Tallahassee Communities Collection

Item set

Title

Description

Tallahassee was founded in 1825. The word “Tallahassee” is a Creek word meaning old field which reflects its Native American roots. The city was created as the capital of Florida due to its location as Tallahassee marked the halfway point between St. Augustine and Pensacola, then the two largest cities in Florida. Tallahassee has constantly had a multicultural population including Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans, all of which have contributed to the growth and success of Tallahassee. The communities of Tallahassee reflect racial, social economic status, religious beliefs, and or family/clan relationships. This collection contains the history of Tallahassee’s communities and neighborhoods. It focuses on the Black communities and neighborhoods which once thrived in Tallahassee.

Physical Location

Tallahassee Communities Collection, John G. Riley House Archives, Tallahassee Community College Library, Tallahassee, Florida.

Items

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Call for Funding for Restoration of the Historic Taylor House

A call for additional funding for the project of restoring the 1894 Taylor House in Frenchtown. Includes information on the origins and significance of the house, as well as its plans for future use.
Newspaper Clippings on Tallahassee's Black Communities

Various newspaper clippings with stories reporting on the decimation of historically African American neighborhoods in Tallahassee, including Smokey Hollow, Frenchtown, and Springfield. Notable members of these communities, such as Wally Amos, are highlighted. Includes interviews with former residents, who recall the layout and the spirit of the neighborhoods, and who share their thoughts on the causes of the neighborhoods' destruction. There is also a notice from the City of Tallahassee, informing the public of a request for the release of federal funds for a community revitalization project and an official statement claiming that the project would not exert a significant effect on the environment.
Second Annual City of Tallahassee Neighborhood Awards Ceremony Program

Program for the Second Annual Neighborhood Awards Ceremony of the City of Tallahassee. Includes a speech from the mayor and the details of each award recipients' service and commitment to the city. Additionally, there is an acceptance speech handwritten on the back of the pamphlet.
Historical and Architectural Survey of the Frenchtown Neighborhood, Volume II

A survey of Frenchtown's architecture, noting buildings' origins, property owners and builders, state of maintenance, and historical significance. The survey highlights common building styles and elements of construction. Also included are surveys of the neighborhood's African American cemeteries and their funerary art and architecture.
Historical and Architectural Survey of the Frenchtown Neighborhood, Volume I

A survey of Frenchtown's history and the architectural and cultural significance of its houses and institutions. The account touches upon the neighborhood's beginnings in the early 1800s, its development throughout the 20th century, and its importance as a center of African American life and culture in Leon County. The survey highlights significant locations in the neighborhood, including the historically black church Bethel A.M.E. and Greenwood Cemetery, which was established as a burial place for people of color in Tallahassee. There is also an inventory of contributing buildings in Frenchtown.
Map of Historic African American Neighborhoods in Tallahassee's Central City

Map of historic African American neighborhoods in Tallahassee's central city. Includes Frenchtown, Stearns-Mosley Neighborhood, and Smoky Hollow.
Commercial Buildings in Frenchtown

Data on the commercial growth of Tallahassee's Frenchtown, including tables that note types of commercial structures, addresses, owner names, and races, and the Tallahassee population at the time. There is also a handwritten note about a new packing house and its convenience for the African Americans settled in the area.
Newspaper article on Frenchtown Revival

Clipping from the Tallahassee Democrat concerning revitalization projects in Frenchtown. The described plans included a park and stormwater basin, a 40,000-square-foot office building, and an entertainment space named Cannonball Adderly Plaza.