Misplaced Pages

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156-628: U.S. Route 98 ( US 98 ) is a major east-west thoroughfare through the U.S. state of Florida . Spanning 670.959 miles (1,079.804 km), it connects Pensacola and the Alabama/Florida state line to the west with Palm Beach and the Atlantic coast in the east. It is the longest US road in Florida, as well as the longest US road in any state east of the Mississippi River. It was established in 1933 as

312-482: A St. Augustine motel pool, in which the owner poured acid into the water during a demonstration, influenced the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act . Economic prosperity in the 1920s stimulated tourism to Florida and related development of hotels and resort communities. Combined with its sudden elevation in profile was the Florida land boom of the 1920s , which brought a brief period of intense land development. In 1925,

468-543: A gross state product (GSP) of $ 1.647 trillion, is the fourth largest of any U.S. state and the 15th-largest in the world; the main sectors are tourism , hospitality , agriculture , real estate, and transportation . Florida is world-renowned for its beach resorts , amusement parks , warm and sunny climate, and nautical recreation; attractions such as Walt Disney World , the Kennedy Space Center , and Miami Beach draw tens of millions of visitors annually. Florida

624-570: A half diamond interchange with Interstate 110 (I-10), and the SR 291 one-way couplet of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (southbound) and Davis Highway (northbound). Shortly thereafter, US 98 turns south at SR 289 and splits away from US 90. US 98 and SR 289 are concurrent for a few blocks until the U.S. Highway's eastbound traffic turns onto E. Chase Street; westbound traffic arrives at SR 289 on E. Gregory Street. After

780-649: A school shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida , leading to new gun control regulations at both the state and federal level. On June 24, 2021, a condominium in Surfside, Florida , near Miami collapsed , killing at least 97 people. The Surfside collapse is tied with the Knickerbocker Theatre collapse as the third-deadliest structural engineering failure in United States history, behind

936-586: A "Free and Independent State". The ordinance declared Florida's secession from the Union , allowing it to become one of the founding members of the Confederate States . The Confederacy received little military help from Florida; the 15,000 troops it offered were generally sent elsewhere. Instead of troops and manufactured goods, Florida did provide salt and, more importantly, beef to feed the Confederate armies. This

1092-563: A Florida Sheriff's Youth Facility, the Gulf Hammock Wildlife Management Area . US 19-98 eventually enters the city of Inglis , where it serves as the eastern terminus of CR 40A . A more important intersection is encountered deeper within the city, and that intersection happens to be its parent route County Road 40 . West of US 19-98, CR 40 is named "Follow That Dream Boulevard" for the 1962 movie starring Elvis Presley . A small four-lane bridge carries US 19-98 across

1248-541: A Loyalist stronghold for the duration of the American Revolution . Spain regained both East and West Florida after Britain's defeat in the Revolutionary War and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles in 1783, and continued the provincial divisions until 1821. Defense of Florida's northern border with the United States was minor during the second Spanish period. The region became a haven for escaped slaves and

1404-582: A Moose Lodge, and other businesses. Within Homosassa Springs , the division temporarily ends at Faust Lane across from a bowling alley. The road becomes a four-lane undivided highway with a continuous center left-turn lane, then it overlaps County Road 490. CR 490A terminates at the three-route concurrency with US 19-98-CR 490. South of there, the road passes over a small creek and approaches the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park on

1560-533: A T-intersection with State Road 78 on the northern shores of Lake Okeechobee . There, US 98/441 makes a sharp left turn to the northeast and then the southeast as it runs along the east side of the lake as well as the levee system protecting the coast. Along this segment, the two hidden state roads aren't exactly as hidden as they are in other parts of the state. Two suffixed alternate routes of hidden State Road 15 can be found in Up-the-Grove Junction before

1716-483: A base for Indian attacks against U.S. territories, and the U.S. pressed Spain for reform. Americans of English and Scots Irish descent began moving into northern Florida from the backwoods of Georgia and South Carolina . Though technically not allowed by the government authorities, they were never able to effectively police the border region and the backwoods settlers from the United States would continue to immigrate into Florida unchecked. These migrants, mixing with

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1872-553: A branch of the Pasco-Hernando Community College as well as a Florida State Trooper police station, US 98 briefly becomes a four-lane divided highway again at Yontz Boulevard, only to resume its status as a two-lane road as it enters the City of Brooksville. There, the road passes by some local industry, including the garage for Hernando ParaTransit and the county bus system, and then faces an un-gated at-grade crossing with

2028-495: A bridge for SR 60 and a railroad line, US 17-98 encounters CR 700 at Main Street (former SR 60), and SR 700 becomes a hidden route along US 98 again. The rest of the way through southern Bartow, US 17/98 remains mostly a commercial strip, but this status begins to diminish around the intersection of South Clear Springs Road. Eventually it enters the unincorporated community of Homeland which contains an intersection with CR 640 , where to

2184-664: A bridge over the Tri-Rail main line as it intersects the service roads for I-95 at Exit 68, then becomes a four-lane road in several older, high-density neighborhoods in West Palm Beach. East of the Florida East Coast Railroad Main Line bridge crossing, it intersects US 1 and SR 5 , reducing to two lanes as it crosses Lake Worth Lagoon on two bridges, and ending on a roundabout with SR A1A in Palm Beach near

2340-517: A century. The former path of US 98 from Canal Point is now signed as State Road 700 north of the junction with US 98/US 441 and County Route 700 south of that to County Road 880. FDOT announced in January ;2010, near the end of the Pensacola Bay Bridge's 50-year design life , that the bridge was structurally deficient and would have to be replaced within six years. As of 2011, a study

2496-463: A divided and some bicycle lanes begin once again. At the intersection of County Road 44W , the road changes from a six-lane rural divided highway to a four-lane divided highway. The road leaves the city limits south of the Crystal River Airport , and from there US 19-98 passes the intersection of Ozello Trail (CR 494), then serves as the location of a series of car dealerships, local garages,

2652-645: A division the Spanish Crown kept after the brief British period. The British government gave land grants to officers and soldiers who had fought in the French and Indian War in order to encourage settlement. In order to induce settlers to move to Florida, reports of its natural wealth were published in England. A number of British settlers who were described as being "energetic and of good character" moved to Florida, mostly coming from South Carolina , Georgia and England. There

2808-579: A former junction between the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line Railroads , until both were merged into the Seaboard Coast Line and the segments that crossed Routes 98 and 301 were abandoned. From that point, the road runs up and down a series of hills where it passes by some small motels, local auto repair shops, trailer parks, farms, a Moose Lodge, a local golf course, and a drive-in movie theater. The road officially enters Dade City in

2964-404: A hidden concurrency with CR 555. SR 700 continues straight south into downtown Bartow as CR 700, while US 98 turns east along SR 60. SR 60 branches off to the southeast while US 98/SR 35/SR 555 continues straight east and later intersects US 17 , where SR 555 becomes the hidden route for US 17 north into Haines City, while US 98/SR 35 turns south at the beginning of a concurrency. After running over

3120-611: A left turn to the northeast towards Floral City . A large portion of this segment of US 98 is a four-lane divided highway though the Citrus-Hernando County Line. After crossing the county line, it meets the current terminus of the Suncoast Parkway , as well as the accompanying Suncoast Trail. The divided section ends between the World Woods Golf Club and the entrance to a Hernando County Landfill. At that point,

