Tivoli High House

Tivoli High House. . Constructed in 1805, the octagonal Tivoli Dance Hall and adjacent tavern became entertainment centers for Pensacola's diverse populace, offering dancing, gaming, and food and drink. Balls were common and, by 1821, there was an active theatre troupe in town that performed at this venue. The dance hall was temporarily renamed the Jackson Commonwealth Theatre to commemorate Florida's formal transfer to the United States, in which Andrew Jackson figured prominently. Actors performed Shakespeare's Catherine and Petruchio (The Taming of the Shrew) for this occasion., Archaeologists excavating Tivoli trash deposits found artifacts and food remains that provide a window into this period. Not surprisingly, people were drinking wine and eating oysters and other seafood, along with beef and chicken. Peaches, which grew in profusion in Pensacola at the time, were also on the menu. Just think how wonderful an evening at the Tivoli must have been! Today, a reconstruction of the tavern based on the historical and archaeological records stands on its original site., This marker is a product of Florida's territorial bicentennial celebration on July 17, 2021, Background image: Tivoli House architectural drawing, as rebuilt (Image courtesy of UWF Historic Trust), Young U.S. military officer George McCall noted the graceful Creole dancers at Tivoli during his visit. The "Spanish” dance, also known as La Cachucha, became very popular with the newly arrived Americans. The dance also inspired the creative stage dancing of artists like Fanny Elssler, drawn in the image above. , This 1812 plan of Pensacola by Vicente Sebastián Pintado includes the Tivoli Complex, visible near the letter “H.” (Image courtesy of UWF Historic Trust) , This re-creation of an early 1800s table at Tivoli Tavern displays the kinds of artifacts that archaeologists found associated with the site. (Image courtesy of UWF Archaeology Institute)