You know I love Florida, which is why a lot of my books are set in the Sunshine State. Judge Willa Carson of my Hunt for Justice Mystery Series has a beautiful home on Plant Key, but it’s hard to keep her inside for long. During her internship at the TV news station in Tampa, Jordan Fox of False Truth is constantly itching to get out of the newsroom and go on assignment.
Their inability to sit still in Florida reminds me of real-life Florida inventors who had similar traits — so they got outside and created something that would enable us to maximize our use of the gorgeous Florida outdoors.
Here are 5 Famous Florida Inventions that help take advantage of the great weather:
- Gatorade: Invented at the University of Florida in 1965, Gatorade replenishes fluid and electrolytes lost not only by athletes, but by anyone moving around in the Florida heat. Even Judge Carson and Jordan Fox sometimes need a break from coffee to refresh themselves on the hottest of Florida summer days.
- Commercial Flight: The first commercial airline began in Florida, taking passengers on daily trips between Tampa and St. Petersburg.
- Affordable Automobiles: You might associate Henry Ford with Michigan, but his winter home was in Florida. He spent time there working on creating an affordable automobile so that regular folks like you and me can afford to drive from city to city, seeing the variety of sights Florida has to offer.
- Frozen orange juice concentrate: I think we can all agree that some of the best frozen cocktails are made from from frozen orange juice concentrate. The cheap alternative to freshly squeezed orange juice was developed in 1948 at the University of Florida. After a hot, stressful day solving crimes, what better way for Judge Carson to unwind than on the verandah sipping a frozen sunrise margarita?
Photo Credit: Epicurious
- Coppertone Sunscreen: Did you know that a Floridian invented the first sunscreen? A man named Benjamin Green came up with it in 1944, allowing us to camp out reading in the sun!
Stay tuned to my blog later this week to find out about more inventions that specifically help us read in the sun!
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