Three Fun Things to do in Tallahassee by Yourself
My most recent jaunt-about-town was to Tallahassee, Florida, the State Capitol. The trip was eye-opening to say the least…if you like American History, the Sunshine State, or a good old-fashioned road trip, grab a cuppa-your-favorite potion, and let me tell you all about three fun things you can do in Tallahassee by Yourself.
First, a little bit about my wandering spirit. Whether by plane, train, automobile, or book my soul forever seeks to explore. My most authentic self is wrapped up with a tidy Bow of Curiosity and a yen for the Study of Human Nature.
Unfortunately, these tendencies were stunted first by my parents’ insistence on staying safe; therefore, not venturing far from home or anywhere exotic (aka, anywhere at all, lol), and secondly, by never-ending negative monetary predicaments.
Be that as it may, I don’t wallow in worry. It’s too exhausting. Strapping on my Glass Half Full mentality I contentedly declared myself an Armchair Anthropologistic Explorer (yes, I made that up). I’m not sad in the least that I don’t own a passport. I swear, honest, I’m fine…moving on.
Never without resources, I Modify on the Fly morphing myself into a budgetary-minded Road Trip Diva.
Prior to my Southern Exodus, most of my trips revolved around New York, the Tri-State Area, or New England.
Now living in Florida and due to its sheer size, I venture 95% within the state. As a matter of fact, I’ve only recently begun to fully appreciate the vast, penetratingly rich culture of our Great Peninsula.
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
A few weeks ago my husband asked if I would accompany him on a business trip to Tallahassee with the caveat that I’d be on my own for an entire day…
{“Oh Joy!” exclaims the heart of wife and mother with impending pleasure of time alone.}
“Sure, Hon, I think I’ll be OK,” I replied.
My restlessness needed appeasing so I jumped at a shot of solitary adventure, be it ever so humble. I quickly packed a bag and we set off, 3.5 hours north.
DID YOU KNOW: FLORIDA IS HILLY
The center of our Great Peninsula, pushed inward from three sides over millennia, is elevated along its center line and north toward the Georgia border. There are no great mountains to be sure, but the slopes are quite extraordinary, and the countryside is breathtaking.
I could go on about this section of the state, but I’d hate to digress and not land my plane, as they say. Besides, the Quiet Wilds of Florida deserve a separate post (coming soon).
We checked into our hotel around 8 pm and had a quick bite to eat. The Hubster had to be up early, so after dinner we turned in. By 7 am the next morning, he was off to work and I was alone.
I SET TO TASK
Leaving ample time for rambling and exploration, I must employ a general game plan otherwise I find myself in a strange city, surrounded by strange everything, which can prompt immobility causing me to stay “by the pool”, which I could do at home. That’s so not 385!
Instead, I researched:
- Find a non-chain cafe for breakfast. The kind the locals like to eat at, preferably with a counter beneficial for solo consumption.
- Visit a privately owned bookstore. I take great pleasure patronizing fellow bibliophiles exercising their mettle against discount and big-box bookstores.
- Visit at least two historical locations.
Research didn’t take long. I spruced up, dabbed on my signature red lipstick, and was on my way.
CANOPY ROAD
As expected the air was hot, sultry. But, the sun was high, bright and shock of shocks, the shade generous. In fact, this caught me by surprise: how different Florida is up here than in my neck ‘o the woods. Beachside has its own allure, to be sure, but here, the oak trees are massive and plentiful, flirtatiously swaying tendrils of Spanish moss to and fro. Its different and I appreciate nuance.
The roads sloped up, down, curving in this direction, then that, adding to the sense of adventure. A mere five minute drive led me to the quaintest restaurant; a local staple called Canopy Road Cafe and I loved it.
I’ll write a separate post on it, just know the staff was delightful, the food was delicious and I made some new friends sitting at the counter.
I enjoyed a delectable avocado toast and an energizing cup of coffee that fed my soul. Perfect start to the day!
Belly full, I was on my way to the soon-to-be-discovered most adorable little book shop.
MIDTOWN READER
The Midtown Reader is an unassuming but impressive bookstore with a wide array of tomes to choose from. It was brightly lit, the books displayed beautifully. Tall bookshelves moved your eye upward, making the space seem larger than it was.
The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Tanya specifically, was a gem. I stayed a good 30 minutes longer romanticizing with her about all things literary. You can learn all about it here.
Happily bearing the burden of my new books, I bade Tanya a fond farewell and continued with my exploration. Humming “I’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain When I Come”, I drove to downtown Tallahassee for a Civics lesson.
FLORIDA HISTORIC CAPITAL MUSEUM
Downtown in and of itself was fun. Its been a while since I’d been in a city. It’s not New York, but that’s OK. Any urban center regardless of congestion or lack thereof, has a certain vibe, an underlying pulse that a city dweller, once removed, will always pick up on.
