Tallahassee, Florida
The capital city of the state of Florida, Tallahassee is the 128th largest city of the US. Apart from being known for its several colleges and schools, the city is a very popular trade and agricultural center too.
Since the city falls on the southern end of the Red Hills, it enjoys a hilly terrain and pleasant weather almost through the year. The sub-tropical climate of Tallahassee makes it ideal for the great palm trees that can be found all over the city. The lakes in the city lend it a pleasant persona and also allow for some nice evenings.
Enjoy the various festivals that the city hosts from time to time or take in the young spirit of Tallahassee by visiting the colleges. Feast on the various cuisines available here or take a glimpse into the past history of the city via the many museums that Tallahassee offers. The city has a flavor of its own for each season, which attracts its own set of visitors.
Welcome to the city of Tallahasse, where you will be able to make just about anything happen. It has something to appeal to everyone's senses. People of any age or any profession will surely find the city exciting and vivacious to their own liking.
Tallahassee History
Tallahassee boasts of a long and varied history. The city's name is actually a Muskogenon Indian word that roughly translated means 'old fields'. The entire belt was occupied by Native Americans who seemed to pass the land on to each other. The Apalachee tribe lived here initially and after them came the Creek who were followed by the Mississippian Indians.
It was in 1538-39 that Hernando de Soto led his expedition to the point where the present day Tallahassee is located. It is here that it is believed that the festival of Christmas was first celebrated in the US. This was followed by establishments of many Spanish missions in the region in order to support the St. Augustine colony.
Tallahassee was made the capital of Florida due to its location. When east and west Florida were combined, the two had their capitals as St. Augustine and Pensacola. The first legislative meeting was held at Pensacola and this meant that the members from St. Augustine had to travel for fifty nine days in order to reach Pensacola. The same fate awaited the Pensacola members when the second legislative was held at St. Augustine. It was here that the mid point of Tallahassee was chosen and made into the capital. The third legislative was held in the city in 1824.
In 1824, The Marquis de Lafayette, a Frenchman was allotted 36 square miles of land in this area and also given a sum of $200,000. With his new US citizenship he settled here and developed the area. It was in 1845 that a capitol building was erected in time for statehood and the structure stands to date and is known as the Greek revival masonry structure. It was in 1865 on the 6th of March that the Battle of Natural Bridge was fought in this area.
All through the 19th century, a number of education institutions mushroomed in this region. They were eventually combined to form the Florida State University. This lay the foundation of the educational center that the city has come to be known in its present times.
Cotton and tobacco were the two main trade options in the Tallahassee belt. However, with the end of slavery after the Civil war, these trades dived and were replaced by lumber, naval, citrus and also tourism. The hospitality industry continues to thrive to date and tourism brings in a large amount of revenue into the city.
About Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the county seat of Leon County and also the only incorporated municipality of the county. According to the 2010 census the city was said to house 181,376 people and covered an area of 98.2 square miles. The city lies just above the Cody Trap and is known for its small hillocks.
Tallahassee is the 12th fastest growing city of the metropolitan area of Florida. The 2010 census recorded that the city had 84,248 households and the median income of a household here was $30,571. Despite the rapid growth of the city, its law and order condition is well maintained. The city boasts of the oldest police department of southern USA which has been functional since 1841.
Lake Jackson and Lake Lafayette are the two large water bodies of the city, while Lake Ella is a park that attracts several visitors each year. The city is known for its autumn foliage and spring flowers. While there are several palms to be found in Tallahassee, it is the pines, magnolias and Oaks that bring in a riot of color to the city.
Tallahassee has a very strong hold on education and is a city known for its schools and colleges. In fact the Florida State University is located in the city itself. Other prominent colleges are Tallahassee Community College, Barry University School of Adult and Continuing Education - Tallahassee Campus and ITT Technical Institute. The entire city enjoys a young spirit due to the hubbub of colleges and universities here.
The Tallahassee Antique Car Museum is one of the many museums that the city offers and a delight for automobile lovers. The Florida Museum of History is another very interesting museum that the city houses. The Maclay Gardens Reflection Pool is not to be missed when visiting the city for its offers a very unique charm of its own.
The city hosts several festivals right through the year of which the Red Hill Horse trials brings in a lot of jockeys. The event shows some wonderful horses and participants and spectators flock from all over the county to enjoy the show. The First Friday festival is hosted on the Railroad Square, while the Greek food festival will bring in some fantastic authentic Greek meals. The winter festival is also a very popular event in the city.
About Leon County, Florida
Named after Juan Ponce de León the Spanish explorer, Leon County is situated in the State of Florida. The county seat is Tallahassee and the city is also the state capital. The county was created in 1824 by carving it out of Gadsden County and Escambia.
Leon County is known as the center of educational institutions of the entire belt. In fact, the residents of the county have the highest level of education amongst all of the 67 Florida counties. Over 28.5% residents have college/associate degrees. The county houses major institutions like the Florida A&M University and also the famous Florida State University. There are a total of 24 elementary schools in the county, 8 middle schools, 8 special schools, 2 charter schools and 6 high schools too.
Leon County covers an area of 701.78 square miles and the 2010 census indicated that it housed a population of 275,487 people. The median household income of the county was assessed at $37,517. There is a majority of 63% Whites, while the African Americans are 30.3% in all. The Native Americans are only 0.3% and the Asians are 2.9%.
The county houses many lakes of which Lake Ella, Lake Hall, Black Lake and Lake Jackson are a few. There are several parks to be found here too of which Alfred P. Maclay Gardens State Park and the Apalachicola National Forest deserve special attention. The county has the Red Hills to the north and the Woodville Karst Plain to the south. The central region of the county is where the Cody Scarp lies. The county is known for its rolling hills which are unique to this region and cannot be found elsewhere in Florida.
The seat city of Tallahassee is the only incorporated city of the county, however there are several unincorporated ones that are quite prominent too. Capitola, Ivan, Woodville, Meridian and Lutterloh are few cities of the county that are not incorporated.