Published on Monday, September 25, 2006
in the Lake City Reporter

Recalling history of the Florida Highway Patrol

Nancy K. Wheaton's father, Maj. C.W. Keith (1917-2000), was the official historian and archivist for the Florida Highway Patrol. Maj. Keith also compiled “A Brief History of the FHP” and each new recruit receives a copy. Nancy donated a copy to our School Museum and here are four local things I learned by reading it.

*The FHP was created in 1939 by Gov. Fred P. Cone of Lake City.

*Starting salaries for troopers was $125 a month.Florida then began selling Driver's Licenses that year - 45 cents - to finance the newly created FHP.

*Columbia High School graduate Charles W. “Chuck” Parks died in the line of duty - “Ended his watch” - on Feb. 6, 1973. Chuck was killed during the apprehension of two armed robbery suspects on I-95 in Jacksonville.

*Alphonso Lofton of Lake City, a U.S. Marine veteran, became the first Afro-American member of the FHP on May 1, 1970. A highly successful trooper, he died Feb. 25, 1984, at age 39, of multiple sclerosis. Troop E Headquarters Station was dedicated in his honor.

*The three Crawford brothers of Lake City - Floyd, Frank, and Terrell--were all in the FHP at the same time. At that time, they were the only three brothers in FHP.