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Sunshine State Timeline

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 18, 2007

Special Report: Sunshine Law

1942: World War II military training camps bring millions of soldiers to Florida.

1949: Florida ends open-range policy; ranchers must put up fences.

1949: Florida enacts first state sales tax.

1950: The state's population hits 2.7 million.

1950: The development of home air conditioning makes Florida tolerable year-round.

1959: Fidel Castro takes over Cuba, and more than 1 million Cubans immigrate to the United States over the next two decades, many settling in Florida.

1959: NASA sets up shop at Cape Canaveral.

1960: Florida's population reaches 4.7 million.

1961: Developer Del Webb opens Sun City Center, typical of a new housing trend - planned communities for retirees.

1971: Walt Disney World opens, marking a dramatic shift in tourism.

2000: Florida's population hits 15.9 million.

Walt Belcher

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