Tallahassee Florida History

Tallahassee gets its name from the Apalachee Native American world meaning “land of old fields.” The Apalachee, the first inhabitants of the region, were an agricultural society. In 1528, an expedition led by Panfilo de Narvaez brought the first Europeans to Apalachee country. A few years later, Hernando de Soto spent the winter in the area of the State Capitol Building. Settlers and missionaries followed and as more people came, warfare and disease led to the demise of the Apalachees. In 1821, Spain ceded Florida to the United States. Tallahassee selected as the center of government for the territory because it was mid-way between Pensacola and St. Augustine, the two most important Florida cities at that time. When Florida officially became a state in 1845, Tallahassee was the logical capital.

During the Civil War, Florida seceded from the Union in 1861.Although battles were fought nearby; Tallahassee bears the distinction of being the only Confederate capital east of the Mississippi River that was not captured by Union forces. Through the years, Tallahassee has enjoyed slow, but steady growth. With a history of annexation, the city has grown from the original one-quarter mile settlement to over 100 square miles in the metropolitan area today.