3276-513: A limited number of left-turn lanes in the center-median. Recent development in the area may lead to the addition of such turn lanes. In Chiefland, US 19-98-Alt 27 has a brief hidden concurrency with State Road 320 . The hidden route is exposed as SR 320 turns west into Manatee Springs State Park . Later it encounters an intersection with the southern terminus of US 129 . Almost instantly, Alternate US 27 leaves US 19-98 onto hidden SR 500 as it heads towards Bronson and Williston. This intersection

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3432-650: A mixed-race population of mestizos and mulattoes . The Spanish encouraged slaves from the Thirteen Colonies to come to Florida as a refuge, promising freedom in exchange for conversion to Catholicism . King Charles II of Spain issued a royal proclamation freeing all slaves who fled to Florida and accepted conversion and baptism. Most went to the area around St. Augustine , but escaped slaves also reached Pensacola. St. Augustine had mustered an all-black militia unit defending Florida as early as 1683. The geographical area of Spanish claims in Florida diminished with

3588-640: A much larger one near Lake Hendry Road. After these curves, the route remains relatively straight west and east and after crossing the CSX Railroad Line that is used by Amtrak 's Silver Star and Silver Meteor lines it reaches US 27 in West Frostproof , where it turns south once again onto yet another US route concurrency. County Road 630 continues to the east. From here, the hidden routes are SR 25 and SR 700 . Within Frostproof itself, US 27/98 makes

3744-575: A number of protests occurred in Florida during the 1950s and 1960s as part of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1956–1957, students at Florida A&M University organized a bus boycott in Tallahassee to mimic the Montgomery bus boycott and succeeded in integrating the city's buses. Students also held sit-ins in 1960 in protest of segregated seating at local lunch counters, and in 1964 an incident at

3900-480: A population of 6.138 million; the most populous city is Jacksonville . Florida's other major population centers include Tampa Bay , Orlando , Cape Coral , and the state capital of Tallahassee . Various American Indian tribes have inhabited Florida for at least 14,000 years. In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León became the first known European to make landfall, calling the region La Florida (land of flowers) ( [la floˈɾiða] ). Florida subsequently became

4056-644: A reverse curve onto a bridge over the same CSX line that serves the Silver Star and Silver Meteor, and then enters an unincorporated community named Sunray Deli Estates , where the route first encounters State Road 17 , a scenic Florida Highway that was designated US Alternate 27 until 1999. However, the route continues as county extension to the southwest that loops right back to US 27/98. South of here, US 98 carries hidden state routes (SRs 17, 25 and 700) into Highlands County until it reaches Avon Park , where SR 17 (another former US Alternate 27 ) breaks away again at

4212-502: A right onto East Main Street and resumes it southwest run along the coast of Lake Okeechobee, or at least within close range of the levees. The road keeps the name East Main Street well into its entry into City of Pahokee , where it serves as the northern terminus of State Road 729 , which was once a segment of State Road 15A . The FEC line that runs along this segment has a grade crossing southwest of this, and runs parallel to that route. Though not necessarily state or county roads, some of

4368-590: A route between Pensacola and Apalachicola , and has since been extended eastward across the Florida Peninsula and westward into Mississippi . It runs along much of the Gulf Coast between Mobile, Alabama and Crystal River, Florida , including extensive sections closely following the coast eastward from the Alabama-Florida state line to St. Marks . Within Florida, US 98 is marked as an east–west road from

4524-656: A short jaunt on the Bayfront Parkway , US 98 turns south to cross the 3-mile-long (4.8 km) Pensacola Bay Bridge over the eponymous body of water . The highway lands on the Fairpoint Peninsula in Gulf Breeze . It passes Gulf Breeze High School before it turns to the east. On the opposite end of the eastward curve is a trumpet interchange with Pensacola Beach Boulevard , which heads south to Pensacola Beach . East of Gulf Breeze, US 98 goes through

4680-515: A southerly turn and more of an easterly one. The rest of the way, US 98 passes through small towns such as Shamrock where it intersects County Road 358 twice. The road starts making more of an east turn after this and shortly afterwards encounters CR 351 in Cross City , and then State Road 349 and CR 349 in Old Town , which used to be U.S. Route 129 Alternate. It even contains a Truck Weight station in

4836-421: A southern routing of US 98. The current alignment continues west from its intersection with State Road 298 and is four lanes from its intersection with Blue Angle Parkway to the intersection with Navy Boulevard. The four-lane section from Navy Hospital to Navy Boulevard is routed along the southern most taxiway from the old NAAS Corry Field airfied. Following the extensions of the 1950s, minor changes were made in

U.S. Route 98 in Florida - Misplaced Pages Continue

4992-428: A trailer park where such turn lanes would be most useful. It is here that the road turns south again and passes by a popular local flea market. The last developed neighborhood encountered along US 19-98 is deed-restricted community named Sugarmill Woods . Nevertheless, sporadic rural businesses and even residential properties turn up along the sides of the road and the median openings without left-turn lanes continue until

5148-530: A trailhead for the Withlacoochee State Trail US 98-SR 50 pass under a bridge for this trail. At the crossing over the Withlacoochee River , two former sections of the road exist on the east side of the river; Paul N. Steckle Lane, and Ridge Manor Boulevard. The shorter Paul N. Steckle Lane exists on the north side and contains a Hernando County Firehouse, local residences, and one entrance to

5304-605: Is County Road 476 (Lake Lindsey Road), another bi-county road spanning east and west from US 19 north of Weeki Wachee through Bushnell, Florida in Sumter County. Southeast of that intersection, it also crosses a former railroad mining spur leading to the CSX Brooksville Subdivision. Just east of a pair of truck weigh stations is the northern terminus of County Road 485 , which serves as the beginning of US Truck Route 98 . After moving over some steep hills and passing

5460-521: Is 3 nautical miles (3.5 mi; 5.6 km) offshore in the Atlantic Ocean and 9 nautical miles (10 mi; 17 km) offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. At 345 feet (105 m) above mean sea level , Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state. Much of the state south of Orlando lies at a lower elevation than northern Florida, and is fairly level. Much of

5616-463: Is a 312-foot (95 m) peak in Lake County . On average, Florida is the flattest state in the United States. Lake Okeechobee , the largest lake in Florida, is the tenth-largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwater lake contained entirely within the contiguous 48 states , after Lake Michigan . The longest river within Florida

5772-496: Is a 671-mile-long (1,080 km) route that extends from the panhandle to Palm Beach . From the Alabama state line to Apalachee Bay , it follows the coast of the Gulf of Mexico through Pensacola and Panama City . It then turns inland and passes through Perry and Chiefland before turning back towards the gulf coast north of Crystal River . The highway stairsteps its way across

5928-506: Is a popular destination for retirees , seasonal vacationers , and both domestic and international migrants; it hosts nine out of the ten fastest-growing communities in the U.S. The state's close proximity to the ocean has shaped its culture , identity, and daily life; its colonial history and successive waves of migration are reflected in African , European , Indigenous , Latino , and Asian influences. Florida has attracted or inspired some of

6084-427: Is a residential street. East 7th Avenue then curves from east to south at another FEC grade crossing on the southwest corner of the southern terminus of State Road 729 near the western terminus of CR 717 . South of that point, the road is named Belle Glade Road and later makes another reverse curve to the west and south again along the east side of that FEC line before eventually approaching Belle Glade . Before reaching

