Category: History

Historical Russ House

Debbie Roney Smith on
Jackson County is home to numerous historic sites, one of which is the Historical Russ House. Built in the 1890s, it underwent significant remodeling in 1910. Russ House is one of the most beautiful Classical Revival/Queen Anne homes in the U.S.A. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the home is available for rent for meetings, showers, weddings, and more. The house also functions as Jackson County’s official Visitor Center. Interested in renting or scheduling a tour of the Historical Russ House? Contact the home at (850) 482 – 8061. The House is open to the general public Monday-Friday. 

Tallahassee Jazz & Blues Festival

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Come out to the Tallahassee Museum to enjoy a two-day jazz, swing, and rhythm and blues music festival on March 25th-26th, 2023 from 11am-5pm! The Tallahassee Museum, located on an 1880s farm, is home to one of the town’s most beautiful outdoor concert venues. Guests are encouraged to bring camp chairs or blankets to enjoy the music. There will be music, food, adult beverages, and historical activities. View the full lineup at the festival website HERE. 

Women’s History Month

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March is Women’s History Month. What started as a single day to acknowledge the role of women in society became a month-long celebration thanks to the National Women’s History Project; in 1987, they successfully petitioned Congress to expand the established National Women’s History Week.

The National Women’s History Alliance declares a theme for each year’s History Month. 2023’s theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” This theme recognizes “women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, news, and social media.”(1)

Women’s History Month acknowledges women’s contributions to culture, history, and society. It also offers people an opportunity to reflect on the struggles women face in modern society. Learn more by visiting the Women’s History Month website here. 

Greenwood: A Great Place to Live!

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Greenwood is a small, close-knit community in Jackson County, Florida. The town is home to a number of historic sites such as the Historic Erwin House and the Great Oaks/Bryan Plantation. Additionally, Greenwood is home to the oldest running hardware store, Pender’s Store. Pender’s was opened in 1869 under the name of N. B. Long and Bros. The store maintains the original shelves and heart pine floors. 

The small town is nestled among a growing community, has a lovely public park, and is within a day of a number of amazing cities, state parks, and family-friendly activities. Considering moving to Greenwood? Click on the photos of the beautiful homes below to visit their listing and schedule a viewing!

Great Oaks Historic Site

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Great Oaks is a Greenwood Historical Site. It’s an Antebellum style mansion built in 1860 for Hamilton Bryan’s mother. The house was originally erected on the 5,200 acre plantation owned by Elijah Bryan, Hamilton’s father. The home slowly fell into disrepair until Bryan desendants eventually sold the home to the Claude-Reese family. The family restored the home between 1961 and 1965; the home is built almost entirely out of heart yellow pine. It stands as a tribute to the era is was built in and is supported by the Jackson County Historical Commission. 

National Wine Day

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Wine has been a staple in human culture since its invention in 7000 BC. So it’s no suprise that there’s a National Wine Day! Celebrate with a glass of your favorite wine today. Consider visiting one of the local wineries below (click on the location to visit winery websites):

Valentine’s Day

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

While the exact historical origin of Valentine’s Day is unclear, it is known that it derives from Christian and ancient Roman traditions.

Some might recognize the moniker of ‘Saint Valentine’ but did you know that there are three distinct saints that go by Valentine recognized by the Catholic church? It is unclear which of the three saints is the direct origin of the annual holiday but that hardly matters. The importance of Saint V is that his historical figure is featured in stories that are overall tragic while emphasizing “his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and—most importantly—romantic figure.”(1) 

Historical evidence indicates that the Catholic church might have introduced Valentine’s Day to combat the prevalence of the pagan festival, Lupercalia. A fertility festival celebrated on February 15th, Lupercalia was a celebration of the Roman god, Faunus, and the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.  Combined with the romantically tragic backstory of figurehead Saint Valentine, the erasure of the Lupercalia created an annual celebration of romance, fertility, dating, and affection. 

African-American History Festival

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Coming soon to Apalachicola – the 20th Annual African History Festival hosted in Franklin Square! From February 17-19th, the Hillside Coalition of Laborers for Apalachicola (H’COLA) will be celebrating Black History Month with the annual festival. H’COLA was founded to support the community, and their festival helps celebrate local African-American history along the Gulf Coast. They invite locals and visitors to enjoy this family-friendly event. The event will feature live entertainment, artists, craftsmen, vendors, children’s activities, history, education, health, and wellness. 

 

National Blueberry Pancake Day

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Today is National Blueberry Pancake Day! Pancakes are one of the world’s oldest foods. According to historical evidence, humans have been making flat, fried dough cakes since the Stone Ages.(1)

The word ‘pancake’ first appeared in the English language in the 15th century. By the 19th century, ‘pancake’ experienced a steady incline in usage in the United States. Pancakes are also known as johnnycakes, hoecakes, griddle cakes, and flapjacks. Adding blueberries is a time-honed tradition. Blueberries are one of the only native North American berries to still be eaten today. Even better, there are a large number of Florida native blueberries that you can grow and harvest from. Spring is coming soon and is a great time to plant blueberries so you can benefit from the late summer-early fall harvest.

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, packed with nutrients, and have been linked to a number of health benefits including lower blood pressure, improved insulin response, and reduced risk of cancer. There are three popular methods of adding blueberries to the pancakes: 1) fold them into the batter, 2) add them after pouring the batter into the pan, and 3) top the pancakes with whole blueberries. Consider adding nuts, chocolate chips, vanilla, blueberry syrup, or chia seeds for a little something extra. 

National Florida Day

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Today is National Florida Day! Florida contains over 400 years of U.S. history. It was the 27th State to unite with the USA in 1845 but its history is longer; it contains the oldest European-settled city in the U.S. Florida is nicknamed The Sunshine State because of its sunny climate and natural, lush beauty. The state houses over 20 million people and is the THIRD most populous state in the USA. Celebrate the natural wonder of Florida today!