🎄America’s First Christmas The first Christmas celebrated in the U.S. was in Florida. Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto’s 1539 expedition encamped for the winter in present-day Tallahassee. With 12 priests in de Soto’s party, it’s likely they celebrated a Christmas Mass. This 1870s engraving held in the State Archives of Florida and found on @FLMemory is an artist’s rendering of a de Soto encampment. Learn more about the de Soto encampment here: @FLSecofState

Florida Flashback! The Christmas poinsettia was introduced in the United States by John Poinsett, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico in 1825.  In Florida, this poinsettia can grow well outside, particularly in South Florida where the chance of frost is low.    📷This 1948 postcard, “A hedge of poinsettias in beautiful Florida” is from the State Archives of Florida. @FLMemory

Founding Fathers Today we recognize Franklin County, Florida which was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin. Fun fact: The street grid of Apalachicola, the county seat, is modeled after Ben Franklin’s hometown of Philadelphia, PA. Watch this video to learn more!