About Pensacola, Florida

Known as "The Western Gate to the Sunshine State", the city of Pensacola lies in the very northwestern corner of Florida's panhandle, along the spectacular Gulf Coast. Though the city is located far from the better known South Florida spotlight, Pensacola offers the very best for residents and visitors alike.

Early Pensacola

Since the first Spanish conquistadors landed on what is now Pensacola Bay some 400 years ago, the city has been alternately occupied and ruled under five different Boat at Dock in Pensacola

nations. The flags of Spain, France, and England, as well as those of the Confederacy and the United States, have flown over this city. The first to claim the area was Spain's Don Tristan De Luna and his 1,400 troops. After a two-year colonization, he mysteriously abandoned the area. (Incidentally, this was four years before the founding of St. Augustine, the supposed oldest American city.)

Later in 1698, more Spanish soldiers settled the area. During the next couple of decades, Spain constructed two of the first permanent forts. Though France occupied the area briefly, in 1722 Spain once again regained control of early Pensacola and Streets of Pensacola held it until 1763. The land was then ceded to England. The area would change hands one more time, from British back to Spanish, before the United States would finally assume ownership of the area. Excepting the brief occupation by the Confederate forces in the 1860's, the U.S. flag has flown over the Pensacola area ever since.

Pensacola Today

The Pensacola metropolitan area actually inhabits two Florida counties, Escambia and Santa Rosa. For the last twenty-five years, the population in both of Pensacola's House in Pensacola

counties has steadily increased, growing by 130,000 in the years from 1970 to 1995. Likewise, the number of households and personal income has also increased during this time. Fueling all of this growth is an almost 250% growth in the services industry in the city. From 1990 to 1995 alone the number of service related employees increased from 9,900 to 34,600. The transportation and public utility fields and retail trade are also major employers in the Pensacola area.

The University of West Florida in Pensacola

The University of West Florida is another factor in recent Pensacola growth. Though the University is relatively small, with only 7,800 students, its accomplishments stand out among the very best in Florida. For example, one of the West Florida professors recently become director of the NASA Center for Excellence for Information Technology. And another West Florida professor recently led a scientific team on an important Antarctic People Playing on the Pensacola Beach

trip to further research the effects of ultraviolet radiation on marine microorganisms.

Sports Events in Pensacola

Sporting events are also becoming increasingly popular in Pensacola. Dubbed "The Amateur Sports Capital of Florida," the city has recently hosted both the American Amateur Golf Classic and the 1996 Top Gun/Blue Angels Soccer Tournament. Other professional events held in Pensacola include the Senior PGA Emerald Coast Classic and the Pensacola Ice Pilots, the local pro hockey team.