Leon County Commissioners Review Tallahassee-Leon County Bicentennial Plan

At the September 17th meeting, Leon County Commissioners voted to accept a status report on the Tallahassee-Leon County Bicentennial plan at their Sept. 16 meeting. The year-long Bicentennial celebration is planned for 2024 when Tallahassee and Leon County will both turn 200 years old.

The status report noted that the Bicentennial is “an opportunity to engage the community in the rich history of Tallahassee and Leon County over the past 200 years and the vision of the community for years to come.”

Tallahassee was established on Mar. 4, 1824 and was designated as the capital of the Florida Territory. Leon County was established by the Florida Legislative Council on Dec. 29, 1824.

The Centennial and the Sesquicentennial of Tallahassee-Leon County were celebrated with festivals and events. In 1924, for example, more than 25,000 community members attended a week-long festival with parades and concerts.

Report photo is picture of American Legion float in the Tallahassee centennial celebration parade.

The 2024 Bicentennial will celebrate both Tallahassee and Leon County. The plan provided at the meeting calls for “a year-long community-wide celebration that not only engages all segments of the community but shares their experiences and stories from their unique perspective.” The celebration hopes to include schools, churches, nonprofits, and professional organizations.

The Tallahassee Historical Society (THS) is one organization that plans to contribute to the event. The THS Board is considering applying for grants to create a video promoting the Bicentennial.

Another participating organization is the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber sees the anniversary as a catalyst for conversations on community members’ experiences in Tallahassee and their vision for the future.

The Chamber will run a social media campaign called “TLH200” on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Additionally, a webpage will feature a clock counting down the time until the Bicentennial.

Next year, to begin involving the community in planning the Bicentennial, Leon County will host a Club of Honest Citizens event. The purpose of the event will be to find the particular community organizations that want to contribute to the Bicentennial.

After the Club of Honest Citizens event, the Board will review a report on community engagement. The Board will then incorporate the Bicentennial plan into the five-year strategic plan.