Florida was the first place on the North American mainland settled by Europeans.  The Spanish founded St. Augustine in 1565. Miami was the second settlement in 1567. But the unremitting hostilities of first the mosquitos and later the native americans caused the Spanish to abandon their mission in south Florida. Over the years, Florida's lack of resources and  tremendous distance from the developed areas to the north limited its growth.  South Florida remained a sparsly inhabited frontier during the next three centuries.  At the beginning of the twentieth century the railroad encouraged people to pour in and we have developed an interesting history  since then.