6240-674: Is a segment of County Road 68 in Basinger , where it curves southeast and shares yet another concurrency. Along the way, two county suffixed alternates of hidden SR 700 can be found, first 700B, which leads to Basinger Cemetery, and then 700A, which leads to the Basigner Fire Tower and CR 724. The Florida Cracker Trail branches off to the northeast at CR 68 , which eventually leads to its state designation in Fort Pierce . Meanwhile, US 98 continues to run south through rural Okeechobee County, but

6396-510: Is encountered again at the intersection of Griffin Road. 9/10 of a mile later, the road turns straight south and becomes North Florida Avenue. According to the Florida Department of Transportation , the northern terminus of State Road 563 can be found at 10th Street, in spite of the fact that signage for that road can only be found at the next major intersection, U.S. Route 92 , which until 2005

U.S. Route 98 in Florida - Misplaced Pages Continue

6552-626: Is now SR 39 as well as hidden state routes hidden SRs 35 - 700 and runs into downtown Dade City. US 98-301 moves closer to the CSX Wildwood Subdivision (part of the S-Line), where it encounters the eastern terminus of CR 52 and the Dade City Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot . At County Road 35 Alternate , US 98-301 turns from southeast to southwest as it moves back towards another at-grade interchange with

6708-637: Is now the contiguous United States to be visited and settled by Europeans. The earliest known European explorers came with Juan Ponce de León . Ponce de León spotted and landed on the peninsula on April 2, 1513. He named it Florida (colloquially la Florida) in recognition of the flowery, verdant landscape and because it was the Easter season, which the Spaniards called Pascua Florida (Festival of Flowers). The following day they came ashore to seek information and take possession of this new land. The story that he

6864-500: Is the St. Johns River, at 310 miles (500 km) long. The drop in elevation from its headwaters South Florida to its mouth in Jacksonville is less than 30 feet (9.1 m). The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by the fact that no part of the state is distant from the ocean. North of Lake Okeechobee , the prevalent climate is humid subtropical ( Köppen : Cfa ), while areas south of

7020-462: Is the warmest state in the U.S. Florida State Road 727 Like SR 295 and the nearby SR 296 , SR 298 , and SR 742 , SR 727 is primarily a bypass route for Pensacola. Motorists traveling near the Gulf of Mexico shore west of Pensacola often use Fairfield Drive to avoid the downtown section and continue eastward via Interstate 110 (I-110; SR 8A ) to I-10 ( SR 8 ) and then crossing Escambia Bay on

7176-401: Is underway to determine the "feasibility, location, and conceptual design" of a replacement bridge. As of February 2013, plans have begun to replace the bridge with construction beginning within two years, at a cost of $ 595.6 million, on a course slightly to the west of the existing bridge. The new bridge, like the current one, will not charge a toll. As of February 2020, construction of

7332-677: The 27th state on March 3, 1845, and was the principal location of the Seminole Wars (1816–1858), the longest and most extensive of the American Indian Wars . The state seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861, becoming one of the seven original Confederate States , and was readmitted to the Union after the Civil War on June 25, 1868. Since the mid-20th century, Florida has experienced rapid demographic and economic growth. Its economy , with

7488-598: The American alligator , American crocodile , American flamingo , Roseate spoonbill , Florida panther , bottlenose dolphin , and manatee . The Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States, and the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef and the Belize Barrier Reef . Paleo-Indians entered Florida at least 14,000 years ago. By

7644-646: The Black Lives Matter movement. After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017, a large population of Puerto Ricans began moving to Florida to escape the widespread destruction. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans arrived in Florida after Maria dissipated, with nearly half of them arriving in Orlando and large populations also moving to Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. A handful of high-profile mass shootings have occurred in Florida in

7800-923: The CSX Brooksville Subdivision. Just before the intersection of West Jefferson Avenue ( SR 50A ), US 98 has a divide that cuts off the intersection of Fort Dade Avenue (County Road 484). The route then turns east and joins SR 50A in a concurrency, while SR 700 continues south along Ponce De Leon Boulevard. Shortly after this new concurrency, it makes a right along North Mildred Avenue, for eastbound traffic only, and both merge with US 41 . Between North Mildred Avenue and May Avenue, eastbound SR 50A, US 41, and US 98 are concurrent along Broad Street, while westbound SR 50A, US 41, and US 98 are concurrent along East Jefferson Avenue, then West Jefferson Avenue. US 41 reunites with Broad Street at North Mildred Avenue. This one-way configuration for Broad Street and Jefferson Street has been in effect since November 1993, according to

7956-563: The City of Okeechobee . After crossing a railroad spur leading to the vicinity of the Amtrak station, US 98 leaves SR 70 at the intersection of U.S. Route 441 , where it turns south. US 98/441 runs straight south out of the Okeechobee City Limits, along with its hidden state roads 700 and 15 respectively. This trajectory continues until the routes reach Eagle Bay and the road encounters

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8112-640: The Cypress Lake Preserve . Ridge Manor Boulevard begins on the south side, and crosses over to the north side east of the firehouse and west of the Hernando County Eastside Solid Waste Convenience Station. When SR 50 continues east and narrows down to two lanes toward Clermont , Orlando , and Titusville , US 98 turns southeast and also narrows down to two lanes even as it crosses the Withlacoohcee River for

8268-607: The First Seminole War . The United States now effectively controlled East Florida. Control was necessary according to Secretary of State John Quincy Adams because Florida had become "a derelict open to the occupancy of every enemy, civilized or savage, of the United States, and serving no other earthly purpose than as a post of annoyance to them." More recent historians describe that after U.S. independence, settlers in Georgia increased pressure on Seminole lands, and skirmishes near

8424-488: The Florida Cracker Trail in the process, while US 27/SR 25 continue southbound towards Miami. Running east, this segment of US 98 is two lanes wide, and shortly after leaving a concurrency with US 27 encounters another with another CR 17 , this time a county spur of SR 17 that spans from north of Lake Henry to Sebring. For the time being, US 98 takes CR 17 around the southern shores of Red Beach Lake, and lets go of

8580-611: The Florida Department of Transportation . While both segments go up and down steep hills in the heart of the city, the Broad Street (eastbound) section runs over an old railroad bridge over the CSX Brooksville Subdivision, built in 1936. US 98 continues to overlap SR 50A and US 41 through downtown Brooksville, then makes a sharp right turn off of US 41 onto East Jefferson Street near the May-Stringer House and former Rogers Christmas House. The US 98-SR 50A concurrency continues through

8736-455: The Government of Florida . The marriage between Luisa de Abrego, a free black domestic servant from Seville, and Miguel Rodríguez, a white Segovian, occurred in 1565 in St. Augustine. It is the first recorded Christian marriage in the continental United States. Some Floridanos married or had unions with Pensacola , Creek , or African women, both slave and free, and their descendants created

8892-400: The Hyatt Regency walkway collapse and the collapse of the Pemberton Mill . Much of Florida is on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida . Spanning two time zones , it extends to the northwest into a panhandle , extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is bordered on the north by Georgia and Alabama , and on the west, at the end of

9048-427: The King's Road connecting St. Augustine to Georgia . The road crossed the St. Johns River at a narrow point called Wacca Pilatka , now the core of Downtown Jacksonville , and formerly referred to by the British name "Cow Ford", reflecting the fact that cattle were brought across the river there. The British divided and consolidated the Florida provinces ( Las Floridas ) into East Florida and West Florida ,

