Florida’s capital: A history of compromise

The origin of Florida’s capital in Tallahassee is rooted in compromise. In the earliest days of “American Florida,” territorial legislators worked in Pensacola and St. Augustine in alternating legislative sessions. Tired of making the dangerous and lengthy trip, legislators chose Tallahassee, a midway point between Florida’s earliest large cities, as the capital in 1824.

For nearly 200 years, discussion of moving Florida’s capital has persisted, with the most notable opportunity for relocation being passed up in the early 1970s as plans for the “new” Capitol were approved by the governor and cabinet.

Learn more about Florida’s historic Capitol building here.

– McKinley Lewis, On 3 Public Relations