Built around 1841, this home sat off of Jackson Bluff Road until 1967, when it was rescued from demolition and moved to the grounds of the then Junior Museum, which has since become the Tallahassee Museum. Its doors were opened to the public in 1972 after a five-year restoration project that included gathering furniture from the period and the house's eventual owner. Purchased in 1854 by Princess Catherine "Kate" Murat, the great-grandniece of George Washington by birth and the niece of Napoleon Bonaparte by marriage, along with the small 500-acre plantation it sat on. According to the 1860 Census, 24 enslaved persons worked the plantation. These included Patsy Lee, Kate's maid, and William Hughes, her husband's valet when her husband still lived. Though she spent summers at her Jefferson County plantation, Econchatti, Kate spent the majority of her last 13 years at Bellevue. She passed away at Econchatti August 6, 1867, after a months-long illness.
Catherine "Kate" Daingerfield Willis arrived in 1803, the great-grandniece of George Washington, or, as one newspaper put it, "about as close to royalty as America would allow.” By the time she left 64 years later, she was an accepted member of the French court - a real, live princess. The intervening years brought misfortunes, adventures, and the saving of her great, great uncle's famed home.Patsy Lee was born enslaved. The closest we have to a birth year is that she was “about 6” in 1825 when she was brought to Tallahassee, Florida. She would be raised to be Kate's made, a duty she performed faithfully until Kate's 1867 death. Her bequest for a lifetime of service was 20 acres of land, a cabin, $100, and a number of royal relics. Patsy would live until the early 1910s, into her 80s or 90s, remaining on the land Kate gave her off Jackson Bluff Rd for the rest of her long life.
The city of Tallahassee was chosen as the capital of Florida in 1824, just one year before the Willises arrived. This decision had a profound impact on the development and character of the town.Tallahassee's selection as the capital was not without controversy. At the time, two other prominent cities in Florida, St. Augustine and Pensacola, vied for the honor of being the capital. However, the territorial legislators ultimately chose Tallahassee due to its central location within the state and its potential for growth.The decision to establish the capital in Tallahassee sparked a rapid influx of public officials, land speculators, and aspiring politicians to the area. The town quickly became a hub of political activity, with government buildings and offices sprouting up to accommodate the new administrative center. This influx of political figures and government workers contributed to the town's growth and transformation.Furthermore, the establishment of the capital brought about the creation of various institutions and amenities typically associated with a capital city. Schools, libraries, and cultural organizations were established to cater to the growing population, making Tallahassee a center of education and intellectual pursuits.
The Spanish Mission San Luis de Apalachee holds a significant place in the history of Tallahassee, Florida. Established in 1633, it was one of the most important missions in Spanish Florida and served as the capital of the Apalachee Province.The mission was established by Spanish Franciscan friars with the purpose of converting the Apalachee Native Americans to Christianity and integrating them into the Spanish colonial system. It was strategically positioned near the principal village of the Apalachee tribe, which was known as Anhaica.San Luis de Apalachee thrived for several decades, becoming a vibrant community and the center of Spanish influence in the region. The mission complex encompassed a church, a friary, residential quarters, workshops, a council house, and a fortification wall. It also included a network of fields and gardens for agricultural production.The Apalachee people who lived at the mission adopted Spanish culture and converted to Christianity, while also retaining some aspects of their own indigenous traditions. The mission became an important economic and cultural center, fostering trade between the Apalachee and the Spanish colonists.
The Prince Murat House in St. Augustine, Florida, holds historical significance and is associated with the notable figure Prince Achille Murat, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte.The Prince Murat House, located in St. Augustine, Florida, is an architectural gem that reflects the city's rich history. It was constructed in 1790 and is believed to be one of the oldest houses in St. Augustine. The house is named after Prince Achille Murat, who resided there during his time in St. Augustine and again with his wife Catherine Daingerfield Willis Gray Murat, while they awaited a ship to take them on their honeymoon in 1827.The Prince Murat House is a two-story, Spanish colonial-style structure with distinct architectural features. It showcases elements such as a hipped roof, balconies with intricate ironwork, and coquina stone walls—a local material made from compressed shells.
