Tallahassee Historical Society

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Tallahassee Historical Society

The Tallahassee Historical Society, founded in 1933, dedicates itself to the history of Tallahassee, Leon County, and surrounding areas.

08/16/2026

Have you visited the new monument outside the Union Bank Museum?

08/04/2026

The Board of Directors of the Tallahassee Historical Society, meeting at its annual retreat on August 2, 2026, voted to adopt the following position:

"We the Board of the Tallahassee Historical Society wish to express our opposition to the proposed destruction of the historic Wahnish Cigar Factory building at 469 St. Francis Street. The All Saints District is a unique and historic Tallahassee neighborhood which has the potential to be as vibrant and grounded in its history as historic districts like those on Park Avenue or in Midtown. As a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Wahnish Cigar Factory has significant ties to Tallahassee’s Jewish and Spanish history, as well as the history of cigar making in the State of Florida. The almost 120-year old brick building is the last surviving building of its kind in Tallahassee. Properties like these can enrich our city - just as they do in Ybor City, Key West, and St. Augustine - but only when our vision of the future accommodates them.

The proposed destruction of the Wahnish Building is emblematic of a broader failure by our leadership to preserve the history of the capital of the State of Florida. This impulse, while profitable in the short term, further erodes the educational, historical, and cultural value of visiting the State Capital. At a moment when our local governments are seeking opportunities to expand tourist revenue: our city, our county, our legislative representatives, and our business owners need to have a candid, open, and collaborative discussion about the future of the region. Development does not need to be a zero-sum game. Where appropriate incentives and planning exist, we can chart a path forward to a prosperous future grounded in our storied past.

We, the Board of the Tallahassee Historical Society, call upon the City of Tallahassee to reject this proposal, and to actively take steps to advance the preservation of our State’s Capital."

07/31/2026

Appreciating Tallahassee’s history with a red vibe 🍓🐞🚘🧣🧱

What color do you want to see next?

07/22/2026

Join us on Sunday, July 26th at 2 pm for TGS' July program meeting at the Maguire Center at Westminster Oaks. FSU alumna and author of The Westcott Story Christine Broderick Emmanuel will share her family’s expansive history, including their public service ties to Tallahassee beginning in 1830 and to Florida Supreme Court jurist James Diament Westcott III. The signature “James Diament Westcott” administration building and the Westcott fountain symbolize the Florida State University’s proud heritage and celebratory traditions, but they represent only a small part of the Westcotts’ overarching legacy in America. Both volumes of The Westcott Story are available for purchase at Amazon.com.

07/22/2026

Before there was Governor's Square and the Tallahassee Mall, there was the Northwood Mall...

The Northwood Mall opened as the city's first indoor mall on September 30th, 1969, with nearly 40 stores and Tallahassee's very first Publix. Throughout the 1970s, Northwood Mall grew to include over 60 stores and even office space for the Florida Department of Revenue below some of the stores. Unlike most malls today, Northwood's stores boasted their own individualized storefronts on opening day in 1969 - swipe to see some of the grooviest ones!

Despite early successes, Northwood Mall officially closed in 1986 and served as an office complex for the next 35 years. In 2021, the city of Tallahassee demolished the Northwood plaza to make way for the Tallahassee Police Department's new headquarters. Northwood Boulevard, the small stretch of road between MLK Boulevard and North Monroe Street, is one of the last remnants of Tallahassee's first mall... 🛍🛒

Did you ever visit the Northwood Mall? Share your stories in the comments below!

07/02/2026

The Tallahassee Historical Society is pleased to invite the public to the unveiling of an historical marker to the frontier town of Centerville. Though it had virtually disappeared by the 1930s, the Centerville community once boasted several stores, two churches, banking facilities, telegraph services, and schools for Black and white children. The marker is dedicated to former THS president and board member Dave Lang, who wrote the language and advocated for the marker before his passing in April.

The unveiling will take place on Thursday, July 9 at 5:30 PM at the trailhead of the Centerville Conservation Trail (also known as the Pisgah Church Pedway). To find the marker, drive north on Centerville Road and turn left on Pisgah Church Road - the trailhead can be found on the right side of the road. The Centerville marker is one of several historical markers dedicated as part of the Tallahassee Historical Society’s Tallahassee/Leon County bicentennial efforts.

06/30/2026

Which historically significant Tallahassee building are you? Swipe to find out! 🏦⛪️🏡

From modest vernacular homes to works of collegiate gothic architecture, Tallahassee's historic buildings illustrate the capital city's prestigious, diverse, and often eccentric history. While world-famous architects constructed some of these buildings, enslaved architects whose names remain unknown to history constructed others. Whether built from stone, iron, or the region's distinctive longleaf pine wood, many of these buildings reflect architectural styles unique to North Florida and the Red Hills. Others have stood witness to major historical events in the state and nation's history. For these reasons, the US National Register of Historic Places recognizes dozens of Tallahassee's buildings as significant on local, statewide, and national levels.

Find out which of these significant Tallahassee buildings you should visit next based on your birth month!

06/25/2026

UPDATED TIME ‼️‼️ The Tallahassee Historical Society is pleased to invite the public to the unveiling of an historical marker to the original Thomasville Road. Dating back to beginning of American settlement of Tallahassee, the original road to Thomasville served as one of the prime lifelines of the early Tallahassee community to the rest of the South and North American continent.

The unveiling will take place on Sunday, June 28 at 12:30 PM at St. Peter's Cathedral, 4784 Thomasville Road. The Road to Thomasville marker is one of several historical markers dedicated as part of the Tallahassee Historical Society’s Tallahassee/Leon County bicentennial efforts.

05/29/2026

We have waited 250 years for a celebration like this. Come out and join us on Friday for the Revolutionary Speaker Series beginning at 9am in the Carriage House at Goodwood.

Speakers will be David Proctor (Dale Cox had to cancel), Andrew Frank, Aubrey Lauersdorf, Jason Daniel and Pulitzer Prize winner Kathleen DuVal. We will kick off 3 days of an incredibly inspiring celebration hosted by Theater With A Mission.

There will be music, dancing, high tea, childrens activities, local vendors, genealogy experts, a birthday party for King George III, and a performance of Time Travel to 1776-A Family Feud for the eras. You won't want to miss this!

Address

Tallahassee, FL
32315

Website

https://tallahasseehistoricalsociety.org/

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