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The Gulf Breeze Home Team - Mary Alcott & Jill Mitchell |
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Welcome to Pensacola, Florida!!!Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2006, the estimated population was 53,248. However, the Pensacola metropolitan area, comprising Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, had a population of 439,877. Pensacola is a sea port on Pensacola Bay, which connects to the Gulf of Mexico. A large United States Navy airbase, the first in the United States, is located southwest of Pensacola (near the community of Warrington) and is home to the Blue Angels flight demonstration team and the National Museum of Naval Aviation. The main campus of the University of West Florida is situated north of the city center. Pensacola is nicknamed "The City of Five Flags" due to the five governments that have flown flags over it during its history: the flags of Spain (Castile), France, Great Britain, the Confederate States of America, and the United States. Other nicknames include "World's Whitest Beaches" (due to the white sand prevalent along beaches in the Florida panhandle), "Cradle of Naval Aviation" (the National Museum of Naval Aviation is located at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, home of the legendary Blue Angels), "Western Gate to the Sunshine State," "America's First Settlement," "Emerald Coast," "Redneck Riviera," and "Red Snapper Capital of the World."
History
 Pensacola: site of 1698 settlement near Fort Barrancas is marked "X" (above left end of Santa Rosa Island). Early exploration of Pensacola Bay spanned decades, with Ponce de León (1513), Pánfilo de Narváez (1528), and Hernando de Soto (1539) plus others charting the area. Due to prior exploration, the first settlement of Pensacola was large, landing on August 15, 1559, and led by Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano with over 1,400 people on 11 ships from Vera Cruz, Mexico. However, weeks later, the colony was decimated by a hurricane on September 19, 1559, which killed hundreds, sank five ships, grounded a caravel, and ruined supplies. The 1,000 survivors divided to relocate/resupply the settlement, but due to famine and attacks, the effort was abandoned in 1561. About 240 people sailed to Santa Elena (today's Parris Island, South Carolina), but another storm hit there, so they sailed to Cuba and scattered. The remaining 50 at Pensacola were taken back to Mexico, and the Viceroy's advisers concluded northwest Florida was too dangerous to settle, for 135 years. Pensacola was permanently reestablished by the Spanish in 1696 on the mainland, near Fort Barrancas (see map) and became the largest city in Florida, as the capital of the British colony of West Florida in 1763. Another major hurricane devastated the settlement in 1722, causing the French occupation to evacuate, and the Spanish returned. The Spanish built three presidios in Pensacola:
From 1763, the British went back to the mainland area of fort San Carlos de Barrancas, building the Royal Navy Redoubt, and Pensacola became the capital of the 14th British colony, West Florida. After Spain joined the American Revolution late, in 1779, the Spanish captured East Florida and West Florida, regaining Pensacola from (1781-1819). In an 1819 Transcontinental Treaty (Adams-Onis), Spain renounced its claims to West Florida and ceded East Florida to the U.S. (US$5 million). In 1821, with Andrew Jackson as provisional governor, Pensacola became part of the United States. Few cities anywhere have been planted in lovelier natural surroundings. Built on high ground which in some parts of the city reaches almost bluff-like proportions. Pensacola fronts on an almost completely land-locked arm of the Gulf of Mexico, a perfect natural deep-water harbor, large enough for all the ships of the world to maneuver in. Pensacola Bay, with its northerly and easterly arms, Escambia Bay and East Bay, cover 175 square miles. The Escambia River flows down from Alabama on the North; Perdido Bay and River, hardly a rifle shot from the city, separate Florida from Alabama on the West Sister Cities According to Sister City International, Pensacola has the following sister cities: Pensacola has many economic opportunities, and excellent schools and hospitals. Both the county and the city are growing each year as more people discover the beautiful beaches and wonderful weather. The Pensacola area is located in the Central Time Zone. Climate The climate of Pensacola is subtropical, with mild winters and hot, humid summers. Summer temperatures are characterized by highs in the low 90s and lows in the mid 70s. The average high in July is 91 °F, with 59 days per year reaching at least 90 °F. The average low in July is 75 °F. Evening thunderstorms are common during the summer months. Temperatures above 100 °F are rare, and last occurred in July 2000, when seven days over 100 °F were recorded. The hottest temperature ever recorded in the city was 106 °F on July 14, 1980. Average highs in January are 61 °F and average lows are 43 °F. There are, on average, fifteen nights per year of below freezing temperatures. Temperatures below 20 °F are rare, and last occurred in January 2003, when a low of 18 °F was seen. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the city was 5 °F on January 21, 1985. The city receives 64.28 inches of precipitation per year, with a rainy season in the summer. The rainiest month is July, with 8.02 inches, while 3.89 inches falls in April, the driest month.
