Pensacola
is described as a city where the sun shines almost everyday, a resort
town with a unique history, Pensacola is located in northwest Florida
on Pensacola Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico. It is a city abundant
in natural beauty with 40 miles of gulf waters and sandy white beaches.
A city of historic homes, museums and galleries, performing arts and
diversified recreation. It is the home of the U.S. Navy's famous Blue
Angels.
Economically, Pensacola's deepwater harbor, protected by Santa Rosa Island, is a haven for fishing boats. In addition to its heavy concentration of commercial and manufacturing facilities, it is a major military center--notably the site of Pensacola Naval Air Station. Its manufactures range from textiles, paper products, and building materials to chemicals and nuclear reactors. The area is served by the Pensacola Regional Airport and Amtrak. City population is about 60,000.
Pensacola, Florida
Points of interest are the Historic District, the National Museum of Naval Aviation, the Civil War Soldiers Museum, the Colonial Archaeological Trail. Listed among its many cultural interests are the Museum of Art, the Opera, the Little Theatre, and the big stage show productions at Saenger Theatre Other popular attractions include Sam's Fun City amusement park, the Greyhound Track, the Zoo, and the Highway 99 Bluegrass Band. Pensacola is a gateway to the Gulf Island National Seashore which features a 1400-acre wild life reservation. This town is a tourist mecca for year-round recreation: swimming, boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, wreck diving, golf, hiking, birding, and cycling.
The
city's calendar is filled with exciting annual events: the Emerald Coast
Classic golf tournament every March; the musical Springfest; the June
Festival of Five Flags celebrating the city's heritage; the Seafood
Festival in the fall; November's Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival and
the Fred Brown International Songwriters Festival.
The city is the site of America's first European settlement more than 440 years ago when the Spanish explorers were greeted by the Panzacola Indians, source of the name which means "long haired people." When hurricanes drove the Panzacola Indians from the area, they were succeeded by the Creek Indians who continue to live there. A permanent settlement was established in 1698 when Spanish conquistadores built a fort on the Bay at the location of today's Naval Air Station. Over the years, this city was occupied by Spain, France, England, the United States when captured from the British by Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812, and the Confederacy in the Civil War. Hence, its reputation as the “City of Five Flags.”