In the Sunshine State on this day in:

1845 David Levy Yulee and James D. Westcott, Jr., took their seats in the United States Senate today as the first senators from Florida.  Yulee was from St. Augustine, while Westcott was from Tallahassee.  David Levy Yulee won the long term of office, which ended on March 3, 1851, while Westcott’s term expired on March 3, 1849.  The decision was made by lot.  Yulee would later serve in the Senate of the Confederate States of America and Westcott would become the Attorney General of Florida in 1868.

Yulee, who had previously served as the delegate from Florida in the 27th, 28th and 29th Congress, was a large land owner and entrepreneur.  He would be the force behind the first cross-peninsula railroad that ran from Fernandina on the Atlantic Coast to Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico.  The railroad opened in 1860, but was almost immediately shut down with the outbreak of the War between the States.

1864 The Florida Methodist Conference began its annual meeting in Madison today.  The Conference had 8,641 white members and 5,169 African-American members.

The Florida Legislature today approved an appropriation for $60,000 to care for the sick and wounded soldiers of the state.

1928 The first air line service between Miami and New York was inaugurated today by Pitcairn Airlines (later known as Eastern Airlines).


1945 Delta Airlines began operating in Florida today with DC-3 service from Miami to Jacksonville. 


1969 Eckerd Drugs of Florida, Incorporated,  was reincorporated as Jack Eckerd Corporation today.  The first Eckerd drug store opened in Clearwater in 1952.