9204-462: The Kingdom of Great Britain for control of Havana , Cuba , which had been captured by the British during the Seven Years' War . The trade was done as part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris which ended the Seven Years' War. Spain was granted Louisiana from France due to their loss of Florida. A large portion of the Florida population left, taking along large portions of the remaining Indigenous population with them to Cuba. The British soon constructed

9360-403: The Mar-a-Lago estate, which is next to the southern terminus of US 98 at SR A1A, in Palm Beach . Prior to the designation of US 98 in Florida, sections of the route in the southern part of the state were part of the Conners Highway . The Conners Highway or W. P. Conners Highway was a privately built toll road from West Palm Beach, Florida to Okeechobee, Florida , and a free continuation of

9516-531: The Naval Live Oaks Reservation . It meets SR 281 in Tiger Point . The route then continues on through Navarre , where it intersects with Florida State Road 87 and then the Navarre Beach Causeway . US 98 continues on to Perry through Okaloosa , Walton , Bay , Gulf , Franklin , Wakulla , Jefferson , and Taylor counties, passing through different cities and towns, such as Fort Walton Beach , Destin , Miramar Beach, Florida Santa Rosa Beach , Panama City , Port St. Joe , and Apalachicola , along

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9672-407: The Seaboard Air Line broke the FEC's southeast Florida monopoly and extended its freight and passenger service to West Palm Beach; two years later it extended passenger service to Miami. Devastating hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 , followed by the Great Depression , brought that period to a halt. Florida's economy did not fully recover until the military buildup for World War II . In 1939, Florida

9828-510: The Second Seminole War (1835–1842). Following the war, approximately 3,000 Seminole and 800 Black Seminole were removed to Indian Territory . A few hundred Seminole remained in Florida in the Everglades . On March 3, 1845, only one day before the end of President John Tyler 's term in office, Florida became the 27th state, admitted as a slave state and no longer a sanctuary for runaway slaves. Initially its population grew slowly. As European settlers continued to encroach on Seminole lands,

9984-408: The Third Seminole War (1855–1858), having taken refuge in the Everglades, from where they never surrendered to the US. They fostered a resurgence in traditional customs and a culture of staunch independence. Florida had become a burden to Spain, which could not afford to send settlers or troops due to the devastation caused by the Peninsular War . Madrid, therefore, decided to cede the territory to

10140-441: The Treaty of Payne's Landing (1832), which called for the relocation of all Seminole to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma ). Some resisted, leading to the Second Seminole War , the bloodiest war against Native Americans in United States history. By 1842, most Seminoles and Black Seminoles, facing starvation, were removed to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River . Perhaps fewer than 200 Seminoles remained in Florida after

10296-399: The Withlacoochee River as it crosses the Citrus-Levy-Citrus County Line. After running between a pair of trailer parks and a sand mine, it approaches a much larger bridge. The Cross Florida Barge Canal was the last section of US 19 that is two lanes wide in Citrus County. A new four-lane divided bridge was completed by FDOT in the early-2010s, which was originally planned in conjunction with

10452-423: The 16th century, the earliest time for which there is a historical record, major groups of people living in Florida included the Apalachee of the Florida Panhandle , the Timucua of northern and central Florida, the Ais of the central Atlantic coast, the Mayaimi of the Lake Okeechobee area, the Tequesta of southeastern Florida, and the Calusa of southwest Florida. Florida was the first region of what

10608-442: The 21st century. In June 2016, a gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando . It is the deadliest incident in the history of violence against LGBT people in the United States , as well as the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since the September 11 attacks in 2001, and it was the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history until the 2017 Las Vegas shooting . In February 2018, 17 people were killed in

10764-874: The Alabama-Florida border to Perry . Throughout most of the Florida Peninsula, the road is marked as a north–south road, but directions return to east–west on the northeast shore of Lake Okeechobee . As is the case with all Florida roads with federal designations, the entirety of US 98 has a hidden Florida Department of Transportation designation : Concurrencies include US 90 in Pensacola, US 319 from Port St. Joe to St. Teresa and in Medart , ALT US 27 from Perry to Chiefland , US 19 from Perry to Chassahowitzka , US 41 then SR 50A in Brooksville , SR 50 from Brooksville to Ridge Manor , US 301 from Moss Town to Clinton Heights, US 17 from Bartow to Fort Meade , US 27 from West Frostproof to South Sebring, US 441 from Okeechobee to Royal Palm Beach , and SR 80 from near Belle Glade to Palm Beach . US 98

10920-410: The Castilian language, and more to Florida. Spain established several settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. In 1559, Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano established a settlement at present-day Pensacola , making it one of the first settlements in Florida, but it was mostly abandoned by 1561. In 1564–1565, there was a French settlement at Fort Caroline , in present Duval County , which

11076-407: The Floridas, and in the meantime they were, with the advice of councils, to establish courts. This was the first introduction of the English-derived legal system which Florida still has today, including trial by jury , habeas corpus and county-based government. Neither East Florida nor West Florida sent any representatives to Philadelphia to draft the Declaration of Independence . Florida remained

11232-444: The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of over 21 million, it is the third-most populous state in the United States and ranks eighth in population density as of 2020. Florida spans 65,758 square miles (170,310 km ), ranking 22nd in area among the states. The Miami metropolitan area , anchored by the cities of Miami , Fort Lauderdale , and West Palm Beach , is the state's largest metropolitan area , with

11388-643: The Indians from Florida. Seminoles offered sanctuary to blacks, and these became known as the Black Seminoles , and clashes between whites and Indians grew with the influx of new settlers. In 1832, the Treaty of Payne's Landing promised to the Seminoles lands west of the Mississippi River if they agreed to leave Florida. Many Seminoles left at this time. Some Seminoles remained, and the U.S. Army arrived in Florida, leading to

11544-719: The Indians. Most non-Indian residents were soldiers stationed at Fort Dallas . It was the most devastating Indian war in American history, causing almost a total loss of population in Miami. After the Second Seminole War ended in 1842, William English re-established a plantation started by his uncle on the Miami River . He charted the "Village of Miami" on the south bank of the Miami River and sold several plots of land. In 1844, Miami became

11700-634: The Mobile District of West Florida to the Mississippi Territory in 1812. Spain continued to dispute the area, though the United States gradually increased the area it occupied. In 1812, a group of settlers from Georgia, with de facto support from the U.S. federal government, attempted to overthrow the Floridan government in the province of East Florida. The settlers hoped to convince Floridians to join their cause and proclaim independence from Spain, but

11856-608: The Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center. As the road approaches a car dealership on the northwest corner of West State Park Drive, a local road leading to Crystal River Preserve State Park one truly begins to feel that he or she has entered the City of Crystal River , since it then passes by the Crystal River Mall, and the divider ends as US 19-98 becomes a four-lane undivided boulevard. It then curves east as it passes by some more motels and restaurants on

12012-572: The United States intervened to move the remaining Seminoles to the West. The Third Seminole War (1855–1858) resulted in the forced removal of most of the remaining Seminoles, although hundreds of Seminole Indians remained in the Everglades. The first settlements and towns in South Florida were founded much later than those in the northern part of the state. The first permanent European settlers arrived in

