Tallahassee, Florida

October 23-26, 2017

You might wonder how we could have lived in Florida forty years and not visited the capitol. Tallahassee is quite a drive from Fort Pierce and, when we were in the capital, we had other things to do (band concerts and education conferences, mostly). In a training 36 years ago, Jane role-played a city council member in one of the committee rooms of the modern capitol, but had never toured the building. And, that was before the historic capitol was restored and open to the public.

Historic Capitol

The core of the building was finished in 1845, about the time Florida became the country’s 27th state. The building was expanded and updated in 1902 to include two new wings, steam heat, electric light, linoleum floors, a dome with a cupola, granite front steps and a metal relief of the state seal.

A renovation in 1923 included additional expansion and marble interior finishes.

By 1970 it was clear that additional expansion wasn’t practical, and a new capitol was completed in 1972. Plans originally called for the historic capitol to be demolished but it was decided instead to return it to the 1902 footprint and restore it as a museum. The graphic below shows the footprint from 1845-1972.

Rotunda

Information on the original stained glass in the dome is very scarce, but over 100 pounds of pieces that were found in the walls during renovation were used to reconstruct a glass design for the rotunda.

The stairs, like much of the building, are not typical of state capitols. Jane thinks they’re appropriate for Florida’s climate. Dave thinks they’re not sufficiently grand and formal.

Governor’s Office

Secretary’s office

House chambers, restored to 1902.

This original chair and desk pictured below cost $27.50. The reproductions $750.

Senate Chamber

Dave presiding

Supreme Court Chambers [The Court moved to its own building in 1913.]

Photographs of the historical capitol from the 1890s show striped awnings at the windows. Not like most capitols.

Modern Capitol

The louvers that are straight on the lower floors take on a wavy pattern on the upper floors.

A pod of dolphins plays in the fountain in front of the modern capitol.

There are great views from the observation deck.

State seal and coats of arms for the five countries under which Florida has existed (Spain, France, the United States, the Confederacy and Great Britain).