In the Sunshine State on this day in 1815 the Island of Key West was granted to Juan de Estrado, the governor of Florida, in lieu of payment for services rendered to the government of Spain.

In 1880 an unnamed hurricane struck the Florida coast near Cocoa Beach.

In1920 the 19th Amendment grant women suffrage was formally ratified bya sufficient number of states to add it to the Constitution. Florida did NOT ratify thisamendment until May 13, 1969. Despite the refusal of the Legislature to ratify theamendment, women had been granted the right to vote in city elections as early as 1917 when Florence Villa, Moore Haven, Palm Beach, and Pass-a-Grille allowed them to cast their ballots.

In 1950 Radiation Division of Harris Corporation, a major Florida technology company, was founded in Melbourne. Harris Corporation is now the largest single private employer in Brevard County and is a Fortune 500 company.

In1960 the first student at Brevard Community College was officially enrolled. The college, founded on March 10, 1959, held classes in the old Cocoa High School building. BCC currently has four campuses in the county and has an enrollment of about 18,000 students.

In1964 Hurricane Cleo strikes Fort Lauderdale with 130 mph winds late tonight. The storm continued throughout the early morning hours.