Pensacola, FL

About Pensacola

• • Derrick Brooks, NFL Hall of Famer, starred as a linebacker at Washington High School.
• • Pensacola is the "Cradle of Naval Aviation," home to the first U.S. Naval Air Station.
• • Its strategic location on Pensacola Bay made it a vital port for early Spanish explorers.
• • Legend says Andrew Jackson once fled a Pensacola hotel disguised as a woman.
• • Hurricane Ivan in 2004 caused widespread damage and reshaped the coastline.
• • "Pensacola" means "hair people" and was established by the Spanish in 1559.
• • With over 54,000 people, it's smaller than Tallahassee but larger than Key West.
• • Sitting at 34 feet, it's slightly higher than Panama City Beach.
• • The military and tourism industries drive the local economy.
• • Pensacola feels like a relaxing blend of Southern charm and beachside fun.
• • The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are a Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins.
• • In 1996, the University of West Florida won the NCAA Division II National Championship.
• • The area's sandy soil is largely composed of quartz eroded from the Appalachian Mountains.
• • Gulf Islands National Seashore protects undeveloped barrier islands just offshore.
• • Escambia River, the westernmost river in Florida, flows into Pensacola Bay.
• • The endangered Perdido Key beach mouse inhabits the coastal dunes.
• • Longleaf pine forests once dominated the landscape surrounding the city.
• • The Pensacola culture inhabited the area from 1100 to 1700 AD.
• • Spanish explorer Don Tristan de Luna established a short-lived colony in 1559.
• • The Spanish-built Fort Barrancas was completed in 1844.
• • Legend says the Pensacola Lighthouse is haunted by a former keeper and his daughter.
• • Interstate 10 spans the Escambia Bay on a 3-mile-long bridge.

Artists From Pensacola

Songs About Pensacola

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