The top six history makers in Tallahassee, according to Gerald Ensley

Here's the myth: In 1823, one guy coming from Pensacola, and one guy coming from St. Augustine, met in the middle of the state and chose a capital for the new U.S. territory of Florida — and that spot happens to be Tallahassee.

Fact is, they planned to meet in this area because Tallahassee was already well known. Ancient Indians lived for centuries at Lake Jackson. The Spanish had the capital of their missions here in the 17th century. Seminoles had villages all over this area in 1823.

And Tallahassee soon became the boom town of the 19th century: Planters from the tapped out plantations of the Carolinas, Virgina and Maryland flooded to the new capital to make fortunes from our fertile soil.

So, most important event in Tallahassee history? The 1819 Adams-Onis Treaty in which Spain gave Florida to the United States. Without that, the Apalachee might still be growing corn on Monroe Street.

Not that we haven't had some blips along the way. In 1841, yellow fever raged through Tallahassee. In 1843, fire consumed almost every building in town.

By the 20th century, we were enjoying a constant upward trajectory: World War II brought a military base that energized us. After the war, the women's college became Florida State University. In 1969, the Legislature went from meeting every other year to meeting every year.

That's proved to be our biggest impact on Florida: We provide a place for the consideration of ideas, the making of laws and the gathering of people — from elected officials to business leaders, lobbyists, activists and regular citizens — that keeps the nation's fourth largest state humming.

The list of the most important people in Tallahassee history would have six people at the top:

Francis Eppes, the grandson of Thomas Jefferson who migrated here from Virginia, got the ball rolling on the school that became FSU and was a multi-term mayor who reformed a roughshod pioneer town.

Pastor C.K. Steele and activist Patricia Stephens Due. They were the leaders who took us from racial segregation to integration — and I promise you the leveling of racial barriers is the greatest improvement to this city in the last 40 years.

William Bloxham and LeRoy Collins. The only two Tallahassee-born Florida governors did great things: Bloxham helped start FAMU; Collins championed racial integration at a time when it wasn't popular.

Bobby Bowden. Don't be crazy. Bobby put us on the map forever.

So here's the point about Tallahassee history: We've always been interesting. We have physical beauty and great weather. We build cool stuff like Cascades Park and the Gaines Street renovations. Our two universities give us intellectual energy. We have residents not afraid — way not afraid — to let their voices be heard on civic issues. And we've had a lot of great citizens who made a difference in people's lives.

As capitals go, Florida could have done worse.

Gerald Ensley's Tallahassee timeline to 2000

• 1823: John Lee Williams/William Simmons recommend Tallahassee as site of Florida territorial capital.
• 1841: Yellow fever claims at least 80 of Tallahassee's 800 inhabitants.
• 1843: Fire destroys almost every building from the capitol to Park Avenue.
• 1861: Florida votes to secede from Union.
• 1902: Third capitol building constructed; becomes museum after 1978 construction of new capitol.
• 1905: First issue of Tallahassee Democrat published.
• 1910: Leon High, for all grades, opens on W. Park Ave.; moves to current location 1937
• 1924: Tallahassee celebrates its Centennial with weeklong festival.
• 1929: Dale Mabry Field opens as city's first airport; U.S. Army Air Corps Dale Mabry Base operates 1941-45.
• 1947: Florida State College for Women becomes co-ed Florida State University
• 1949: Tallahassee Memorial Hospital opens.
• 1956: Tallahassee bus boycott is first local civil rights salvo.
• 1966: Tallahassee Community College opens.
• 1968: Springtime Tallahassee festival begins; Winter Festival begins in 1987.
• 1971: James Ford first black elected to Tallahassee City Commission
• 1976: Bobby Bowden hired at FSU, wins two national championships (1992, 1999).
• 1981: Donald L. Tucker Civic Center opens.
• 1985: Hurricane Kate knocks out power for two weeks.
• 2000: Tallahassee is center of contested U.S. presidential election for 36 days.

Gerald Ensley was a reporter and columnist for the Tallahassee Democrat from 1980 until his retirement in 2015. He died in 2018 following a stroke. The Tallahassee Democrat is publishing columns capturing Tallahassee’s history from Ensley’s vast archives each Sunday through 2024 in the Opinion section as part of theTLH 200: Gerald Ensley Memorial Bicentennial Project.

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