritage Trail
This guide gives short summaries of over 100 women who were very important in Florida's history. For each woman, there is a historic site or marker that shows their contributions to the state.
- World War II Heritage Trail
This guide features museums, street corners, monuments, and military bases. It includes colorful photos from the time and stories about Floridians who were important during the war years.
More Heritage Trails
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There are also four other heritage trails that don't have their own guidebooks. However, each one has a web page with information about important sites and historical details:
- 1733 Spanish Galleon Trail
- Florida Historic Golf Trail
- Florida's Underwater Preserves
- Florida Scenic Highways--This program provides detailed information about Florida's beautiful driving routes.
