Governor's Walk in Tallahassee in Leon County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Governor William Dunnington Bloxham House 1844 / Governor Bloxham House
Side 1
This Federal-style building was constructed in 1844 by Richard A. Shine, a prominent builder and mason who constructed the south wing of Florida's Capitol in 1845. In 1881, Mary C. Bloxham, Governor Bloxham's wife, acquired the property. Governor Bloxham, the owner of a plantation west of Tallahassee, used the house as a town residence during his two terms as governor, 1881-1885 and 1897-1901. The house was used by Governor Edward A. Perry, 1885-1889. In 1911, when Governor Bloxham died, Gertrude M. Bloxham, his second wife, became its owner and in 1913 sold it. A number of ownerships and uses followed, including as a rooming house and hotel. In 1977, the Florida Heritage Foundation purchased the property and developed plans for restoration of the house, but was unable to raise sufficient funds. In 1979, one of its members, Frances Cushing Ervin, purchased the property and restored the house to its original architectural style and elegance.
Side 2
Governor Bloxham's career of public service was extensive and included representing Leon County in the Florida House of Representatives, serving as Florida's Secretary of State and Comptroller and as United States Surveyor-General for Florida. He was a popular war veteran, having organized an infantry company in Leon County in 1862 and served as its commander throughout the Civil War. Governor Bloxham, Florida's first native-born governor, is remembered for founding the Florida Normal and Agricultural College for Colored Students, now Florida A & M University, and for restoring to fiscal solvency Florida's Internal Improvement Trust Fund by selling four million acres in the Everglades. He was governor during the Spanish-American War when Florida served as a principle staging area and its ports were major embarkation points for United States military activities in Cuba.
Erected 2004 by the Tallahassee Trust for Historic Preservation, Inc. and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-505.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Government & Politics • Notable Buildings • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1844.
Location. 30° 26.773′ N, 84° 16.782′ W. Marker is in Tallahassee, Florida, in Leon County. It is in Governor's Walk. Marker is on North Calhoun Street, 0.1 miles south of East Carolina Street, on the right when traveling south. North Calhoun runs one way here - north to south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 410 North Calhoun Street, Tallahassee FL 32301, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Rutgers House/Tallahassee Garden Club Center (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Towle House (about 500 feet away); Old Spanish Trail Highway (approx. 0.2 miles away); Presbyterian Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); Leon County's American Revolutionary War Soldiers (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Knott House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Leon High School (approx. 0.3 miles away); Trinity United Methodist Church (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tallahassee.
Also see . . . About Governor Bloxham. (Submitted on December 10, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 10, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 800 times since then and 98 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 10, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.