Pensacola

In 1559, Spanish explorer Don Tristan de Luna landed on Pensacola’s shore commanding a fleet of 11 vessels and around 1,500 settlers. Although a hurricane forced most of the people to abandon the area within a year, this marked the first European settlement in the United States. The remains of one of de Luna’s ships from the expedition were found in the Pensacola Bay in 2007, and is now the second-oldest known shipwreck in the country. The first permanent settlement, Presidio Santa Maria de Galve, was founded in 1698 and today visitors can see the town’s relics on display at the Naval Air Station Pensacola. Since it was founded, Pensacola has been ruled by Spain, France, Britain, the Confederacy and the United States, giving the city its nickname as the City of Five Flags.