Tallahassee Tycoon

This structure was built in 1921 as a residential home which was converted into a restaurant in 1922 called the Wisteria Tea Room. In 1924 it changed hands and was renamed the Sweet Shop which it is still called today. It has had several owners over the decades but continues to be a historical diner adjacent to Florida State campus. Address: 701 W Jefferson St.

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Mike's Beer Barn was opened in 1956. What began as a service station with convenience store and car wash is now a gas station plus beer & liquor store with a drive-thru window (the old car wash is the drive-thru window now). You can just make out the "Mike's" sign on the roof in this 1970 aerial imagery. Address: 556 W Tennessee St.

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This old railroad bridge passes over E Lafayette St. just to the east of the Florida Department of Transportation building. Inscribed on the bridge is "SEABOARD - 1929."

In more recent times a pedestrian tunnel has been added adjacent to the bridge.

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Also known as the Call-Collins House, The Grove was built sometime around 1840. It was built be enslaved craftsmen out of materials found on the property which was originally part of a much larger plantation. Several inter-related families owned the property and it was home to a governor (Leroy Collins) and territorial governor (Richard Keith Call). Address: 902 N Monroe St.

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Also known as the Old Croom Mansion, it was completed in 1840 and likely built by enslaved craftsmen. Today it is known for its gardens, period furniture and glassware. Address: 1600 Miccosukee Rd.

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This house was built in 1843 and was likely constructed by George Proctor, a free African American builder. It may be best known for being the temporary headquarters of Union Brigadier General Edward McCook. McCook read the Emancipation Proclamation from the steps of this house. Address: 301 East Park Ave.

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Built in 1927, this dam once produced 12 MW of power and acts as an impoundment of the Ochlockonee River. The resulting reservoir, Lake Talquin, is 12,000 acres in area and is a popular recreational lake, especially for fishing. The name of the lake is a portmanteau of the nearby cities of Tallahassee and Quincy.

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This building was constructed in 1921. It provided all of the power needs of Tallahassee at that time. By 1927 it was not producing enough power to meet demand. It continued to provide some backup power generation for summertime overload demand until 1952 when the St. Marks Power Plant (Sam O. Purdom Generating Station) came online.

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Built in 1935, much of the construction funding came from New Deal grant money from Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. It was originally used by Company M of the 124th Infantry Regiment, 31st Infantry Division for weapon & ammunition storage and as a location to muster. Light tanks and armored personnel carriers were pooled in an adjacent lot. On the main map this building can be seen in 1941 aerial imagery.

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The David S. Walker Library is named for the eighth Governor of Florida (1866 to 1868). The library was built in 1903 on land donated by his widow. The building served as the library for Tallahassee from 1903 to 1956.

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A 2.4 mile stretch of the Georgia Florida & Alabama RR has been converted to a paved mixed use trail in the Apalachicola National Forest (it is the solid green line on the main map). At one time the GF&A went from Carrabelle, FL to Columbus, GA. Today only the portion from Tallahassee, FL to Cuthbert, GA remains in service and is operated by CSX Transportation.

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The current Leon High School was constructed in 1937 replacing the original structure located downtown. It was built using New Deal funding through the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Address: 550 E Tennessee St.

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Built in 1925 in a Mediterranean Revival style, this building was originally the site of Caroline M. Brevard Elementary School. The school building was purchased by the State of Florida in 1959. In 1966 it was renamed the Bloxham Building and used as state offices. Address: 725 S Calhoun St.

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Bradley's opened for business in 1927. They continue to sell a variety of products that are made on site. The smoked pork country sausage is probably their most famous product. This sausage can be found on menus at many local restaurants in the area. They are also well known for bacon, fresh meats and coarse ground grits.

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Gramling's is a classic "feed & seed" store that was founded in 1915. It is still operating today and it is the only downtown business where garden supplies, fertilizers, bulk feed & seed and pest control solutions can be found.

*Out of Business as of 2019

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This house was constructed circa 1890 on the edge of a historical African-American community known as Smokey Hollow. John Riley was a prominent educator and civic leader. He was among a growing group of middle class African-Americans in the community. Address: 419 E Jefferson St.

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This house was constructed in 1894. Lewis Talylor was an educator, businessman and civic leader. The home today is a museum that features civil rights material and African-American history. Address: 442 W Georgia St.

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The Tallahassee to St. Marks railroad was built in 1837 to connect the city to its port. This railroad was built at a time before commercial railways connected much of the United Stated together. The primary purpose of this railroad was to move freight from Tallahassee to the port at St. Marks where the goods would then be loaded onto ships. To a lesser extent it also provided passenger service.

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This home was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1954. The house is one of only a few Frank Lloyd Wright designed that was part of his hemicycle series (semi-circular shape). The unusual shape of the house can clearly be seen in this 2016 aerial imagery. Address: 3117 Okeeheepkee Rd.

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Lichgate on High Road is a small cottage built in 1956 and designed by the owner Laura Jepsen, a literature professor at Florida State. The cottage was designed in a Tudor architectural style and built to have a fairy tale look and feel. It is known today for its gardens, a patriarch live oak tree and the unique cottage itself. Address: 1401 High Rd.

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The waterworks building was built in 1904. Additional pump houses were built in 1931 and 1955. It was originally built for health and firefighting purposes. Prior to its construction citizens obtained their water from springs.

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In addition to being a living history museum with costumed staff and period replica buildings, there is also a museum with artifacts uncovered on site. Other rotating period collections are on display at the museum as well. The replica period structures were rebuilt using archaeological data and historical documentation. During the year there are festival days where visitors can interact with the blacksmith, drink black drink (caffeinated beverage made by American Indians from Yaupon Holly) or watch Spanish colonial troops maneuver. Address: 2100 W Tennessee St.

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This church was built in 1880 using red bricks and designed in a Gothic style. It has undergone some changes to the bell tower but it is largely the same as when it was originally built. Address: 211 N Monroe St.

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This church was built in 1838. It has the distinction of being both the oldest church in Tallahassee and the oldest church in Florida still being used for its original purpose. The congregation also admitted membership of enslaved people which was unusual for the time. Address: 110 N Adams St.

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These cottages were built in 1929 and were part of a motel complex that spanned both sides of North Monroe Street called Tallahassee Motor Hotel. The motel and cottages can be clearly seen in this 1970 aerial imagery. Before Interstate 10 was built, US 27 was a significant artery that carried travelers and tourists into Florida.

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The Florida Central and Western Railroad was a rail line built in the late 1800s that ran from Jacksonville west across North Central Florida and the part Florida Panhandle through Lake City and Tallahassee before coming to an end at Chattahoochee. The line was later part of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad network from 1903 to 1967, and was primarily their Tallahassee Subdivision.

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This building was built in 1927 and designed by Edwards & Sayward, Architects in a Neo-Egyptian and Greek design. From 1935 to 1973 it was known as the Midyette-Moor Building for the insurance company that owned the structure. Until 1975 it was the tallest office building in Tallahassee. Address: 201 S Monroe St.

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This building was constructed in 1927 in a Mediterranean Revival style as a clubhouse for the Woman's Club of Tallahassee. The Woman's Club is a civic organization that focuses on issues of women & children, city beautification, historical preservation and education. The Woman's Club is located in a historical residential neighborhood called Los Robles. Address: 1513 Cristobal Dr.

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