Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. Like many of the centuries-old homes in Monticello, the 1872 Denham Inn has a rich history. The Italianate, nationally-registered structure was built by the John Denham family…
Category: History
The woman behind the Matilda Effect: Matilda Joslyn Gage and the fight for recognition
Hailey Waldo ECB Publishing, Inc. During Women’s History Month, many people reflect on the women who helped shape society through activism, science, literature and innovation. One woman whose influence continues to shape…
Remembering how the Boots Thomas memorial came to be
Morry Sledge Guest Columnist February 23, 2026, was the first time that no big gathering took place to commemorate Boots Thomas leading his platoon up Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo…
Drunken dive saves Titanic hero
Mickey Starling ECB Publishing, Inc. Normally, hearing that someone is drunk leads to negative conclusions or consequences. However, the 1912 sinking of the famed Titanic in the icy waters of the North…
Moth mishap makes computer history
Mickey Starling ECB Publishing, Inc. Since the day my first computer arrived in the late 90s, something has always bugged me. At first, it was the cranky dialup method of connecting to…
Two-step trauma: The Dancing Plague of 1518
Mickey Starling ECB Publishing, Inc. In my search for interesting moments in history to share, I may have stumbled upon the inspiration for the song, “Dancing the Night Away,” which was a…
181 years of Florida history in the making
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. In 1845, Florida became the 27th state to join the United States of America. 2026 marks 181 years since Florida’s statehood began. Florida’s history, of course, began…
The history of New Jerusalem Church of God in Unity
Story Submitted In the New Jerusalem Church of God In Unity (COGIU), located in the Dills community of Jefferson County, the previous church history Elder Dock Daniels (1864 – unknown) was the…
Mary Madison shares tales from Suwannee River Junior College
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. Growing up during segregation, Mary Madison’s mother and grandmother told her that she needed an education to go anywhere. When she heard those words, she was a…
2026 African-American History Calendar honors three local leaders
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Tallahassee State College (TSC) has presented its 2026 Cherry Hall Alexander African-American History Calendar. Its founder and two of those featured this year – John R. Nelson,…
The Spirit of the People Committee to host Black History Month Celebration Feb.21
Dr. Glyndell B. Presley Contributor The Spirit of the People Committee invites the Jefferson County community to celebrate 100 years of Black history on Feb. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon in…
Celebrating Monticello’s African American Past & Present: E-Commerce Strategist & Marketing Innovator Tomara Watkins
Frequita Barrington Contributor Monticello native Tomara Watkins grew up along the Florida-Georgia line in Jefferson County, surrounded by generations of women whose strength, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit shaped her life. Raised in…
70 years since the Tallahassee Bus Boycott
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. On May 26, 1956, two Florida A&M University (FAMU) students rode on “whites only” seats in a Tallahassee bus. When the driver demanded that the young women,…
See “Jeffecello” in 1956
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. In 1956, the student-led Jeffecello Staff at Jefferson County High School published their annual yearbook. Inspired by the idea that eyes, ears and hands are all a…
Flashback to…the 2025 Gulf Coast Blizzard!
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. Jan. 21, 2025 was a historic day. Exactly one year ago, the Gulf Coast Blizzard smashed many snowfall records on the western panhandle, following just seven years…
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s role in the Civil Rights Movement
MLK Timeline 1929 – Michael King, later known as Martin Luther King, Jr., was born at 501 Auburn Ave. in Atlanta on Jan. 15. 1944 – King began his freshman year at…
Remembering Suwannee: Reflections on a new year, Part 2
Eric Musgrove Contributor Last week, to start 2026 off, I began a discussion on how to preserve your family’s records and photographs. Today, I’ll complete that discussion before we continue with other…
FSU hosts 38th Annual MLK Week
Florida State University Contributor Florida State University will celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with its 38th annual MLK Week. This year’s theme, “Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers,”…
Celebrating the many adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Mickey Starling ECB Publishing, Inc. Occasionally, some of the happy reflections of childhood come back to us in one form or another. Many of us grew up enjoying a variety of Disney…
Remembering Suwannee: Reflections on a new year, Part 1
Eric Musgrove Contributor I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year as we roll into 2026. In lieu of a normal historical article, I’d like to take this…