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When Florida became a state 175 years ago, on March 3, 1845, our population was about 60,000. While Florida voters had supported statehood in 1837 by a 65-35% margin, eight years passed before statehood became a reality.
A national economic downturn, the Seminole Wars and the requirement of pairing the entry of a southern slave state with a northern free state delayed Florida’s entry. When Iowa fulfilled the requirements of statehood, Florida became the 27th state.
That 1837 vote? A total of 3,303 Floridians voted in the election, with west and middle Florida carrying the day over east Florida’s opposition.