Centennial Celebration (Group F)
Tallahassee's Centennial Celebration
Prior to the United States' acquisition of Florida (via the Adams-Ońis Treaty of 1819), Florida's first two legislative sessions were held in Pensacola (1822) and St. Augustine (1823). Due to both cities competing to become the capital, the legislative council at the time opted to alternate between the two cities for each legislative session. However, due to the long and hazardous travels between both cities, the capital of Tallahassee was proposed and created halfway between both Pensacola and St. Augustine.
A century later, Tallahassee's Centennial Celebration was a week-long celebratory festival that took place between November 9th through the 15th of 1924. The celebration marked and commemorated the 100th anniversary of when the Florida Legislative Council met in Tallahassee for the first time (November 1824). The celebration primarily consisted of parades, pageants, and speeches. In total, the city of Tallahassee spent around $18,500 (The total is about $279,247 when adjusted for inflation in 2020).
The Centennial Parades
The Centennial Parades were a series of three parades that were held in Tallahassee, Florida during the Centennial celebration.
The first of the three centennial parades, known as the children's costume parade, took place on November 10th, 1924 at 3:00 P.M. Led by the Tallahassee Scotch Higherlanders' band, the children's parade has more than a thousand participants dressed in costumes that were stylized to represent various groups of people, events, fruits, birds, etc.
One of the costumed section of this parade was dedicated to the birds of Leon county. With 193 types of birds being represented in costumes. In the provided picture to the right, the section of movie stars themed costumes are depicted.
The second parade, known as the patriotic parade or Armistice day parade, took place Tuesday, November 11th, 1924. Lead by the American Legion, various civic clubs and citizens participated with various different patriotic and commercial floats. At the time, the parade and other centennial attractions garnished Tallahassee's largest crowd, with thousands of cars parked, and people filling the streets. In the first picture to the right, the U.S. Navy's band is depicted playing during the Armistice day parade.
The final parade, known as the parade of history and progress, took place on Friday, November 14th, 1924 at 11:00 A.M. This parade featured floats from various counties and cities across Florida, where each participating county or city was asked to create a float of historic nature, or demonstrated progress and development.
Tallahassee's Centennial Pageant
Taking place on November 12th, 1924 at 7:30 P.M., Tallahassee's Centennial Pageant took place at the Centennial festival grounds and took on a historical theme. The pageant consisted of over 500 cast members from around the local Tallahassee area and students from the Florida State College For Women. The pageant, running for a duration of about two hours, was composed of five to ten-minute scenes (called episodes) that reenacted legends and historical stories. The pageant also consisted of songs, such as "The Call of Tallahassee", and accompanying dances between each episode.
One such story reenacted during the pageant depicts a dispute between the United States and the Seminoles brought forth by the Seminoles failing to execute the treaty of Moultrie Creek. A treaty where they promised the United States that they would move to central Florida. This story (episode 2 of the pageant) depicts a conflict between Governor Duval and Seminole leader Ne-ha-math-la, where both parties accuse each other of misleading them. With Na-ha-math-la going as far as to threaten war, by saying "Let their blood flow as the rain."
Ultimately, the historical events depicted in this episode reflects the start of the Second Seminole War. Where the Seminole's failure to follow the Treaty of Moultrie Creek resulted in a dispute over land, and a violent response from the Seminoles when statements encroached on their land. Resulting in the Dade Massacre on December 28, 1835, where over 180 Seminoles ambushed United States troops outside of Fort King, marking the start of the Second Seminole War.
The Coming Centennial is a list of "Programs by the Florida Centennial committe bear the Great Seal of the State of Florida, a tinted reproduction of the five flags under which the city of Tallahassee has Flourished". The newspaper article to the right shows us that this is a invitation letter. "The Florida Centennial Celebration extends to you and your friends a cordial invitation to attend the celebration of the One Hundreth Anniversary of the first meeting of the Florida Legislative Council in Tallahassee, November 9 to 15, 1924, Tallahassee, Florida".The Coming Centennial consists of tentative programs as well as different activities held on different days and times. It begins on Sunday November 9th and ends Saturday, November 15th.
Work Cited
Bauer, Patricia. “Second Seminole War.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 21 Dec. 2019, www.britannica.com/event/Second-Seminole-War
Ben.dibiase. “Tallahassee Officially Became the Capital of the Territory of Florida.” Florida Historical Society, 31 Mar. 2019, myfloridahistory.org/date-in-history/march-04-1824/tallahassee-officially-became-capital-territory-florida
Ensley, Gerald. “1924 Tallahassee Centennial Set the Bar for City Anniversaries.” Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee Democrat, 26 Mar. 2017, www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/03/26/1924-tallahassee-centennial-set-bar-city-anniversaries/99545484/
Florida. A Pamphlet Descriptive of Its History, Topgraphy, Climate, Soil, Resources and Natural Advantages, in General and by Countries. Florida's Department of Agriculture, 1904, http://www.historyspeak.com/Florida - A Pamplet Descriptive - Prepared in the Interest of Immigration - 1904.pdf
Floridia's Historic Places: Tallahassee, fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/tallahassee/tallahassee.htm
Historical Pageant of Tallahassee. Elwood Dillon. Florida History and Heritage General Collections, https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00055162/00001/
Stowell, William Hendry. The Eclectic Review: Volume 3; Volume 67. 1838.