We pay tribute to the greatest Floridian of recent memory, Governor and Senator Bob Graham who passed away this week at the age of 87

We begin describing how Disney's amusement park business changed in the 1990's. We cover the period until the appointment of Michael Ovitz.

We discuss the opening of Universal Studios Florida in 1990 and the seismic events it created for the landscape in Central Florida.

We discuss a few other Central Florida amusement parks this week.

We discuss one of the most beloved attractions at the Magic Kingdom, the Country Bear Jamboree.

Disney is a media company and Florida wants more film and television in the state - so the simple solution is for Disney to be incentivized to build a film studio as a "third gate" on its property. However things don't go to plan as Disney itself is in a rotten period as a company.

EPCOT Center was a grand vision of Walt Disney. But the eventual park was not only not true to Walt's vision but dramatically scaled-down and over-budget from what had been planned in the 1970's. We discuss the original plans, then the plan for 30 nations in the World Showcase and where it went wrong. We also focus on Florida at the time, and how E…

This week we discuss the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971 including the popularity of some of its original attractions like its a Small World, Carousel of Progress and Country Bear Jamboree but also discuss the environmental and traffic impact of the park which angered local residents.

Walt Disney's Florida Project is thrown into doubt with Walt's untimely December 1966 passing, but brother Roy Disney keep pushing toward a 1971 opening of the Magic Kingdom. But EPCOT will have to wait.

In the first episode of our new season on Florida amusement parks, we discuss the years between 1959 and 1965 when Walt Disney began looking for a site for a second Disney park, and the process to finally arrive at a Central Florida site.

A new season of the Florida History Podcast begins next Tuesday as we take a deep dive into the history of Walt Disney World and other amusement parks in Florida.

We look at how the 3rd, 4th and 5th President interacted with Spanish Florida, from research Kartik Krishnaiyer conducted in writing his new book "The American Conquest of Florida."

We discuss the 1565 massacre of French protestants by the Spanish at the current site of Fort Matanzas.

Dr Angela Zombek joins us again to discuss and an area which she is working on a book related to - Key West in Civil War. Key West was central to union war planning and the city went through many trials and tribulations during the war as most residents were confederate sympathizers in a union-held town.…

On this episode we discuss Egmont Key with Dr Angela Zombek. Here is Dr Zombek's written work on Egmont Key's history: https://www.journalofthecivilwarera.org/2016/08/paradise-lost-floridas-egmont-key-civil-war/

We conclude our fort series by discussing the Spanish-American War fort that stimulated Miami's growth.

We discuss Fort Myers, the Third Seminole War and the unconquered Seminoles that survived FIVE attempts by the United States to conquer them or drive them west.

We discuss Fort King in Marion County and its role in the Second Seminole War.

Continuing our fort series we discuss Fort Gadsden" also know as the negro fort which was built by the British in 1812 and was the scene of the Americans slaughtering runaway African-Americans and Seminole during the First Seminole War.

Ryan Ray joins us to discuss Fort Jefferson, the latest stop on our tour of Florida forts.

Dr. Angela Zombek of UNC-Wilmington, who is one of the foremost experts on Florida and the Civil War joins us to discuss the pivotal role that Key West's Fort Taylor played in Union war planning at the very highest levels and in the Civil War in general.

We discuss Key West's Fort Taylor.

We discuss the batteries around Santa Rosa Island protecting Pensacola Bay

Pensacola's Fort Pickens was one of the key sites in the start of the Civil War.

We discuss Pensacola's Civil War era Fort Barrancas.

Before we move to West Florida in our ongoing series of Forts we discuss why West Florida developed differently than East Florida during colonial times and how that led to long-term the Panhandle being different than the entire peninsula as well as the big bend region.

On this week's Florida History Podcast we dive deep into discussions around Colonial Florida when we talk to Kevin Kokomoor about his new book La Florida. This is part 2 of a two-part conversation about the book which puts Florida, and its founding as well as its development at the heart of the origin stories about the United States…

On this week's Florida History Podcast we dive deep into discussions around Colonial Florida when we talk to Kevin Kokomoor about his new book La Florida. This is part 1 of a two-part conversation about the book which puts Florida, and its founding as well as its development at the heart of the origin stories about the United States…

This week we discuss Fort Clinch, a masonry fort in Fernandina Beach that was built in the mid 1800's.

We discuss the history of Fort San Carlos which once protected Fernandina Beach.

We discuss Fort Matanzas which is located about 18 miles south of St Augustine.

We discuss Fort Mose, which beyond being a defensive fort around St Augustine was the first free African-American settlement in what is now the USA.

In our second episode of our series on Florida forts we discuss the Castillo de San Marcos and defending Spanish St Augustine of the colonial period.

We kick off our series on Florida forts with Fort Caroline which is now a National Monument in Duval County.

Kartik's new book Florida and the American Revolution is now for sale at Amazon.com! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGZ87YN4

Season 10 of the Florida History Podcast will focus on forts across the state.

Ryan Ray and Kartik Krishnaiyer discuss how Florida became the most American of places despite a rich colonial history that was unlike the rest of North America.

We take a week off from history to replay Kartik's recent appearance on the Beyond Politics podcast discussing Ron DeSantis reset and why Donald Trump is (at the time of this podcast) cruising to renomination by the GOP. We'll return to history discussions next week.

We divert from history this week to talk Climate Action and policy solutions with former Congressman Bob Inglis (R-SC) who runs an organization that is seeking to facilitate free market solutions to the Climate Change crisis. He's focusing heavily, as you would expect on Florida.

On August 4, Robert Buccellato's sequel to Rum Runners and Moonshiners of Old Florida will be released. We discuss why a second book which focuses more on south Florida and other issues related to prohibition and the depression era in Florida.

In Episode 219 Kartik Krishnaiyer discusses his new book which dives into Florida's interactions with the British in the pre Revolutionary War period. Included in this discussion is the critical role runaway slaves played in Florida making the colony fundamentally different in the colonial period than the rest of North America. Krishnaiyer also dis…

Josh Liller joins us once again this week, this time to discuss the 1838 Battles of the Loxahatchee River, the last traditional set piece battles of the Second Seminole War.

We're joined by Josh Liller the Historian and Collections Manager for the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum to discuss the Jupiter Lighthouse and its unique history as well as the role General George Meade played in its construction, the history of World War II operations in the area and the historic museum and exhibits on the ground.…

Check out Kartik Krishnaiyer's new book which is available for Kindle or in Paperback on Amazon today!

Ryan Ray joins us to discuss one of the most unique and important locations in Florida- Fort Jefferson and Dry Tortugas National Park.

We discuss Florida's cession to the United States, Jackson as territorial governor and other loose ends.

The Monroe Administration is split on Jackson's invasion of Florida. Some like John C. Calhoun despite being proponents of slavery are concerned about the reaction from the British and the Spanish. But an unlikely source comes to Jackson's rescue.

We get into the heart of the Jackson conquest of Florida. Illegal encroachment on Spanish-held territory and racially-motivated brutality against runaway slaves as well as Seminole people characterize this period. We also discuss the influence of Britain on the conflict and their relationship with the native people of Florida and Georgia.…

The Spanish had invited the British to garrison troops in Pensacola in 1814. Meanwhile Andrew Jackson is fighting Creek Native Americans in Georgia and pursues them into Florida illegally. Britain and the US are in a declared war. You can guess what happens next. Jackson defeats the British and Spanish in Pensacola and begins his five year conquest…

In 1812 the Madison Administration tacitly backed a hostile rebellion in East Florida.