History

More than 400 years ago, Tallahassee was home to one of the first Spanish missions established in Florida. As the Spanish sought to establish territory throughout Florida, the purpose of the mission was to incorporate natives into the Spanish colonial empire, the Catholic religion and the Spanish culture.

Sitting on 52 acres off of Lake Bradford, Tallahassee Museum is one of the top-ranked outdoor museums in the state.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson met at the 1775 Continental Congress in Philadelphia and became close friends. They survived disagreements on many subjects, but on one they were aligned:

Independence Day is around the corner and celebrations abound. Florida’s elected leaders, from local officials to U.S. Senators, will be attending barbeques and speaking about freedom and sacrifice. It’s a pleasant change from partisan rhetoric. It’s also a beautiful reminder of the foundation on which our nation was built and the responsibility our government leaders have to the people:

Do you actually know what you’re celebrating on Cinco de Mayo or the significance of that date in Mexican history?

Tallahassee’s reputation as a city steeped in cultural history has been further enhanced with the opening of The Grove Museum, a sprawling mansion Governor LeRoy Collins called home.

This Black History Month, we pay tribute to Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach. She was president of the college from 1923 to 1942 and 1946 to 1947, and she was one of the few women in the world serving as a college president at that time.

A new documentary about former Florida Gov. Farris Bryant chronicles the many contributions he made to the state that continue to impact residents today. Bryant was instrumental in building Florida’s highways and turnpike, expanding the university system and elevating the state’s profile as a tourist destination.

While shopping for that perfect gift, we are reminded of the love and sacrifice demonstrated by Jim and Della in The Gift of the Magi. She sold her long hair to afford Jim’s watch chain, and he sold his watch to buy Della’s hair combs.

Embedded in Tallahassee’s unique history is Spring House, the only private residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in Florida. On the second Sunday of each month, the public can tour this architectural gem between 2 and 4PM, with the next tour taking place on Dec. 11. Tickets are $15.

If you live in Tallahassee, there’s probably been a considerable number of times you’ve had to spell – and even pronounce – Tallahassee for those who aren’t from here. So, where did the name come from?

You can’t escape election 2016. It seems each presidential election, coverage changes dramatically. From the 24-hour coverage on cable news to social media overload, everything is instantaneous. Each of us could recite the latest battleground state poll numbers if asked.