12168-461: The United States through the Adams–Onís Treaty , which took effect in 1821. President James Monroe was authorized on March 3, 1821, to take possession of East Florida and West Florida for the United States and provide for initial governance. On behalf of the U.S. government, Andrew Jackson , whom Jacksonville is named after, served as a military commissioner with the powers of governor of

12324-646: The Wildwood Subdivision near Ellerslie , at a bridge over both, and an unnumbered interchange with the former of these two. Continuing southeast, the road encounters fewer farms and approaches the western edges of the Green Swamp , where it encounters the northernmost bridge over the Hillsborough River , which is nothing more than an elevated culvert. At the Pasco-Polk County Line, the road becomes

12480-605: The already present British settlers who had remained in Florida since the British period, would be the progenitors of the population known as Florida Crackers . These American settlers established a permanent foothold in the area. The British settlers who had remained also resented Spanish governance, leading to a rebellion in 1810 and the establishment for ninety days of the so-called Free and Independent Republic of West Florida on September 23. After meetings beginning in June, rebels overcame

12636-553: The beautiful and well-known Emerald Coast and the quieter, less developed Forgotten Coast . Within the city limits of Perry , US 98 and SR 30 makes a sharp turn to the south along US 19 which is also the northern terminus of Alternate US 27 and is named Byron Butler Parkway. US 27 , which replaces US 98 as an overlapping US route for US 19 heads east along hidden State Road 20 . It also briefly carries U.S. Truck Route 221 until it reaches County Road 359A (Wright Road). US 221 terminates at US 98 along with that truck route, and

12792-655: The beginning of a rural to urban transition of the road for the remainder of its journey. The road doubles from four to eight lanes in Royal Palm Beach, as the road serves as the border between Royal Palm Beach and Wellington. At the State Road 7 interchange, US 441 turns south towards Miami. The South Florida Fairgrounds and the Coral Skys Amphitheatre , where the South Florida Fair takes place, are next on

12948-524: The border led to the First Seminole War (1816–1819). The United States purchased Florida from Spain by the Adams-Onis Treaty (1819) and took possession in 1821. The Seminole were moved out of their rich farmland in northern Florida and confined to a large reservation in the interior of the Florida peninsula by the Treaty of Moultrie Creek (1823). Passage of the Indian Removal Act (1830) led to

13104-532: The bridge completely unusable; creating a temporarily gap on US 98; repairs were quickly arranged, the bridge reopened to traffic on May 28, 2021. McKethan said the route numbering committee of the American Association of State Highway officials has agreed to the extension of Highway 98 from its present western terminus at Apalachicola to West Palm Beach by way of Newport, Perry, Cross City, Brooksville, Lakeland, Frostproof, Okeechobee and Canal Point. Approval

13260-481: The city limits though, US 98/441 makes a sharp left turn to the east at the intersection of the Hooker Highway, where State Road 80 joins the route, while SR 15 continues south along westbound SR 80. Between Belle Glade and Loxahatchee, US 98/441/SR 80 are surrounded by sugarcane fields. In Twenty Mile Bend , State Road 700 ends at US 98, and later CR 880 terminates at the route. Lion Country Safari marks

13416-459: The concurrency before it stops running along that lake. East of here, it encounters a grade crossing with the CSX line that carries the Silver Star and Silver Meteor yet again, just before intersecting the road that leads to both Sebring Regional Airport and Sebring International Raceway . After these two sites, the road runs along the north shore of Lake Istokpoga, where it passes through Lorida . Beyond

13572-419: The county seat, and six years later a census reported there were ninety-six residents in the area. The Third Seminole War was not as destructive as the second, but it slowed the settlement of southeast Florida. At the end of the war, a few of the soldiers stayed. American settlers began to establish cotton plantations in north Florida, which required numerous laborers, which they supplied by buying slaves in

13728-648: The defense of the Captaincy General of Cuba and the Spanish West Indies . In 1738, the governor of Florida Manuel de Montiano established Fort Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose near St. Augustine, a fortified town for escaped slaves to whom Montiano granted citizenship and freedom in return for their service in the Florida militia, and which became the first free black settlement legally sanctioned in North America. In 1763 , Spain traded Florida to

13884-586: The domestic market. By 1860, Florida had only 140,424 people, of whom 44% were enslaved. There were fewer than 1,000 free African Americans before the American Civil War. On January 10, 1861, nearly all delegates in the Florida Legislature approved an ordinance of secession, declaring Florida to be "a sovereign and independent nation"—an apparent reassertion to the preamble in Florida's Constitution of 1838, in which Florida agreed with Congress to be

14040-662: The early 19th century. People came from the Bahamas to South Florida and the Keys to hunt for treasure from the ships that ran aground on the treacherous Great Florida Reef . Some accepted Spanish land offers along the Miami River. At about the same time, the Seminole Indians arrived, along with a group of runaway slaves. The area was affected by the Second Seminole War , during which Major William S. Harney led several raids against

14196-450: The east around the southern shores of Lake Jackson, the route encounters a wye intersection in Sebring , where the second southern terminus of State Road 17 can be found. The commercial zoning that has lined US 27/98 since Avon Park begins to diminish south of Sebring, but doesn't completely disappear. US 98 and hidden SR 700 leaves US 27 at the eastern terminus of State Road 66 , thus joining

14352-527: The east of this you'll find the Mosaic Peace River Park. In Fort Meade US 98/SR 700 leaves US 17/SR 35 and turns east again, secretly taking CR 630 with it. All three routes leave Fort Meade at the bridge over the Peace River where it becomes Frostproof Boulevard. In this segment, US 98/SR 700/CR 630 has two sharp reverse curves to the south and east, the first being near Pleasant Grove Cemetery, and

14508-500: The eastern terminus of County Road 54 , and then the southern terminus of State Road 471 . Running southeast from the Pasco-Polk border, US 98 remains rural, but eventually becomes more suburban as it enters communities such as Providence , where the road turns straight south, becomes a divided highway, and serves as the northern terminus of County Road 35A , a suffixed alternate of hidden SR 35 leading through Kathleen . Farther south

14664-576: The eastern terminus of State Road 64 , and runs relatively parallel to US 27 until it reaches Sebring . SR 64 continues east along part of SR 17 as a bi-county extension northeast into Polk County which runs through Lake Wales Ridge State Forest and terminates at the Avon Park Air Force Range . US 27/98 meanwhile, continues to run south to southeast along the shores of Lake Glenda where it passes through South Florida Community College territory, and then Lake Sebring and Lake Jackson. Curving to

14820-408: The eastern terminus of SR 50A into the west end of a concurrency with SR 50 and hidden route 700, which US 98 becomes concurrent with once again. From there, the speed limit increases to 60 miles per hour as US 98/SR 50 runs southeast through farmland and wooded swampland, then turns straight east again when it runs between a pair of lakebeds before the intersection with CRs 484 and 541 . At that point,

14976-472: The establishment of English settlements to the north and French claims to the west. English colonists and buccaneers launched several attacks on St. Augustine in the 17th and 18th centuries, razing the city and its cathedral to the ground several times. Spain built the Castillo de San Marcos in 1672 and Fort Matanzas in 1742 to defend Florida's capital city from attacks, and to maintain its strategic position in

15132-506: The federal government used the facility to process, document and provide medical and dental services for the newcomers. As a result, the Freedom Tower was also called the "Ellis Island of the South". In recent decades, more migrants have come for the jobs in a developing economy. With a population of more than 18   million, according to the 2010 census, Florida is the most populous state in

