Florida Panhandle
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The Florida Panhandle is the region of the state of Florida which includes the westernmost 16 counties in the state. It is a narrow strip lying between Alabama and Georgia to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Culturally and in terms of history and climate, the region is more closely tied to the Deep South than is peninsular Florida.
Shortly after the Civil War, residents of Florida's peninsula seriously considered ceding its entire western arm to Alabama for a million dollars. Alabama's leaders decided that the land was 'a sand bank and gopher region', and, as a result, the Panhandle remained with Florida. The region is a major source of revenue for the state today.
The following counties lie in the Panhandle:
Cities in the Panhandle include Tallahassee, Pensacola, and Panama City. The Panhandle is known for the Redneck Riviera, the coast along the Gulf of Mexico, which hosts many college students during Spring break. The quartz sand on the beaches of the Panhandle is so white that some traders reportedly sold it as sugar in World War II.
Some refer to part of the Panhandle colloquially as "Lower Alabama."
References
- Florida, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, 2004, pg. 20
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