TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — "Young people are aware that there are interactions among humans that are not always good, peaceful, pleasant, happily resolved Part of that is the story of this place during that territorial period," said KC Smith.
The Tallahassee Historical Society is taking a look at a portion of Tallahassee's 200-year history, specifically the time from 1819 to 1845, known as the territorial period. This time period touches on many controversial topics such as slavery and white settlers expelling Native Americans from their land.
"It underlines this idea of different cultures coming together and making a community, coexisting, and so forth. We talk about polarizing times and politically fraud times, and so forth. But we're talking about a period in which people were killing each other and people were being enslaved," said Bob Holladay, president of the Tallahassee Historical Society.
The history will be shared with 4th and 5th graders in the form of an activity book. Students will be able to read along, color, and participate in workbook activities. President of the Tallahassee Historical Society doesn't shy away from the city's beginning.
"This was a very hard period. It's a rough frontier situation. Tallahassee was a frontier culture. There was a good bit of crime here," said Holladay.
Despite the seriousness in context, the society feels the book is worth producing. The book will cost $40,000 to produce. $10,000 of those dollars are being asked of county commissioners, another ten from city commissioners. The rest will come from the Florida Division of Historical Resources Small Matching Historic Preservation Grant Program. The 36-page-book will include things from that time such as its technology, farming, and day to day life skills.
Smith believes telling the city's entire history is important or else we are doomed to repeat it.
"How can you know where you're going if you don't know where you've been," said Smith.