15288-511: The first area in the continental U.S. to be permanently settled by Europeans, with the settlement of St. Augustine , founded in 1565, being the oldest continuously inhabited city. Florida was frequently attacked and coveted by Great Britain before Spain ceded it to the U.S. in 1819 in exchange for resolving the border dispute along the Sabine River in Spanish Texas . Florida was admitted as

15444-634: The former "Business" US 98-301, and runs straight south again onto a four-lane divided highway. After the intersection with SR 52 in Clinton Heights, US 98 branches off to the southeast taking hidden SR 35 and 700 with it, while US 301(SR 39) continues south towards Zephyrhills , Hillsborough River State Park , and eventually the Manatee-Bradenton-Sarasota area. The road climbs various hills, and includes random farms and trailer parks. The road has another encounter with both CR ALT 35 and

15600-554: The garrison at Baton Rouge (now in Louisiana ) and unfurled the flag of the new republic: a single white star on a blue field. This flag would later become known as the " Bonnie Blue Flag ". In 1810, parts of West Florida were annexed by the proclamation of President James Madison , who claimed the region as part of the Louisiana Purchase . These parts were incorporated into the newly formed Territory of Orleans . The U.S. annexed

15756-638: The hidden route SR 55 joins the concurrency. In Bucell Junction, State Road 30 turns east State Road 30A near the Perry-Foley Airport . SR 30 turns east as it heads towards US 27 east of the Perry City Limits. and SR 55 becomes the sole secret designation. Later on, US 19-98-ALT 27 enters Tennille, where it intersects with State Road 51 . After this the road crosses the Steinhatchee River as it enters Dixie County and begins to make less of

15912-513: The interchange with Interstate 75 at exit 301. US 98-SR 50 is the only interchange along I-75 in Hernando County, and the left-turn lanes leading to the on-ramps are notoriously short. Directly east of I-75 is a development that shares the community's namesake as well as one shopping center. The road takes one last drop, only to rise again and officially enter Ridge Manor at the intersection of Kettering Road and Croom-Rital Road which leads to

16068-423: The interior of the state. Florida's economy has been based primarily upon agricultural products such as citrus fruits, strawberries, nuts, sugarcane and cattle. The boll weevil devastated cotton crops during the early 20th century. Until the mid-20th century, Florida was the least-populous state in the southern United States . In 1900, its population was only 528,542, of whom nearly 44% were African American,

16224-676: The intersection of County Road 326 in Gulf Hammock , an old locomotive and caboose is on display, and eventually Goethe State Forest where ironically the wide, tree-lined median comes to an end before reaching an at-grade interchange with State Road 121 & County Road 336 in Lebanon Junction. Leaving the forest, the road crosses the Ten Mile Creek bridge. South of Lebanon Junction, US 19-98 runs along sparse residences, trailer parks,

16380-401: The intersection of US 98 and SR 295. US 98 enters Pensacola after traversing a short bridge across Bayou Chico. A few blocks later, it turns onto Pace Boulevard ( SR 292 ), which takes US 98 north to West Cervantes Street, which carries US 90 . Together, US 90 and US 98 run through the heart of Pensacola. They intersect US 29 (N. Palafox Street),

16536-494: The lake (including the Florida Keys ) have a true tropical climate (Köppen: Aw , Am , and Af ). Mean high temperatures for late July are primarily in the low 90s Fahrenheit (32–34   °C). Mean low temperatures for early to mid-January range from the low 40s Fahrenheit (4–7   °C) in north Florida to above 60 °F (16 °C) from Miami on southward. With an average daily temperature of 70.7 °F (21.5 °C), it

16692-557: The lake, the road serves as the northern terminus of CR 621 , but later enters the barely existing unincorporated community of Fort Basinger as it encounters the northern terminus of CR 721 , while making a sharp curve to the northeast to cross a bridge over the Kissimmee River where it crosses the Highlands-Okeechobee County Line. Momentarily running northeast, the first moderate intersection that US 98 encounters

16848-412: The location of the border. Winding around the shores of the lake, the road eventually turns to the southwest. In Canal Point , US 98/441 is named Lakeshore Drive and briefly curves to the east from Lakeshore Drive to West Main Street. A block later, SR 700 breaks away from US 98 for the fourth and final time at a blinker-light intersection, where the two U.S. Routes, as well as not-so-hidden SR 15, make

17004-637: The median before it follows the left bank of the Suwannee River and intersects the eastern terminus of County Road 55A, before it crosses the Joe H. Anderson Sr. Bridge over the Suwannee River. After this it enters Fanning Springs, where it runs along the border of Gilchrist and Levy Counties . US 19-ALT 27-98 makes a sharp right turn after the intersection of State Road 26 and finally enters Levy County entirely. South of there US 98 continues its pattern of having

17160-570: The more prominent intersections in town include Larrimore Road and South Barfield Highway. Further downtown, the road makes a left turn to the south from Main Street to Lake Avenue and a block later serves as the northern terminus of State Road 715 across from the Pahokee City Hall, which also continues onto East First Street. At the intersection of McClure Road, Lake Avenue curves to the east and becomes East Seventh Avenue. Aside from South Barfield Highway, every other intersection with this segment

17316-417: The most prominent American writers, including Ernest Hemingway , Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings , and Tennessee Williams , and continues to attract celebrities and athletes, especially in golf , tennis , auto racing , and water sports . Florida has been considered a battleground state in American presidential elections , particularly those in 2000 and 2016 . Florida's climate varies from subtropical in

17472-406: The new bridge is complete with only the pedestrian portion to be completed with the old bridge being dismantled to make way for the parallel bridge to begin construction. However, just months later during Hurricane Sally on September 15-16, 2020, a barge got stuck under the bridge before a crane fell onto one span of the bridge; this knocked almost the entire span into Pensacola Bay , rendering

17628-477: The newly acquired territory for a brief period. On March 30, 1822, the U.S. Congress merged East Florida and part of West Florida into the Florida Territory . By the early 1800s, Indian removal was a significant issue throughout the southeastern U.S. and also in Florida. In 1830, the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Removal Act and as settlement increased, pressure grew on the U.S. government to remove

17784-468: The north to tropical in the south. It is the only state besides Hawaii to have a tropical climate , and the only continental state with both a tropical climate, located at the southern portion of the state, and a coral reef . Florida has several unique ecosystems, including Everglades National Park , the largest tropical wilderness in the U.S. and among the largest in the Americas . Unique wildlife include

17940-534: The northwest, Georgia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Straits of Florida and Cuba to the south. About two-thirds of Florida occupies a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean . It has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States , spanning approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km), not including its many barrier islands . It is the only state that borders both

18096-526: The panhandle, by Alabama. It is the only state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Florida also is the southernmost of the 48 contiguous states, Hawaii being the only one of the fifty states reaching farther south. Florida is west of the Bahamas and 90 miles (140 km) north of Cuba . Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi River , and only Alaska and Michigan are larger in water area. The water boundary

18252-671: The peninsula through Dade City , Lakeland , and Sebring . Near Lake Okeechobee , it follows the northern and eastern shore toward Belle Glade . It then heads east to its endpoint on the Atlantic seaboard in Palm Beach. US 98 enters Florida from Alabama via the Lillian Bridge which spans Perdido Bay . The two-lane highway lands on the state's western shore just west of Pensacola as Lillian Highway. At an intersection with SR 298 and County Road 297 (CR 297), Lillian Highway splits away from US 98 and continues along

