Florida Guide > Miscellaneous
Nicknames of Florida's Towns and Cities
Did you know that many of Florida’s beautiful towns and cities have nicknames? These nicknames have evolved over the years and have been absorbed into the history of the area. Many were coined by the locals, or by tourists or outsiders to describe some of the features of their hometowns or cities. They gave such cities and towns a civic identity, and even help people to recognise these communities. People are often very proud of their town’s nickname, and they can help to build unity. Of course, whilst most nicknames are complimentary, a few are actually quite derisory, but even these, when well-known, help to establish the identity of an area.
Of course, Orlando has a delightful nickname, ‘The City Beautiful, ’ although it has ampther contender for the title, the beautiful Coral Gables, near Miami. The arrival of Disney certainly put it on the map, but it used to be a cattle ranching area
I suppose one of the most well-known nicknames is that of Fort Lauderdale, which is known as ‘The Venice of America. ’ You may ask why? Well if you have ever visited the area you can’t fail to have seen the intercoastal waterways which run parallel to the coast, and which are often home to the rich and famous. There are actually more than 300 miles of inland waterways which wind through amazing estates of millionaire homes, as well as through the fascinating and unique Everglades. These navigable waterways attract boats of all sizes, and you will see anything from a tiny dinghy to a top of the range yacht sailing their waters. It is not surprising that the rich and famous have been attracted to this area where they can play and relax and enjoy the most luxurious of lifestyles. Should you visit this area then do drive down the A1A and see for yourself this beautiful and exotic area which is rightfully called, the Venice of America.
Coconut Creek’s nickname, ‘Butterfly Capital of the World’ is pretty self-explanatory, as it is home to the world’s largest butterfly aviary at ‘Butterfly World, ’ where over 5, 000 butterflies and 80 species can be seen in a wonderfully natural environment. Of course its real name was taken from the coconut trees that were planted by the early developers.
Now Tampa has a number of nicknames, the first of which is ‘Lightning Capital of the World, ’ as it is prone to thunderstorms in the summer. Its other name is ‘Cigar City, ’ as it is here in Tampa that the cigar industry moved from Key West. When Henry B. Plant built his railroad, which connected the town and port to the country’s railroad system, it enabled Vicente Martinez Ybor to start manufacturing cigars here. These could then be transported easily to the rest of the US markets. He built hundreds of small houses around his factory to accommodate his mainly Cuban and Spanish cigar workers. Other manufacturers followed and Tampa quickly became a major cigar production centre.
No list would be complete without mentioning Miami, ‘The Magic City. ’ It could also be called the Cruise Capital of the World as it has one of the largest ports in the United States. It certainly has a magical feel to it – from its gorgeous beaches, to its fascinating malls, from its myriad of cultures to its arts and music, Miami has it all. They say Miami is a melting pot of cultures and it is true that you are more likely to hear a variety of languages as you explore this fascinating city than anywhere in Florida.
Viewed 100351 times.
We aim to provide accurate and useful information, but if you feel anything provided here is not accurate or out of date, please email us with the address of the page concerned and any comments so we can amend as necessary.
Villa Owners: Upload A Photo To This Article
To upload a photo for consideration, click here. Please only submit photos relevant to this article.
Other Articles Viewed
The following articles were also viewed by people who looked at this one: