Presidents Changed History While Retreating in Florida

At least five presidential candidates live in Florida full- or part-time. But a handful of past presidents also spent a lot of time here, some changing the course of history while doing so.

Richard Nixon reportedly hatched the Watergate scheme while staying in Key Biscayne. Harry Truman created the U.S. Department of Defense while hanging out in Key West. And John F. Kennedy strategized how to deal with the Soviet nuclear threat while vacationing in Palm Beach.

Two presidents came within a hair of being assassinated in South Florida. Kennedy was almost blown up by a bomb in Palm Beach and Franklin D. Roosevelt was almost shot in Miami.

Otherwise, several presidents loved to escape to Florida to soak in warm weather, go fishing and play golf, said Paul George, a history professor at Miami-Dade College.

“It was the pizzazz of the area, the hustle and bustle of the area that attracted them,” he said.

Of the current candidates: Donald Trump is a part-time Palm Beach resident; Dr. Ben Carson lives in West Palm Beach; former governor Jeb Bush lives in Coral Gables; U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio lives in West Miami; and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee owns a home in Blue Mountain Beach, on the state’s Panhandle.

Here’s a closer look at the presidents who either retreated to Florida or experienced important events here…

Source: Presidents changed history while retreating in Florida – Sun Sentinel

Use the above source link for see the entire story!