When America Declared Independence: South Florida in 1776

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Discussed in this episode: Key Biscayne Lighthouse     The Cooley Massacre

When Americans celebrate the Declaration of Independence every Fourth of July, images of Philadelphia, the Founding Fathers, and the American Revolution immediately come to mind. But what was happening in South Florida on July 4, 1776?

The answer is fascinating.

At the time America declared its independence, Florida remained a British colony, and what is now Miami was one of the most isolated frontiers in North America. There were no cities, no highways, no beaches lined with hotels—only wilderness, scattered settlers, and the fading remnants of ancient Indigenous civilizations.

This episode of Tales From South Florida is a remarkable look at a time when one of the most important events in American history barely reached the remote wilderness that would one day become one of the nation's most dynamic regions.

Take a TALK Down Memory Lane as we uncover another forgotten chapter of South Florida history.

South Florida history, Miami history, Florida history, July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence, American Revolution, British Florida, East Florida, Colonial Florida