Linda Woodspot

Fort Lauderdale is positioned close to the southern tip of Florida by the Atlantic coastline, forming part of the South Florida metropolitan area. The city of Fort Lauderdale is named after a Second Seminole War fortification, constructed beside the New River in 1838. The region was thinly populated until the 1890s, when a road was constructed connecting the area to Miami, a ferry was started across the New River and the Florida East Coast Railway was extended further down the coastline. The... Read Full Story

The city of Tampa is positioned on the western coastline of Florida, about 50 miles southwest of Orlando. In the early nineteenth century the Federal Government decided to resettle the Seminole Indians to the region beside Tampa bay. Fort Brooke was built on the eastern shore of Hillsborough River to enforce control of the district. It continued as a small and remote village until 1884 when the Florida railroad magnate Henry B Plant resolved to construct a railroad which ran through Tampa... Read Full Story

Key West is the USA's most southerly town, sitting at bottom end of the string of islands called the Keys. The town is known for its autonomous spirit; it harbors a community which prides itself for tolerance and free thinking. After the railroad joined all the Florida Keys in 1912, and a road in 1938, Key West still stood as a a home to the eccentric. The community is made up of a diverse population - Conchs (from the Bahamas), freshwater Conchs (long-serving residents) Hispanics (migrants... Read Full Story

Palma lies on the south west coastline of the island of Mallorca in the West Mediterranean Sea. The history of Palma goes back to the Romans, who founded the settlement as a trading port between Italy and Spain. Mallorca was captured by the North African Moors in the middle ages, but little is left of this time, except the narrow maze-like layout of the alleys of the old city similar in design to a Kasbah. The Mallorcan Moors employed Palma as a base to attack Catalan boats sailing to and... Read Full Story

Near the north west coastline of the United States, located between Lake Washington to the east and Puget Sound to the west lies Washington's largest city, Seattle. To the far side of these waters lie two rugged mountain ranges, the Olympics on the west and the Cascades to the east. White pioneers came to the Seattle area in 1850 to found a town they first called New York. The settlers then moved a short distance to the other side of Elliott Bay to the district now called Pioneer Square... Read Full Story

Vancouver is counted among the world's most attractive cities, circled by high mountains, vast forests, and pristine Pacific beaches. In the late 19th century the demand for wood was enormous, and the tall Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar woods in the region formed an unused source. Lumbering enterprises arrived to take advantage of nature's riches. The township of Granville was founded next to Burrard Inlet to service the growing woodcutting and woodsawing ventures. In 1871 British... Read Full Story

On Florida's Atlantic coastline, midway between Jacksonville and Miami, sits Cape Canaveral. Bordering the city to the north is Port Canaveral, on the south side is Cocoa Beach, on the east side is the Banana River and to the west is the Atlantic Ocean. From long ago this dangerous section of the coast was well-known to sea captains, who named the headland Cape Canaveral. Due to the hazards to boats, the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse was built in 1844, allowing boats to sail without danger in... Read Full Story

  From medieval times, Southampton"s port has been an thriving center for the transport of goods between England and the continent. To defend the important trading post, Edward III ordered the building of extensive walls to encircle the city and its port. In Tudor times, the city was an important ship building center. HMS Grace Dieu, Henry V"s fleet- heading warship was built in the city"s shipyards in the 15th century. In 1640 the Pilgrim fathers... Read Full Story

San Juan is the capital and the largest city in Puerto Rico. Situated on the northern shores of the country, it is the second-oldest city established by the Spaniards in the Caribbean. The oldest is Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. San Juan is the main sea port for Puerto Rico, and it also serves as the country's center for tourism, finance, culture and manufacturing. The Spanish settlers originally called the city Ciudad de Puerto Rico and the whole island San Juan. Over time... Read Full Story

Sydney is the largest and most economically important city in Australia, with a total population of nearly 4 million. The city is sited on the eastern coastline of Australia. The Pacific Ocean is located to the east and the Blue Mountains are to the west. The town was started in 1788 when a fleet of convicts from England arrived in Australia. The transportation of prisoners to Australia was the brain wave of Lord Sydney, the British Secretary of State. Consequently the new town's name. The... Read Full Story