We Toured The Florida Governors Mansion

Florida Governors Mansion - built in 1956

Lulu in the library on the main floor

Yesterday we toured the Florida Governor's Mansion. It is available free for groups of 20 or more. Our friends Lena and Aaron Seiler organized this tour. It was beautiful sunny weather as we gathered at the mansions front gate off Adams Street. On the other end of Adams Street is the Florida State Capitol. 

Presently - the mansion is occupied by Rick Scott. He has been governor for 8 years. He is a multimillionaire with a mansion near Tampa - so he seldom spends time here. Our new governor Ron DeSantis will live here in January. He is young - has two babies - and they will childproof the mansion. 

The mansion was built in 1956. At that time Florida had 2 million people and had 5 million visitors a year. Today Florida has 21 million people - and it is the third largest state behind California and Texas. If trends continue - we will be the second most populous state in 2030. 150 million people visit Florida every year. Florida taxes are based on real estate tax and sales tax. We charge 7.5% sales tax and 10% hotel tax - two things tourists pay. 

Florida became the 27th state in 1845. Before that it was a territory since 1821. The biggest problem then was fighting off the Seminole Indians. Some locals think the biggest problem today is fighting off tourists. 

Back to the mansion. Our curator gave us a wonderful tour of the whole main floor. Upstairs is a private residence. The basement has functional rooms. The main floor had a beautiful dining room - library - living room - guest room - and a "Florida Room" which is an old enclosed porch. There is a swimming pool out back along with a large party garden. The place is surrounded by an iron fence with gates - and support buildings. 

We did not see or hear another person during our tour - I am guessing the place was empty. Governor Rick Scott spend $63 million of his own money to be elected to the US Senate. He won 50.05% to 49.95%.

The furnishings in the home are mostly colonial. During the Civil War  - 90% of the people in Tallahassee were black and working as slaves in the cotton fields. The mansion sits on 1.5 acres now. The mansion is based on The Hermitage - the home of the patron saint of Tallahassee - Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. 

The mansion was beautifully decorated for Christmas. 

The 27 star USA flag on left - 1845

The main foyer had its own tree

Our curator is retiring with governor

Table can seat 24

Silver from the USS Florida

Florida Silver has Ponce de Leon on it. He founded Florida
Many people do not know - the first Tallahassee policeman
killed in action in 1988 was named Ponce de Leon - look it up. 

Note the pelicans and flamingos

FSU Seminole patron saint
Chief Osceola on the spoon

Silver gators

Most of the art in the mansion is by Beanie Backus - I like this
description of his art "part cracker - part Monet."

This is the first and original Florida Room - once a porch.
It seems every house down here has one.

Backus painted the Seminole Indians picking beans in 1952

The living room

The guest room - the only bedroom on the first floor.
President's Bush - Clinton - Carter stayed here.

The party porch

Manatee pond

Back yard on north side

Lulu by the front porch.
The balcony is the private residence.

Our friends - Lena and Aaron Seiler -
organized the tour.