HISTORIC SITES - BUILDINGS

THE GREENSBORO DEPOT RAILROAD STATION
The historic Apalachicola Northern Railroad Depot in Greensboro was built in 1907 and is the only depot on the line which runs from River Junction in Gadsden County to Port St. Joe in Gulf County, Florida. About 40 years ago, the depot was moved from its original location and scheduled for demolition. The West Gadsden Historical Society realized what a tremendous historic loss this would be, and persuaded Progress Energy to donate the building to them. On September 7, 2007, the depot was moved to a parcel of land adjacent to the railroad that had been donated by the St. Joe Land Company. The historic depot was restored and an adjoining meeting room built through a grant administered by Gadsden County from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Greensboro Depot Railroad Museum is open Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1:00pm – 4:00pm, on the first and last weekend of the month.

SHEPARD'S MILL ON TELOGIA CREEK
Shepard's Mill is one of the last surviving water powered gristmills in Florida. Water-powered gristmills were once common fixtures of most Southern communities and a few can still be seen today. Built in 1875, the mill still operates as a commercial gristmill, grinding grits and corn meal for sale around the world. Although it is not open to the public on most days, it can easily be seen from Florida Highway 12, which literally runs past the mill doors. The operators of the mill once sold grits, corn meal, cane syrup and even high quality Telogia Creek tupelo honey.

APALACHICOLA ARSENAL
Chattahoochee, Florida

This historic site, the original officers' quarters of the Apalachicola Arsenal are listed on the National Register of Historic places. Built in 1834-1839, the historic Apalachicola Arsenal stood on the grounds of what is now the Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee. It was the scene of the first military encounter of the Civil War in Florida. When Florida became a U.S. territory in 1821, its defense emerged as a key consideration for the federal government. Forts were built along the coastline and a site on the high hills overlooking the confluence of the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers was selected for the building of a permanent arsenal. The two rivers unite to form Florida's Apalachicola. Construction of the arsenal began in the spring of 1834 and continued until the impressive walled complex was completed in 1839. The Apalachicola Arsenal served as a supply depot during the Second Seminole War (1835-1842). Its workshops made cartridges, gun carriages and repaired weapons during that conflict. Local residents used its 9-foot high, 30-inch thick walls for protection on several occasions when bands of resisting Creek warriors carried out attacks in the area. Important gunpowder experiments were carried out at the facility during the 1850s by the U.S. Army.

CHATTAHOOCHEE LANDING MOUNDS
Chattahoochee, Florida
One of the most significant archaeological sites in the Deep South, the Chattahoochee Landing Mounds complex was a ceremonial center of the Mississippian era (AD 900 - 1550). Originally composed of seven mounds, three of which are visible today, the complex was the center of a large city that thrived on the banks of the upper Apalachicola River as much as 1,000 years ago. The site is now protected and preserved by the City of Chattahoochee, Florida. The Chattahoochee Landing Mounds were constructed during the Fort Walton Era, the name given to the Mississippian time period in Northwest Florida. Evidence has been found of earlier use of the site, dating back thousands of years before the time of Christ. The reason for such importance is obvious. Looking upstream from the mounds, visitors today see the Jim Woodruff Dam. Prior to the completion of that dam in 1958, however, they would have seen the original confluence of the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers. These two rivers drain a vast area of Georgia, Alabama and Florida before combining at Chattahoochee to form the Apalachicola. During prehistoric times, this river system was a major network for commerce and trade. Chiefdoms as far north as the mountains of North Georgia sent copper, mica and other products down the rivers for trade, while prehistoric Indians living along the Gulf of Mexico sent shells and other items of interest up the Apalachicola for trade. The Chattahoochee Landing Mounds were likely the center of a large commercial city because of their location immediately below the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers. Commerce coming from both upstream and down would meet here, giving the site wealth and power.

SHADE LEAF BUILDING – OWL CIGAR COMPANY (1891)
404 North Madison Street, Quincy Florida
The Owl Cigar Company built this brick building for the production of Quincy's first commercial cigars under the brand names of White Owl and Robert Burns. In the 1890s, this company had a labor force of 500, a majority of which were Alsatian Germans. The Alsatians recognized gray clay as Fuller's Earth (a filter and a catalyst) known to them in the Old Country while digging a well on the property. This discovery resulted in creating a new industry in the area. In 1948, the Owl building became the Woodward Leaf Tobacco Company, operated by R. D. Woodward, Jr., Frank Hearin, Lane Timmons. Charles Timmons and W.L. Inman were also affiliated with the organization. The building was purchased and extensively renovated in 1978. It now houses a cabinet/furniture business, four residential apartments, studios and office space and is owned by Frank and Ellen DiSalvo.

CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST PARSONAGE SMALLWOOD-WHITE HOUSE (1843)
212 North Madison Street, Quincy Florida
The original one and one-half story winter home was built for Joseph Smallwood in 1843. In 1849, Judge Pleasants Woodson White married Smallwood's niece, Emily, and purchased the property. He enlarged and remodeled it in the Classical Revival in 1856. White was a major in the Confederate Army and was appointed as the Chief Commissary of the State of Florida. It was in this role that he issued the controversial "White Circular" appealing for desperately needed food stuffs for the Confederate Army. Confederate General G. T. Beauregard incorrectly blamed the information in the "White Circular" for influencing the Union Army's invasion of Florida in February 1864. White was appointed commissioner of lands and immigration in 1881. This house also served as the meeting place for the "The Ladies Aid Society." It was formed to aid and comfort wounded Confederate soldiers. This group of women did much of the nursing and tended the sick and dying soldiers who came to Quincy from the Battles of Olustee and Natural Bridge. The house and surrounding property were sold in 1921 to the Centenary Methodist Church and has been used as a parsonage for its ministers and their families ever since. The house is an excellent example of Classical Revival architecture. With its tall Doric columns supporting identical front and rear porticos, the white house reflects the temple form that became the most distinguishing feature of this style.

PRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITY SERVICE BUILDING THE QUINCY ACADEMY (1851)
303 North Adams Street, Quincy Florida
The Quincy Academy was incorporated in 1832 and was probably established as early as 1830. Private educational institutions were common in newly settled frontier areas. Education was provided at reasonable rates by the "Male Academy" and the "Female Institute." The original school building (located northeast of this site) burned in 1849, and in 1850, plans were made for the construction of a new academy. The Classic Revival building was soon completed and, with a brief interruption during the Civil War, continued to serve the educational needs of the Quincy community until 1912. During the next several decades, the old Quincy Academy building was utilized as a temporary courthouse, library, church meetinghouse, hospital during the Civil War, the first county vocational school, child-care center, and kindergarten. In 1931, the Quincy Woman's Club Library began to serve the public from quarters in the Academy. During the 1950s, the building was restored and renovated. In 1974, this structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, a fitting tribute to its long service to cultural needs of the Quincy community. It is now owned by the First Presbyterian Church and serves as a community services building. Two sets of stairs leading to the two main rooms on the second floor kept the children separated. A wall divided the upstairs into two rooms; the teacher's platform extended into both rooms at the west end.

GADSDEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY (1852)
Washington Lodge #2 – Woman's Club
304 W. King Street, Quincy Florida
Washington Lodge No. 2, Free and Accepted Masons, created in 1828, was among the first Florida lodges. A Masonic wood frame building constructed in 1832 served the lodge as well as a community meeting place until it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1851. Construction of a new brick building began in 1852 and was completed by 1854. It was erected by Charles Waller, a Gadsden County builder-designer, who constructed several other brick buildings in the Quincy area. For over half a century, the Washington Lodge hall was the scene of community activities. In 1922, the Washington Lodge moved into their four-story building on the courthouse square, and this building later became the home of the Quincy Woman's Club. Under the auspices of first, the Quincy Women's Club and now the Gadsden Historical Society, the old Washington Lodge continues to serve as a meeting place in Quincy. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. It retains much of its original character although the appearance of the building has been changed by alterations including the addition of an exterior coat of stucco. The exterior walls are constructed of native sand brick and are three bricks thick.

WILLIAM HARDON BUILDING (1899)
TALLAHASSEE MEMORIAL REHABILITATION CENTER
16 West Washington Street, Quincy Florida
William Hardon built this building to house his electric light plant and ice plant. He came to Quincy as a veterinarian for the Owl Commercial Company. Hardon traveled to many states as a buyer of mules and horses for the Owl. Upon leaving the Owl, he went into business for himself. His electrical plant was located in the back of the building with the ice plant adjacent to it. In the front there was a saloon. In 1920, the building was Jack McFarlin's stable and Dr. Sage's veterinary office. Ben Bostick bought and renovated this building for his hardware store in 1945. Later, James Auman opened an office equipment company. It is used for health services at this time.

