Florida is the southernmost contiguous state in the United States. The state is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south by the Straits of Florida.
Florida is the 22nd-most extensive, the 3rd-most populous, and the 8th-most densely populated of the U.S. states. Jacksonville is the most populous municipality in the state and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. The Miami metropolitan area is Florida's most populous urban area. Tallahassee is the state's capital.
Florida is also renowned for amusement parks, orange crops, winter vegetables, the Kennedy Space Center, and as a popular destination for retirees. Florida is the flattest state in the United States. Lake Okeechobee is the largest freshwater lake in Florida. Several beaches in Florida have turquoise and emerald-colored coastal waters.
Take a look at these fascinating color pics from The State Archives of Florida to see what Florida looked like in the 1950s.
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| Caribbean Club- Key Largo, Florida, circa 1950 |
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| Rainbow Springs near Dunnellon, Florida, August 21, 1950 |
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| African-American family at home, circa 1950 |
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| Baseball game at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, circa 1950 |
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| Drying fishing nets near Sarasota, Florida, circa 1950 |
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| Memorial Auditorium in Ft. Lauderdale, circa 1950 |
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| Recording the day's catch at the docks in Sarasota, Florida, circa 1950 |
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| Ringling Circus performers at winter quarters in Sarasota, Florida, circa 1950 |
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| Seminole woman and children gigging frogs near the Tamiami Trail, January 3, 1951 |
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| Advertisement shot for homes in Winter Haven, June 1952 |
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| Silver Springs- Ocala, Florida, June 30, 1952 |
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| Gymnasts posed in a formation, Tallahassee, 1953 |
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| Sarasota Sun-Debs posture training class at Lido Beach, Florida, 1953 |
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| Highway patrol cars in Gasparilla parade, Tampa, February 1954 |
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| Models posing in Jantzen bathing suits at Cypress Gardens, circa 1954 |
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| Spa Beach in St. Petersburg, Florida, May 23, 1954 |
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| Fishing in Sarasota, Florida, circa 1955 |
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| Florida Citrus Queen Sally Ardrey and her court at the Florida Citrus Exposition in Winter Haven, January 1955 |
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| Juniper Springs, Ocala National Forest, Florida, circa 1955 |
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| Overseas Highway bridge in the Florida Keys, circa 1955 |
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| People playing cards at a backyard party in Miami, circa 1955 |
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| Poolside at the Eden Roc Cabana Club- Miami Beach, Florida, circa 1955 |
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| Sailor Circus acrobatic performer Judy Laurent with a camera, Sarasota, 1955 |
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| Skyline Hotel at dusk, Tallahassee, circa 1955 |
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| Snack bar at the Warm Mineral Springs attraction in North Port, 1955 |
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| Sponges on display in front of the Florida Curio gift shop in Tarpon Springs, circa 1955 |
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| Sunbathers at Lido Beach, Florida, circa 1955 |
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| Volleyball at the municipal casino- Lido Beach, Florida, 1955 |
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| Window shopping in Hollywood, November 1955 |
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| Woman posing with camellias at Killearn Gardens State Park in Tallahassee, circa 1955 |
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| Women modeling bathing suits at the beach, circa 1955 |
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| Women wearing leis posing in bathing suits at the beach, circa 1955 |
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| Opening Christmas presents at Lake Seminole Resort in Largo, December 25, 1957 |
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| Performance at the Cypress Gardens theme park in Winter Haven, circa 1957 |
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| Barber at Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, circa 1958 |
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| Deaconess Bedell with Seminole Indians at Glade Cross Mission in Everglades City, April 1958 |
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| Guitarist performing at the Florida Folk Festival- White Springs, circa 1958 |
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| Seminole Girl at Brighton Indian Reservation, circa 1958 |
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| Seminole Indian mother and child at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, circa 1958 |
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| Seminole Man at Brighton Indian Reservation, circa 1958 |
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| Seminole men at the Dania Reservation in Hollywood, Florida, 1958 |
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| Seminole woman at Brighton Indian Reservation, circa 1958 |
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| Seminole woman reading at Big Cypress Reservaton, circa 1958 |
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| Woman posing in azaleas at Killearn (Maclay) Gardens State Park, Tallahassee, circa 1958 |
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| Beacon Hotel, Miami Beach, circa 1959 |
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| Model on the beach with sea shell, Florida, circa 1959 |