The Official Website of Escambia County -- www.myescambia.com -- has hundreds of links for both Residents and Visitors to the area. This is one stop shopping for Residents and Visitors alike. It covers everything you need to know about the Pensacola area to include Visitor Information, History, Community Information, Culture and Entertainment, Transportation, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Health/Medical/Hospital Information, City and County Government Links, Taxes, Health and Social Services, Media, Housing, and Utilities to name a few topics. Museums
Transportation Pensacola is served by Interstate 10 and the Interstate 110 spur connecting I-10 with downtown Pensacola. Major air traffic in the Pensacola and greater northwest Florida area is handled by Pensacola Regional Airport. Airlines currently serving Pensacola Regional Airport are Air Tran Airways, American Airlines, ASA, Comair, Continental Airlines, Continental Express, Delta Air Lines, SkyWest, and US Airways. The airport serves business travelers, vacationing families, members of our military, physically challenged passengers, senior citizens and large groups. Greyhound bus service is also available. The local bus service is the Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT). In December of 2007, ECAT announced that it would cut many of its routes citing poor rider frequency. However in January of 2008, ECAT announced that it would expand service to neighboring Gulf Breeze and change existing routes to more convenient locations.
Education Public primary and secondary education schools in Pensacola are administered by the Escambia County School District. The University of West Florida, which resides north of the city, is the primary tertiary school in the area. UWF also has the largest library in the region, the John C. Pace Library. Universities and colleges High schools in the City of Pensacola
Hospitals
Festivals and holidays Major holidays in Pensacola include Memorial Day, Mardi Gras, and the Fiesta of Five Flags. Celebrations of note in Pensacola are the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, the Seafood Festival, Gay Pride (Memorial Day Weekend), The King Mackerel and Cobia Tournament, Florida Springfest (although canceled in 2006, 2007, and 2008), Gracefest (a Christian music festival), Lobsterfest, University of West Florida Festival On The Green, the Bushwhacker Festival and the Bill Fishing Tournament. Historic Seville Square and it adjacents parks, Fountain Park and Bartram Park are the sites of most of Pensacola's festivals. In the summer on Thursdays and on the Thursday in the beginning of the Christmas season, the Pensacola Heritage Foundation presents local bands in it's famous gazebo for free and very popular concerts. In December the Pensacola Christmas Market is a popular event in Seville Square as is the Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival and Seafood Festival are in the fall and the Cajun Crawfish Festival is in the spring. Festivals in Seville Square is a successful tradition begun by local preservations in the early 60's led by Mary Turner Rule Reed and the Pensacola Heritage Foundaion who started the movement to save and restore this square and Pensacola's old settlement around it. City mediaEscambia County, Florida media The largest daily newspaper in the area is the Pensacola News Journal. Pensacola is also home to WEAR-TV, the ABC affiliate for Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, and Mobile, Alabama, and WSRE-TV, the local PBS member station, which is operated by Pensacola Junior College. Other television stations in the market include WALA-TV the Fox Affiliate, and, WKRG the CBS affiliate, also WPMI, the NBC affiliate, which all are located in Mobile. Cable service in the city is provided by Cox Communications. Pensacola Magazine, the city's monthly glossy magazine, and Northwest Florida's Business Climate, the only business magazine devoted to the region, are published locally.
Sports teams Pensacola is home to several semiprofessional sports teams, including the Pensacola Ice Pilots of the ECHL, the Pensacola Lightning state runner up for NAFL, the Pensacola Pelicans of the American Association (of Independent Baseball) (AA), the Pensacola Aviators of the American Basketball Association, and the Pensacola Power of the National Women's Football Association (NWFA). Shopping Cordova Mall - in Pensacola with more than 140 specialty stores. University Mall - in Pensacola with more than 80 specialty stores. Riviera Centre Factory Stores - located midway between Pensacola, Florida and Mobile, Alabama, in Foley, Alabama. One of the largest outlet shopping centers in the country with over 120 of the best outlet stores. Pensacola Bay Area Visitor Guide Fast Eddies Fun Center - go carts and arcade games Sam's Fun City - water park, arcade games, laser tag, indoor rides, simulators, and restaurant. Waterville U.S.A
Capt. Bubba Thorsen - Pensacola, FL. Has the 26 foot Katelyn and the 70 foot Chulamar for various fishing trips, sightseeing, beach combing, moonlight cruises. Florida Sports Fishing - Dedicated to sport fishing in Florida and the surrounding waters, which is one of the richest and most diverse fishing areas in the world. Gulf Breeze Fishing Pier - 1.5 mile bridge for fishing, includes rules, fees, and other information. Gulf Coast Angling - Information about saltwater fishing for Pensacola, to Destin, Florida and Orange Beach, Alabama. Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge - 1.5 mile bridge for fishing, includes rules, fees, and other information. Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club Pensacola Blue Angels Bass Page Beaches in the Pensacola area - Navarre Beach, Opal Beach, and Pensacola Beach. Beach Marina - Pensacola Beach, Florida. Bottom fishing, off-shore trolling, party boats, and private charters.
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