Gainesville in Alachua County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Roper Park / Old City Park
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 4, 2012
1. Roper Park / Old City Park Marker
Inscription.
Roper Park, also, Old City Park. . Roper Park is the original site of the parade grounds and barracks for the East Florida Seminary, a non-sectarian educational institution and a forerunner of the University of Florida, which was located in Gainsville in part due to the presence of the Seminary. James H. Roper (1835-1883) moved to Gainesville in 1856 after he recieved his degree from Trinity College in North Carolina. He started the first school, in the new town, the Gainesville Academy, which moved to this site in 1857. It was the only school in the county that operated in during the Civil War. The East Florida Seminary in Ocala closed when the war began , and Roper, a member of the State Senate in 1865-66 and the Board of Education, engineered its relocation to Gainesville by donating his school's building and site in 1866. The Seminary accepted students who lived east of the Suwannee River. Roper was president for the first two years and remained on the Board of Education through 1883. After his resignation as president, Roper pursued his interests in rental property, orange groves, and his livery stable, amoung other activities. He was a Gainsville city councilman in 1876. He died at age 48 in Mt. Gilead, N.C. , Reverse: , The barracks for the East Florida Seminary were built on this site in 1886, behind this marker and directly east of the academic hall.The two-story frame building had a double veranda along the south side, and a two-story porch surrounded an open courtyard in its center. The 197' by 90' building occupied the north half of the block. Out-of-town students lived in 45 12'x14' rooms that contained two iron beds with moss mattresses and feather pillows, a study table, a washstand, and a stove. Male teachers occupied 14 rooms. The kitchen, bathrooms and infirmary were located in separate buildings north of the barracks, and the two-story dining hall was located on the east side of the lower floor.Parade grounds where male students were required to do daily military drills occupied the south half of the block (in front of this marker). The Friday dress parade was attended by many of the locals, particularly the young ladies. When Gainsville was awarded the University of Florida, a torchlight parade wound its way through the streets, and around the drill field. The City of Gainesville purchased the block in 1906. In 1907, Mayor William Thomas bought the barracks and added them to the nearby White House Hotel.
Roper Park is the original site of the parade grounds and barracks for the East Florida Seminary, a non-sectarian
educational institution and a forerunner of the University of Florida, which was located in Gainsville in part due to the
presence of the Seminary. James H. Roper (1835-1883) moved to Gainesville in 1856 after he recieved his degree
from Trinity College in North Carolina. He started the first school, in the new town, the Gainesville Academy, which
moved to this site in 1857. It was the only school in the county that operated in during the Civil War. The East Florida
Seminary in Ocala closed when the war began , and Roper, a member of the State Senate in 1865-66 and the Board
of Education, engineered its relocation to Gainesville by donating his school's building and site in 1866. The
Seminary accepted students who lived east of the Suwannee River.
Roper was president for the first two years and remained on the Board of Education through 1883. After his
resignation as president, Roper pursued his interests in rental property, orange groves, and his livery stable,
amoung other activities. He was a Gainsville city councilman in 1876. He died at age 48 in Mt. Gilead, N.C.
Reverse:
The barracks for the East Florida Seminary were built on this site in 1886, behind this
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marker and directly east of the
academic hall.The two-story frame building had a double veranda along the south side, and a two-story porch
surrounded an open courtyard in its center. The 197' by 90' building occupied the north half of the block.
Out-of-town students lived in 45 12'x14' rooms that contained two iron beds with moss mattresses and feather
pillows, a study table, a washstand, and a stove. Male teachers occupied 14 rooms. The kitchen, bathrooms and
infirmary were located in separate buildings north of the barracks, and the two-story dining hall was located on the
east side of the lower floor.Parade grounds where male students were required to do daily military drills occupied the south half of the block (in front of this marker).
The Friday dress parade was attended by many of the locals, particularly the young ladies. When Gainsville was awarded the University of Florida, a torchlight parade wound its way through the streets, and around the drill field.
The City of Gainesville purchased the block in 1906. In 1907, Mayor William Thomas bought the barracks and added them to the nearby White House Hotel.
Erected 2003 by A Florida Heritage Site The Alachua County Historical Commission and Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-492.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list:
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 4, 2012
2. Roper Park / Old City Park Marker reverse
Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.
Location. 29° 39.32′ N, 82° 19.367′ W. Marker is in Gainesville, Florida, in Alachua County. Marker is on NE 2nd Street near NE 5th Avenue, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gainesville FL 32601, United States of America. Touch for directions.
3. Roper Park / Old City Park Marker amid the present day park
Three sides of the park are made up of single family houses while the west side includes the First United Methodist Preschool.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 12, 2018. It was originally submitted on June 5, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 796 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 5, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.