Now, I gotta tell ya, once I made it to the Capital Museum, the History Buff in me went berserk! The Capital Building was built in 1845 and “within its walls almost 100 years of political history was staged” ranging from conflict with the Seminole Indian Tribe leading to the Seminole Wars, to Clarence Earl Gideon, The Space Race and beyond (pun intended).
The building itself is magnificent, restored to its 1902 footprint, the original colonial structure seen below circa 1845.
The museum opens onto a grand staircase domed by a beautiful stained glass rotunda.
Walking through the hallowed halls where 150 years worth of change took place was surreal. Sitting at a desk in the House of Representatives and Senate Hall was reverent.
Settled quietly in the courtroom, where hundreds of cases were debated and tried, made me feel important. In that moment all things past, present and future mattered. I held an intrinsic comprehension of the importance of democracy. We are truly fortunate.
THE WEIGHT OF DEMOCRACY
THERE WAS LOTS TO LEARN
Not all of it “nice”…
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It gave me a certain Midnight-in-the-Garden-of-Good-and-Evil sort of feeling. My love for humanity hurts when faced with the terrible things that mankind is capable of; namely, the atrocities against the Indian tribes that were thriving here, such as the Seminoles (pictured above) and the Miccosukees, both of which received federal recognition in 1957 and 1962 respectively.
I was elated to learn that a black judge with the wonderful name of James Dean (pictured below) was appointed to serve as county judge in Key West, Monroe County as early as 1888.
My joy plummeted when I discovered Judge Dean, a graduate of Howard University Law School, was removed a year later because he married a black woman to a white man (self described as mulatto). He sued, lost and never regained his post, although Governor Jeb Bush posthumously reinstated his judgeship in 2002.
Thankfully, there were positive discoveries as well. Governor Jennings (1900 – 1905) employed his sister-in-law, Grace Mann (pictured below), as his secretary and stenographer.
Progressive Jennings (as I now refer to him) was so impressed by Grace’s abilities that he tried to get her admitted to the Florida Bar. Sadly, the all-male institution refused to accept her.
I also learned that William Duval (pictured below) was Florida’s longest running Governor serving 12 years, although not in the capital building.
He served as territorial governor for 11 years before the capitol building was constructed. Duval Street now bears a deeper meaning that just party central in Key West.
Then we have Clarence Earl Gideon (pictured below), “whose case resulted in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision, Gideon v. Wainwright, holding that a criminal defendant who cannot afford to hire a lawyer must be provided one at “no cost”. This information was insightful.
At Gideon’s first trial in Florida, he represented himself and was convicted, but his persistence got the Supreme Court to hear his case which in turn led to a pivotal change in our judicial process. As a matter of fact…
PRESIDENT KENNEDY STATED…
“If an obscure Florida convict named Clarence Earl Gideon had not sat down in prison with a pencil and paper to write a letter to the Supreme Court; and if the Supreme Court had not taken the trouble to look at the merits in that one crude petition among all the bundles of mail it must receive every day, the vast machinery of American law would have gone on functioning undisturbed. But Gideon did write that letter; the court did look into his case; he was re-tried with the help of competent defense counsel; found not guilty and released from prison after two years of punishment for a crime he did not commit. And the whole course of legal history has been changed.”
Let’s face it, our system might not be perfect, but its pretty amazing. The fact that collectively, small citizenry can affect change gives me civically-minded goosebumps.
OTHER COOL STUFF
There were lots of other historically cool Nerdy Girl stuff, such as the school bench from the late 19th century (pictured below).
It was “used at an African-American” school started by a former slave named Andrew Jackson. Jackson inherited land from his former owners, the Dummitt family, in Brevard County, Florida. Incidentally, I live in Brevard County, ipso facto, I think its cool.
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There’s a room dedicated to the notorious election in 2000. I never knew they sold the shirt pictured below. I think I would have purchased one if I lived here then.
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On display is a mutoscope. “During the early 20th century many people enjoyed watching picture shows on these machines. The video of the mutoscope is adapted from a 1917 newsreel film of Governor Sidney J. Catt’s inauguration in Tallahassee, of course”. Pardon the shaky start, but if you look closely you’ll see the Governor’s carriage marching by.
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Shown below are two pictures taken at approximately the same location 173 years apart.
Its strange to think I’m standing 30 feet from where the picture on the left was taken over 100 years ago. It’s a very connecting feeling, one that seems to bridge the past, present and future.
At times such as these, tesseracts, wormholes and time travel seem as concretely possible as the law of gravity. But there I go again, on another track entirely! Share on XTruth be told, the museum has numerous viewing pleasures and get this, IT’S FREE! If you’re feeling generous, they’ll accept a donation of your choosing.
Overall, I had a great time in Tallahassee all by myself. As a Perpetual Student, I was gratified. I learned a lot, I met a few Kindred Spirits along the way, and I spent some much needed time with myself.
I’ll definitely be back because my only regret was that I didn’t have time to visit two other historical locations on my list, #FloridaRoadTrips.
Hopefully this post will inspire a new Florida perspective, or perhaps a visit your own state capital!
Be Well!
Cynthia
385Life
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