Florida's original capitol building reconstruction project is steadily moving ahead

Tallahassee's Bicentennial project to build a replica of the very first Florida Capitol Building reached another milestone on Saturday. Tom Flanigan reports the structure's foundation is now in place at the west end of Cascades Park.

Saturday's foundation placement included a short ceremony with luminaries like Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd. He sees the project as a real "living history" example.

"To tell that piece of our history and why Tallahassee is really significant and it's why we're happy to partner with the city and county."

History that Leon District School Superintendent Rocky Hanna says will be passed on constantly to new generations.

"All of our kids will be able to come to this site and learn a lot about the history of Tallahassee and Leon County and how we became the capital of Florida. And as a former history teacher, this is a really cool moment."

Especially happy was long-time Tallahasseean Sandler Dickson. He's been pushing the capitol replica idea for the past year-and-a-half.

"It's a part of history that may have gone unnoticed had it not been for so many people in the city, county and State of Florida."

Also at the event was Mark Carpenter. He's a Levy County tree farmer and is a direct descendent of the man who build the first Florida Capitol Building in 1824. Carpenter was on hand to watch some of the lumber he'd donated become the foundation for a replica of that first capitol building in Cascades Park.

"I have a lot of long leaf pines in the forest that needed to be thinned a little bit. I have a sawmill and I made an offer. The offer was to donate it all and it was just personal to me."

Besides the bulk of the structural timbers, Carpenter has also researched the kind of hand-made furniture that was in the old capitol. He's making and donating that as well. Project organizers expect the 800 square foot log cabin to be finished by Labor Day.