Old Florida Capitol, Tallahassee, FL
Posted by: 
hykesj
N 30° 26.310 W 084° 16.848
16R E 761148 N 3370517
In 1945, this building was the State Capitol of Florida and appeared on a commemorative postage stamp celebrating the state’s centennial.
Waymark Code: WM12AYT
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 04/16/2020
Views: 2
Florida was ceded to the United States by Spain in 1819 and became an organized territory in 1822. Tallahassee became the capital of the new territory ostensibly because it was located midway between the two largest cities at that time: Pensacola and St. Augustine. In anticipation of becoming a state, a new capitol building was erected in Tallahassee and, in fact, was completed in 1845, the same year that Florida became the 27th state in the union. The stamp was issued in 1945 to commemorate the State of Florida’s 100th anniversary and its design included the capitol building which was also 100 years old at that time.
The 1845 capitol building had undergone numerous expansions over the years including wing additions and extensions to the porticos and was rather large when the stamp was issued in 1945. The building was slated for demolition in the late 1970s when plans were drawn up for a new capitol complex on the same site. But rather than destroy the historic structure completely, it was decided to remove all additions and expansions and return the old capitol to its 1902 appearance. This explains the differences between the current building and the one seen on the stamp. The high-rise portion of the new State Capitol can be seen looming behind the dome of the old Capitol in the photo.
Today the old capitol building serves as a state history museum. The House and Senate chambers as well as the Governor’s suite and Supreme Court chamber have been restored to their 1902 appearance, the last time they were all under one roof. Also clearly seen on the stamp is the Confederate Monument which, as of this writing, is still present.
Stamp Issuing Country: United States
Date of Issue: 3-Mar-1945
Denomination: 3c
Color: bright red violet
Stamp Type: Single Stamp
Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]
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