The location pinpointed is a guesstimation based on a hand-drawn map. Lipona Plantation was a cotton plantation of 900 acres (3.6 km2) in Jefferson County, Florida, United States, established by Prince Achille Murat. The name is an anagram of Napoli, which Murat was the former prince of. The Lipona Plantation was situated approximately 15 miles east of Tallahassee, Florida. Its prominent feature was a two-story, wood-frame plantation house, which boasted a grand portico that added to its allure. The plantation encompassed several outbuildings, including a barn, a smokehouse, and a kitchen, providing essential spaces for daily operations.Like many plantations of its time, Lipona relied on the labor of enslaved individuals to sustain its operations. Enslaved people formed the workforce, toiling in the fields and performing various tasks necessary for the plantation's functioning. Their labor contributed to the production of cotton, corn, and sugarcane, which were key crops cultivated on the plantation.With the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, the plantation was abandoned, signaling a profound shift in the economic and social landscape of the region. The changing times brought about significant changes in the plantation system, rendering many plantations obsolete.Today, the land once occupied by the Lipona Plantation has become part of the Apalachicola National Forest. The transformation of the plantation into a national forest reflects the evolving attitudes towards land use and conservation, preserving the area's natural beauty and providing recreational opportunities for visitors to enjoy.
The plantation house was built in 1791 by John Joyce, an Irish immigrant. The house is a two-story, Creole-style structure with a hipped roof and a central hall plan. The house is surrounded by a grove of magnolia trees, which gives the plantation its name.The plantation was originally a working farm, and it was home to a workforce of enslaved people. The plantation produced cotton, indigo, and sugarcane. The plantation was abandoned after the Civil War, and it was eventually purchased by the city of Baton Rouge in 1924.The plantation house has been restored to its original condition, and it is now open to the public for tours. The house is furnished with period furniture, and it contains a number of exhibits on the history of the plantation and the enslaved people who lived there.Magnolia Mound Plantation is a significant historical site, and it is a valuable resource for learning about the history of slavery in Louisiana. The plantation is a popular tourist destination, and it is a reminder of the rich history of Baton Rouge.
This former cotton plantation in Jefferson County was owned by Prince Achille Murat and his wife, Catherine Willis Gray Murat. The plantation was named after the nearby Econchatti Creek. The Murats purchased Econchatti Plantation in 1837 after they lost their other plantation, Lipona Plantation, due to financial difficulties. Econchatti Plantation was smaller than Lipona Plantation, but it was still profitable thanks to the labor of enslaved persons. The Murats lived on Econchatti Plantation until Prince Murat's death in 1847. Catherine Murat continued to live on the plantation until her death in 1867. After the Civil War, Econchatti Plantation was abandoned. The main house burned down in the early 1900s. The plantation's land is now part of the Apalachicola National Forest.
This was the site of Bellevue Plantation which was purchased by Catherine Willis Gray Murat in 1854. Murat was the great-grandniece of George Washington after her second husband, Prince Achille Murat died in 1847. The plantation was named after the Hotel de Belle-Vue in Brussels, where Catherine and Achille had lived while in Europe. It was a modest Florida plantation home of the era and was the centerpiece of the farm. The home was built in the Greek Revival style and had two stories, with a portico on the front. The house was furnished with period furniture and contained a number of paintings and sculptures. In 1860, there were 25 enslaved people living at Bellevue Plantation. They worked in the cotton fields, provided skilled labor, and tended to the cooking. Catherine Murat was a popular figure in Tallahassee society and was known for her hospitality. She hosted a number of parties and events at Bellevue Plantation. She was also involved in a number of charitable organizations, including the Mount Vernon Ladies Association.
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This tour takes you through a few of the many locations where Princess Catherine Murat lived her life, along with that of her enslaved maid, Patsy Lee.