WOODBERY-ELLIS BUILDING (1898)
104-106 North Adams Street, Quincy Florida
This is, basically, an unaltered turn-of-the-century building. The exterior is classic in details including four iron Corinthian columns and iron pilasters with acanthus leaf motif on the capitals in each corner. The iron pilasters have the words "Geo L. Nester & Co. Iron Works Evansville, Ind." on the base. The building was built by E.B. Woodbery and T.D. Ellis and served as a dry goods business and later as one of the earliest grocery stores. It was purchased and renovated in 1989 by Dick Reddick and Craig McMillan. It has offices on the ground floor and a residential apartment on the second floor. Note the Lime Cola mural near the top of the building on the north side.

THE A.L. WILSON BUILDING (1896)
20 East Washington Street, Quincy Florida
In the 1890s Gadsden County's economy bloomed resulting in a plethora of general mercantile stores. Foremost was the A.L. Wilson Company's 1896 facility on  Washingotn Street. "Wilson's on the square," the familiar slogan to generations began here. A cross-section of the community shopped in this store for nearly 100 years. 

THE SIGNATURE CLOTHIERS – QUINCY STATE BANK (1893)
22 East Washington Street, Quincy Florida
This building was built to house the Quincy State Bank founded in 1889 and awarded State Charter Number One. The A.L. Wilson Company purchased the building and incorporated it into their thriving business when the bank moved to the west end of the block. In 1989, the DiSalvo family purchased the building. The second story was built as an opera house and theater. Note the artistic decoration on each window on both front and east side. This building is now owned by Said Salmar.

CARRIAGE FACTORY BUILDING (1906) – MAY TOBACCO COMPANY
104 East Washington Street, Quincy Florida
This building was built to house E and W Vehicle and Grain Company in 1906. In 1920, it became the May Tobacco Company. It was purchased in 1988 by Dutch and Sophia Swart who have been highly creative in their design of the interior space to serve today's needs. The street floor has offices and the second floor contains three residential apartments.

QUINCY MUSIC THEATER – THE LEAF THEATRE (1949)
118 East Washington Street, Quincy Florida
Built as a movie theater in the contemporary style of the period, the off-set lobby is a result of having to make the theatre fit the size of the lot. The theatre was named "The Leaf" after the cigar wrapper tobacco that was grown here, and the color scheme of pastel green and tobacco brown is a tribute to the leaf. After the theatre closed in 1980, the fledgling Quincy Music Theatre realized the need for a home. In 1983, three benefactors purchased The Leaf and gave it to the Quincy Music Theatre. Restoration funding was secured through a preservation grant and local funding from private gifts. A state of the art revolving stage is an outstanding feature. The theatre serves as a performing arts center with scheduled performances each season. Talent and creativity are discovered, encouraged, and developed at the popular month long summer camps offered for children and teenagers.

EMPIRE THEATRE/BELL AND BATES HOME CENTER (1910)
112 East Jefferson Street, Quincy Florida
This structure was built by the Quincy Fire Department as an opera house where stock companies, Lyceum courses, concerts, stage plays and local talent performances were some of the activities presented. It is remembered as Fireman's Hall and later as the Empire Theatre. The building was used for many years as a garage for an automobile agency. In 1997, it was incorporated into the new Bell and Bates Home Center.

GADSDEN ARTS CENTER BELL and BATES (1912)
13 North Madison Street, Quincy Florida
Bell and Bates, the county's oldest locally owned hardware business, was founded in 1902 and is still owned by the Bates family. When the Bell and Bates Home Center opened in 1997 in a new building facing Duval Street in back of the old store, Mark Bates gave the historic building on the square to Gadsden Arts, Inc. for an art gallery. The Gadsden Arts Center opened in the Bell and Bates Hardware Store Building in September 2000, fully renovating the space to become a state-of-the-art museum. The building features 3 professional galleries, a children's gallery, children's learning area, two art studios, kiln room, offices, gift shop, art receiving, and permanent art collection storage. A multi-purpose room is available for rental events, and the Center's café housed in the adjoining building is available for breakfast, lunch, or catering. The Gadsden Arts Center offers museum quality fine art exhibitions, original gifts, classes, workshops, artist talks, seminars, tours, camp, concerts, and a wide range of additional art and cultural programming year round.