18408-750: The pre-automobile era, railroads played a key role in the state's development, particularly in coastal areas. In 1883, the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad connected Pensacola and the rest of the Panhandle to the rest of the state. In 1884 the South Florida Railroad (later absorbed by Atlantic Coast Line Railroad ) opened full service to Tampa . In 1894 the Florida East Coast Railway reached West Palm Beach ; in 1896 it reached Biscayne Bay near Miami . Numerous other railroads were built all over

18564-667: The proposed Suncoast Parkway extension to Red Level . Before reaching the potential site of this interchange, it runs by a field where American Civil War re-enactments are staged lies just north of the back entrance to a local quarry, which is across from the western terminus of County Road 488. The quarry obstructs a former segment of US 19-98, as does the territory for the Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant . South of there US 19-98 passes by sparsely located hotels, bars, houses, cluster developments and signs advertising locally prepared peanuts, and in between also passes by

18720-632: The road approaches a Publix shopping center and an abandoned Shell gas station and convenience store in Chassahowitzka . US 98 leaves US 19 at the intersection with County Road 480, which also overlaps US 98 briefly before branching out on its own towards Floral City . As US 98 breaks away from US 19 at the corner of the Publix in Chassahowitzka, it joins hidden State Road 700 , which is momentarily overlapped with County Road 480 before that county road makes

18876-459: The road becomes a two-lane undivided highway and runs through Northern Hernando County mining country. Along the way it intersects two county roads at blinker lights. The first is at Deschamps Corner called County Road 491 (Citrus Way), a bi-county road spanning north and south from CR 484 north of Spring Hill to Lecanto , Beverly Hills , Holder , and Stokes Ferry in Citrus County. The next

19032-457: The road becomes the official eastern terminus of County Road 582 , a bi-county extension of State Road 582 in Hillsborough and Pinellas County, which for the time being runs east then curves back around to another intersection farther south. US 98 officially enters Lakeland , then the road curves southeast again before the interchange with Interstate 4 (Exit 32), after this interchange CR 582

19188-425: The road moves up and down a series of hills but first passes by communities such as Rolling Acres and Hill 'n Dale . The hills continue along the road, but along more farms and sparsely populated areas, along with at least one church and later a trailer park. Entering the unincorporated community of Ridge Manor West , commercial development designed primarily for travelers begins to dot the landscape as it approaches

19344-471: The road to Tampa, Florida . It cost $ 2 million to build across the swamps at the outskirts of the Everglades . The toll section had three toll booths , at 20 Mile Bend , Canal Point and south of Okeechobee . It was opened on July 4, 1924. The last section of the full route to be paved, from Okeechobee to Sebring , was paved in 1925. A toll of $ 1.50 per car and driver, and 50 cents extra per passenger,

19500-562: The route enters Martin County , where it remains along the east side of the lake. As the route enters Port Mayaca , the road crosses a bridge over the St. Lucie Canal that returns to ground level at the interchange with State Road 76 . Shortly after this, US 98/441 crosses the Martin- Palm Beach County line just north of a Florida East Coast Railroad grade crossing with no signs indicating

19656-564: The route will also be designated as temporary on the 1952 maps because the relocation of the road there, via Indiantown in Martin county, is projected. Florida Florida ( / ˈ f l ɒr ɪ d ə / FLORR -ih-də , Spanish: [floˈɾiða] ) is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States . It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to

19812-441: The route, just east of SR 7. After passing Florida's Turnpike , it gains two more lanes and becomes an expressway, with diamond interchanges with Jog Road, Haverhill Road and Military Trail. East of Military Trail, it loses a lane in each direction as it straddles the southern end of Palm Beach International Airport , where private aircraft are serviced, with commercial access to the airport available via SR 704A . It then approaches

19968-477: The routing of US 98. Several of these involved the construction of bypass routes (in Panama City , Dade City, Lakeland , and Bartow) or straightening alignments (near Lakeland and Bartow). Around 1990, US 441 was realigned onto new road from north of Belle Glade to Twenty Mile Bend and, by the late 2000s, US 98 was transferred to this route as well, the most significant rerouting of US 98 in Florida in nearly half

20124-627: The rural atmosphere of the road begins to disappear after CR 718, especially near the Okeechobee County Airport . The next major site is yet again a grade crossing with the CSX railroad line that carries the Amtrak Silver Star through Okeechobee station . Between Northwest Fifth and Northwest Fourth Streets, US 98 finally turns straight south, only to encounter a major intersection with State Road 70 , where it turns left into another concurrency, running east and officially entering

20280-754: The same proportion as before the Civil War. Forty thousand blacks, roughly one-fifth of their 1900 population levels in Florida, left the state in the Great Migration . They left due to lynchings and racial violence and for better opportunities in the North and the West. Disfranchisement for most African Americans in the state persisted until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s gained federal legislation in 1965 to enforce protection of their constitutional suffrage. In response to racial segregation in Florida,

20436-406: The second time, this time at the Hernando-Pasco County Line, entering Trilby. The first major intersection is a blinker-light intersection with County Road 575, but a far more important one is with US 301 in Trilacoochee , where it shares yet another concurrency running south. South of this point, US 98-301 passes by the Owensboro Junction Trailhead, of the Withlacoochee State Trail . This was once

20592-442: The settlers lost their tenuous support from the federal government and abandoned their cause by 1813. Traditionally, historians argued that Seminoles based in East Florida began raiding Georgia settlements and offering havens for runaway slaves. The United States Army led increasingly frequent incursions into Spanish territory, including the 1817–1818 campaign against the Seminole Indians by Andrew Jackson that became known as

20748-563: The southeastern United States and the third-most populous in the United States. The population of Florida has boomed in recent years with the state being the recipient of the largest number of out-of-state movers in the country as of 2019. Florida's growth has been widespread, as cities throughout the state have continued to see population growth. In 2012, the killing of Trayvon Martin , a young black man, by George Zimmerman in Sanford drew national attention to Florida's stand-your-ground laws , and sparked African American activism, including

20904-451: The southern terminus of State Road 659 (former SR 33A). Shortly after this intersection, the road prepares to leave the Lakeland city limits beneath the partial cloverleaf interchange with Polk Parkway at Exit 10, which contains loop ramps only from US 98. This interchange is within a mere block of the western terminus of State Road 540 , although that route secretly has a concurrency with US 98 until it reaches Highland City , and moves to

21060-436: The southwest side of one of those lines which leads to Miami. The first intersection at ground level south of this bridge is East Main Street (former U.S. Route 92 Business ). The next major intersection is Lake Parker Avenue ( hidden SR 700 ) and Hollingsworth Road where SR 548 terminates and SR 700 rejoins US 98 as the hidden route once again. Long after passing the southwestern shore of Lake Bonny, US 98/SRs 35/700 encounters

21216-443: The state is at or near sea level. Some places, such as Clearwater have promontories that rise 50 to 100 ft (15 to 30 m) above the water. Much of Central and North Florida, typically 25 mi (40 km) or more away from the coastline, have rolling hills with elevations ranging from 100 to 250 ft (30 to 76 m). The highest point in peninsular Florida (east and south of the Suwannee River ), Sugarloaf Mountain ,

