Florida Governor's Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Florida Governor's Mansion
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | 700 North Adams St, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America |
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| Area | 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) |
| Built | 1956 |
| Architect | Marion Sims Wyeth |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000618 |
| Added to NRHP | July 20, 2006 |
The Florida Governor's Mansion is a special house in Tallahassee, Florida. It is the official home for the governor of Florida and their family. People sometimes call it the People's House of Florida. This important building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on July 20, 2006.
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Design of the Mansion
The mansion was designed by an architect named Marion Sims Wyeth. He made it look like Andrew Jackson's old home, The Hermitage, in Tennessee.
The building has 30 rooms inside. It covers about 15,000 square feet (1,400 square meters) of living space. The entire property sits on 1.5 acres (0.61 hectares) of land.
Inside the Mansion: Furnishings and Art
A group called the Governor's Mansion Commission takes care of all the furniture and old items in the mansion. This group has eight members.
Their job is to keep track of everything. They make a list and take photos of all the antique furniture and decorations. These items are used or shown in the main rooms of the Governor's Mansion.
Visiting the Mansion: Public Tours
You can take a public tour of the Florida Governor's Mansion. These tours last about half an hour. They are available all year long.
Trained volunteers from the Governor's Mansion Docent Program lead these tours. School groups are also welcome to visit. The mansion's curator helps arrange all tour requests.
Outdoor Features: Park and Sculpture
Right across the street from the mansion is a park. The main feature of this park is a bronze sculpture called "Florida's Finest."
This sculpture was shown to the public in April 1998. Former Governor Lawton Chiles and his wife dedicated it to the children of Florida. The sculpture shows five life-size children and a dog. They are playing "Follow the Leader" on three logs from a fallen tree.
History of the Governor's Home
From 1845, when Florida became a state, until the early 1900s, governors often lived in hotels. They also stayed in boardinghouses.
The First Governor's Mansion
In 1905, the state government set aside $25,000 to build an official home for the governor. This first mansion was finished in 1907. George Saxon, a banker, gave the land for the house.
Henry John Klutho designed this first home. It had a Neoclassical look on the outside. Inside, it had 14 rooms in a Georgian style.
One story tells of Sidney J. Catts, who visited the mansion in 1915. He was a guest of Governor Park Trammell. Reverend Catts asked many questions about the house. He even checked out the attic and stables.
He asked Governor Trammell how much the house cost him. The Governor replied that it was free, paid for by Florida taxpayers. A few weeks later, Reverend Catts decided to run for governor. He was elected in 1916. During his time as governor, he brought a pig, a milk cow, and chickens to the mansion!
This first house was home to fifteen governors and their families. But by 1955, it was too small. It also had many structural problems. Governor Fuller Warren, who served from 1949 to 1953, even called it the "State Shack."
Building the New Mansion
In 1953, the Florida government approved $250,000 for a new mansion. The plan was approved in 1955. Many items from the old mansion were sold in 1955. This raised $7,500 to help buy new things for the new house.
Marion Sims Wyeth, a famous architect from Palm Beach, was chosen to design the new home. He was told to use Andrew Jackson's home in Tennessee as a model.
The new mansion cost $350,000, including furniture. It was finished in 1956. The first governor to live in the new mansion was LeRoy Collins. He moved in during the spring of 1957. Governor Collins and his wife helped a lot with the new house's construction. In 1957, they suggested creating the Governor's Mansion Commission.
In 1979, First Lady Adele Graham, wife of Governor Bob Graham, started organizing tours. The next year, she started the Florida Governor's Mansion Foundation. This foundation helped add the Florida Sun Room to the mansion. This was the first addition since 1957. The foundation raises money to help restore the mansion, its furniture, and its grounds.
In 2006, another addition was finished. It was a new 550-square-foot (51-square-meter) library. This was for Governor Jeb Bush and his wife, Columba Bush. The government approved this $500,000 expansion in August 2005.
The building celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2005. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places that year. In 2007, Governor Charlie Crist announced new additions. These included a solar-powered swimming pool and a hydrogen fuel cell. The mansion now also has a greenhouse and the Manatee Sculpture Garden. It is next to a private park.
On August 30, 2023, a large oak tree fell on the front of the building. This happened when Hurricane Idalia passed by. Luckily, no one was hurt, and there was no serious damage.
