- Tallahassee celebrated its 200th birthday on March 2, 2024.
- The founding of Tallahassee is a story of necessity.
- Watch the video above where, 200 years later, hundreds celebrated Tallahassee's founding.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The founding of Tallahassee is a story of necessity.
Where a system of two capitals for one state didn't work.
"It was really one capital in Pensacola and one in St. Augustine," J. Doug Smith | Past President and Treasurer of the Tallahassee Historical Society said. "So they decided that they wanted to, you know, have a place somewhere in the middle."
They met where you can now find Cascades Park.
Now, 200 years later hundreds celebrated Tallahassee's founding in front of city hall adjacent to the Florida Capital building we all know.
J. Doug Smith's mom celebrated the centennial 100 years ago.
"She was 10 years old and she was a fairy," Smith said.
Another person's family who celebrated Tallahassee 100 years ago was Barrie Ashcroft.
"Back in the day, you know, the Blacks had their celebration and at the time the Whites had there's," Ashcroft said.
Her family the Yellowhair's was a prominent Black Family in Frenchtown, where one of them danced in the centennial.
"It was completely segregated by law and practice," Althemese Barnes, Joh G. Riley Museums Founder & Executive Director Emeritus.
You won't find many pictures archived of Black people celebrating the centennial. I looked for myself at the Florida Archive building and in a banker box of centennial information there was only this note which talked about the one day of activities.
At the 200th celebration—people of all races, backgrounds, and ethnicities celebrated the city's birthday together.
As for the next 100 years….
"They're gonna look back and go," John Dailey, Tallahassee Mayor said. "Wow, look at that incredible foundation that we've been able to build upon for the past 100 years."
Hopefully with more progress being made for everyone—like the last 100 years.
