Skip to content
Department of State Homepage State Library & Archives of Florida Services for Citizens Services for State Employees Services for Librarians Services for Archivists Services for Records Managers

Division of Library and Information Services : Research : Search Our Catalogs : Archives Catalog

State Archives of Florida Online Catalog

Magnifying glass over a document.

The Online Catalog allows searching and browsing of information about the Florida State Archives’ holdings of over 48,000 cubic feet of state and local government records and historical manuscripts. The catalog provides descriptions of over 3,400 collections and lists the contents of containers and folders in many of those collections. For assistance with accessing and using State Archives collections, call our Reference Staff at 850.245.6719 or email us at archives@dos.myflorida.com.


Search | Advanced Search  | Browse Indexes | Browse Collections  | FAQ

Details Page

Click on for detailed listing.
Record Group Number: 900000
Series/Collection Number: M95- 1
Creator: Historic Tallahassee Preservation Board.
Title, Dates: Save the Capitol records, 1971-1982.
Amount: 3.00 cubic ft.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement: Roughly alphabetical by topic or record type.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:     The "Save the Capitol" campaign began in 1969 when the Florida Cabinet agreed that state government agencies needed more space. The Cabinet decided to erect a new capitol complex on the site of the existing capitol. According to Governor Reubin Askew (1971-1979) and the studies he ordered, the old capitol was "structurally unsound" and should be destroyed. In 1978 the governor recommended ordering the building vacated. Secretary of State Bruce Smathers (1974-1978) was one of the first to challenge the Governor. From the start of his term, he maintained that the old capitol was historically significant to the state of Florida and should be restored.

    Secretary of State Smathers' stand to save the capitol brought letters of support from all over the state from historic societies, concerned citizens, and architects. The Historic Tallahassee Preservation Board formed a "Save the Historic Capitol Committee" that worked to save the capitol through letter campaigns and constant involvement with concerned citizens around Florida. In 1978 the Legislature agreed to restore the old capitol to the original 1902 version.
Summary:     This collection documents the interest and involvement of the Historic Tallahassee Preservation Board in saving Florida's historic capitol building from demolition as the new capitol complex was being constructed. The collection includes correspondence between concerned citizens and the Secretary of State's office, newspaper articles, research notes, architect proposals, plans and blueprints, and coordination conference minutes. It also includes copies of photographs (c.1890s) of the old capitol.
Finding Aids: Folder listing available. 0
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Associated Materials: State Archives of Florida S2353: Bobby Watt sound recording Bobby Watt / Florida Historic Capitol Museum The Bobby Watt sound recording is a digital file of Watt singing "Save the Grand ol' Lady on the Hill." Watt wrote the song for the Save the Capitol event in 1978.
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
General Note:
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields: Capitol Center Complex (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Old Capitol (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Historic sites Florida
Public buildings Florida
Florida Capital and capitol
Added Entries Askew, Reubin O'D., 1928-
Smathers, Bruce A.