21372-545: The state road. At SR 173 , US 98 widens into a four-lane divided highway. SR 727 provides access to Warrington to the south and to Pensacola's northwestern suburbs. As it enters West Pensacola , US 98 passes along the southern border of the Corry Station Naval Technical Training Center . It turns north onto SR 295 and the two routes head north together for a short distance. Both SR 173 and SR 295 direct traffic to Naval Air Station Pensacola , which lies three miles (4.8 km) south of

21528-415: The vicinity of the aforementioned drive-in theater, and passes by the Pioneer Florida Museum right next to a former citrus plant. Across from the south end of that plant is the intersection with eastern County Road 578 , and shortly afterwards veers to the left at an at-grade interchange onto the former US 98-301 Truck Bypass, which was converted into mainline US 98-301 in 2007. The former segment of US 98-301

21684-448: The water across from City Hall then approaches County Road 495 (North Citrus Avenue). East of this intersection, it crosses the Cross Town Trail, a small rail-trail that was once an Atlantic Coast Line Railroad line spanning from Homosassa through Dunnellon. The road starts to curve south again, just north of the intersection of State Road 44 , but it also has a hidden concurrency with SR 44 south of that point. From Northeast First Terrace

21840-414: The west as County Road 540. Southwest of Lake Hancock, the road begins to skirt the borders of Bartow , first along a residential area on the west side, then south from there around the vicinity of Bartow Regional Medical Center . The road doesn't fully enter that city until the intersection of Lyle Parkway, where it turns from southeast to straight south once again. US 98 intersects SR 60 which also has

21996-431: The west side. Just after the road becomes divided again, the CR 490 concurrency comes to an end, as CR 490 moves onto West Yulee Road and US 19/98 curves to the southeast. Occasionally, some parcels of land that are part of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge turn up, but most of the surroundings involve random commercially zoned land. The pattern of sporadic median openings without left-turn lanes resumes, even near

22152-464: Was also a group of settlers who came from the colony of Bermuda . This was the first permanent English-speaking population in what is now Duval County , Baker County , St. Johns County and Nassau County . The British constructed good public roads and introduced the cultivation of sugar cane, indigo and fruits, as well as the export of lumber. The British governors were directed to call general assemblies as soon as possible in order to make laws for

22308-430: Was also the west end of a brief concurrency with US 98 east to Lake Parker Avenue. Since then the route has been rerouted south along North Florida Avenue until it reaches the intersection of State Road 37 and State Road 548 , where US 98 turns east onto SR 548. US 98/SR 548 curves from east to southeast over a bridge over the two railroad lines that feed into Lakeland Amtrak station just west of this bridge, and follows

22464-449: Was charged at each toll booth. The route also included the Williams Ferry across the Kissimmee River west of Okeechobee , which charged 50 cents. The highway was advertised as a cross-state alternate to the unpaved Tamiami Trail , also part of the west mainline of the Dixie Highway . Parts of it, including the tolled section, were used as the South Florida Connector of the Dixie Highway . Tolls were removed on June 10, 1930. US 98

22620-411: Was described as "still very largely an empty State." Subsequently, the growing availability of air conditioning , the climate, and a low cost of living made the state a haven. Migration from the Rust Belt and the Northeast sharply increased Florida's population after 1945. In the 1960s, many refugees from Cuba , fleeing Fidel Castro 's communist regime, arrived in Miami at the Freedom Tower , where

22776-426: Was destroyed by the Spanish. Today a reconstructed version of the fort stands in its location within Jacksonville. In 1565, the settlement of St. Augustine (San Agustín) was established under the leadership of admiral and governor Pedro Menéndez de Avilés , creating what would become the oldest, continuously occupied European settlements in the continental U.S. and establishing the first generation of Floridanos and

22932-463: Was extended southward concurrently with US 301 to south of Dade City where it followed State Road 35 to Fort Meade , joined by US 17 at Bartow . From Fort Meade, US 98 turned eastward to a junction with US 27 at West Frostproof from where it followed US 27 concurrently southward. From DeSoto City , US 98 was again sent east along the path of State Road 66 to State Road 70 near Okeechobee and then along Road 70 into Okeechobee. From there, US 98

23088-405: Was extended westward from Pensacola into Alabama over what is now State Road 298, locally known as Lillian Highway. US 98 retained this routing until sometime after 1965 when it was routed along its current routing south of Naval Air Station Pensacola, Corry Station (formally known as Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Corry Field). The airfield at NAAS Corry Field closed in 1958, opening the way for

23244-404: Was first commissioned in 1934 and its entire route was within Florida, running from Pensacola to Apalachicola but over a route quite different from its current path. In 1951, the eastern end was extended to its present terminus in Palm Beach, Florida. Much of this extension was (and is) concurrent with other US routes. From Apalachicola, it followed the path of US 319 to Wakulla (which it

23400-414: Was particularly important after 1864, when the Confederacy lost control of the Mississippi River, thereby losing access to Texas beef. The largest engagements in the state were the Battle of Olustee , on February 20, 1864, and the Battle of Natural Bridge , on March 6, 1865. Both were Confederate victories. The war ended in 1865. Following the American Civil War, Florida's congressional representation

23556-425: Was restored on June 25, 1868, albeit forcefully after Reconstruction and the installation of unelected government officials under the final authority of federal military commanders. After the Reconstruction period ended in 1876, white Democrats regained power in the state legislature. In 1885, they created a new constitution, followed by statutes through 1889 that disfranchised most blacks and many poor whites. In

23712-457: Was routed concurrently with the then recently extended US 441 to Canal Point . From Canal Point, it replaced State Road 716 to the junction with US 441 at Twenty Mile Bend and then followed the path of US 441 and State Road 80 to its terminus at Palm Beach . The final sections from Canal Point to Palm Beach were designated Temporary US 98 until the early 1960s, because a relocation was planned via SR 710 through Indiantown . In 1955, US 98

23868-431: Was searching for the Fountain of Youth is mythical and appeared only long after his death. In May 1539, Hernando de Soto skirted the coast of Florida, searching for a deep harbor to land. He described a thick wall of red mangroves spread mile after mile, some reaching as high as 70 feet (21 m), with intertwined and elevated roots making landing difficult. Europeans introduced Christianity , cattle, horses, sheep,

24024-543: Was then cosigned with), then along new State Road 30 across the lower Big Bend to Perry . From 1952-54, while this section was being built, Temporary US 98 ran from Wakulla to Tallahassee on US 319, and then along US 27 east to Perry. From Perry, US 98 was extended southward concurrently with US 19 for over 125 miles (200 km) to near Chassahowitzka where it was routed southeastward to Brooksville and eastward on State Road 50 to near Trilby where it left Route 50 and turned south. US 98 met US 301 south of Trilby and

24180-418: Was transformed into a 90-degree intersection, which directly faces a local high school. From there, US 19-98 runs along an abandoned railroad line along the east side, while the median is widened and lined with the trees that existed before the road was ever built. Blinking signals exist over the intersection with State Road 24 in Otter Creek , and at some point south of there, an overlap with CR 336 begins. At

24336-408: Was voted at the recent AASHO meeting in Omaha, where McKethan appeared in behalf of the project. The new route will be designated on the 1952 State Highway maps which will be released for publication next month. For the present the through highway will be routed through Tallahassee and down the peninsular because the Newport-Perry cut-off is still under construction. The Okeechobee-West Palm Beach leg of

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