GADSDEN COUNTY COURTHOUSE (1913)
10 East Jefferson Street, Quincy Florida
The present County Courthouse is built on one of the older continuous sites used for a seat of county government in Florida, and this site has been in continuous use since 1827. The building standing today is little changed from the one built over one hundred years ago. Designed in the Beaux-Arts style, it features neoclassical detailing including two-story recessed Ionic colonnades to the north and south elevations, architectural quoining at the corners and a cupoa modeled after Brunelleschi's dome in Florence, Italy. Constructed of pale yellow brick in the monochromatic color scheme typical of the beaux-Arts, its dome, columns and exterior metal trim were originally painted "lime stone color, of sand blast finish" to match the Indiana Limestone columns originally specified. The architect for this building was Hal F. Hentz of Hentz and Reid in Atlanta. It is an example of classical eclecticism popular in public buildings and an indication of the high status of Quincy circa 1912. It was restored in 1997. Of the four prior courthouses, the one built in 1835 was destroyed by fire in 1849, and many historical records were lost.

GADSDEN GOVERNMENTAL COMPLEX (1903)
9 East Jefferson Street, Quincy Florida
Two brick commercial buildings, each an excellent example of turn-of-the century masonry craftsmanship, were built in 1903 and anchor the southwest corner of Quincy's Courthouse Square. The interiors and facades were restored for use as a county government service center and offices. This creative use of attractive old buildings maintains the artistic beauty of the square and keeps county government in the heart of the community.

LOVE AND HEARIN PADGETT'S JEWELERS (1894)
21 East Jefferson Street, Quincy Florida
This building was built to house the wholesale and retail business owned by Meade and Rabe Love and their brother-in-law, A.T. Hearin. Almost anything could be found here, from turnip greens and live chickens to elegant piece goods and exquisite imported laces. In 1979, the building was purchased by the Padgett family to house their lovely store specializing in jewelry, silver, china and crystal. Note the Coca-Cola mural on the east exterior wall.

HEILIG-MEYER COMPANY (1920)
9 South Madison Street, Quincy Florida
This handsome commercial building was built by C. R. Shaw, Sr. to house the C.R. Shaw Ford Motor Company. The second and third story windows were bricked in during 1970-75, but other- wise, the building remains very much the same since it was built.

GADSDEN COUNTY ANNEX #2 (1914)
9 South Madison Street, Quincy Florida
This building was constructed as a municipal building housing the city administrative offices and the Quincy Fire Department and was used until the present city hall was built. Since that time, it has housed various county government offices.

GADSDEN ABSTRACT COMPANY (1930)
120 South Madison Street, Quincy Florida
Built by the American Sumatra Tobacco Company for their employees, it was purchased by Roma Harton who installed the fancy patterned pressed tin ceiling in the living room. In 1987, Clay and Mari VanLandingham purchased the house and restored it to its current appearance for their abstract business.

PLANTERS EXCHANGE
204 N.W. Second Street, Havana Florida
This 14,000 square foot historic landmark was built in 1928 as a tobacco warehouse. It was renovated and has housed antique dealers and collectible dealers over the years. On September 17, 1999, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Without a doubt the Planters Exchange makes antiquing in Havana memorable. Approximately 30 dealers come together to offer some of the region's most exciting finds. Everything about the Planters Exchange is an experience, including the 1928 building that is included on the National Register of Historic Places

MASONIC LODGE
122 South Duval Street, Quincy Florida
This historic building has been the Masonic Lodge Meeting Hall for African American Masons since 1907. The two-story, frame vernacular building has an open hall on the first floor. It was moved from its original site in 1976 and was remodeled.

W.S. STEVENS SCHOOL
1004 West 4th Street, Quincy Florida
The Stevens School was built for all grades in the 1920's as the Dunbar School. Its namesake, Dr. William Spencer Stevens was the first African American to open a medical practice in Quincy. In 1906 he opened Stevens' Drug Store in downtown Quincy, and in the 1930's built a two-story building that served as a community hospital for the African American Community. Stevens was later named supervisor of the Quincy Schools, and after an expansion of the Dubar School, it was renamed in his honor.

QUINCY ACADEMY
303 North Adams Street, Quincy Florida
Built in the 1850's, this Classic Revival building replaced the original Quincy Academy building which was destroyed by fire. This location served as an education site for the community since the early 1830's. After interruptions during the Civil War, the Academy met the area's educational needs until 1912. Over several decades, the building served as a temporary courthouse, church meetinghouse, library, childcare center, and kindergarten. Currently the building is managed by the First Presbyterian Church and houses a food bank, clothes closet, Boy and Girl Scout Troops, and Habitat for Humanity.