Upcoming Invisible Lives Tours to Focus on Enslaved People Who Shaped Tallahassee’s History

~Tours will be offered on September 14 at The Grove Museum, Goodwood Museum & Gardens and Tallahassee Museum~

Tallahassee –

The Grove Museum, Goodwood Museum and Gardens and Tallahassee Museum invite the public to Invisible Lives Tours on Saturday, September 14, 2019. These tours are part of ongoing collaborations among community partners to tell more complete stories about local and regional history. Each of the three museums will offer free tours focused on the lives of enslaved people who shaped Tallahassee’s history before and after emancipation. 

“The Department of State, which oversees The Grove Museum, is proud to join with our community partners in Tallahassee to offer the Invisible Lives Tours,” said Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee. “The Invisible Lives Tours will educate the public about the history of slavery and the contributions of African Americans to our local area and the United States. I encourage everyone to come out to The Grove Museum, Goodwood Museum & Gardens and Tallahassee Museum on September 14 to experience these special tours.”

Tours will be offered on the hour starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 3:00 p.m. at Goodwood Museum and Gardens and at Tallahassee Museum. Tours at The Grove Museum will be offered on the half-hour starting at 10:30 a.m. and ending at 3:30 p.m.

“As part of the research process for the Invisible Lives Tour, The Grove Museum staff combed through census records, voter rolls, marriage licenses, deeds and probate records,” said Johnathan Grandage, Executive Director of The Grove Museum. “These records revealed glimpses into the lives of enslaved people in Tallahassee, including those who worked on the Tallahassee-St. Marks Railroad and at The Grove, Orchard Pond and Lake Jackson plantations.”

The Invisible Lives Tours are a collaborative effort between The Grove Museum, Goodwood Museum & Gardens and Tallahassee Museum to create more inclusive and complete narratives about historic sites in Tallahassee. The tours at each museum will focus on the lives of individuals and families connected to each site.

"We are really excited about this partnership as it has helped move Goodwood forward in our efforts to tell an inclusive story,” said Nancy Morgan, Co-Executive Director of Goodwood Museum & Gardens. “This project has laid important groundwork for some permanent changes in interpreting this historic site.”

The ultimate goal of the Invisible Lives Tours is to share new research with the community and better integrate African American history into the interpretation of Tallahassee's historic sites.

“The Tallahassee Museum has a long-standing commitment to fully revealing the story of our region’s history as well as connecting with our diverse audiences,” said Russell Daws, President and CEO of the Tallahassee Museum. “We are thrilled to collaborate on this project with The Grove, Goodwood and other community institutions. Through this project, we plan to foster research, develop programs, and cultivate exhibits that further people’s full knowledge and understanding of our history.”

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2538977362790887/.

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About The Grove Museum                                                                                                                The mission of The Grove Museum is to preserve and interpret the Call-Collins House, its surrounding acreage, and its historical collections, in order to engage the public in dialogue about civil rights and American history. Built by enslaved craftspeople, the ca. 1840 Call-Collins House at The Grove is one of the best preserved antebellum residences in Florida. Home to several generations of the Call and Collins families, mostly recently LeRoy and Mary Call Collins, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The house and 10.5-acre grounds underwent an award-winning rehabilitation under the leadership of the Florida Department of State and opened to the public in 2017 as The Grove Museum. http://thegrovemuseum.com/

About Goodwood Museum & Gardens                                                                                  Goodwood Museum & Gardens has served as a landmark in the Tallahassee community for over 180 years. Though the main house was built in the 1830s, the Goodwood estate has been preserved as a house museum and public park since 1990. Over 20 acres and 18 historic structures still remain from the original estate. Today, Goodwood’s hospitality and Old Florida charm continues. This is reflected in our mission: Goodwood Museum & Gardens connects our community as a setting where we preserve and share our history, enjoy the arts, and celebrate significant events in our lives. https://www.goodwoodmuseum.org/

About Tallahassee Museum                                                                                                             Set amidst 52 acres of breathtaking Florida flora and fauna, the Tallahassee Museum has served as an iconic Tallahassee landmark for more than 60 years. Ranked as one of Florida’s top museums, the Museum’s living exhibits of native Florida wildlife, nature trails, native gardens and a zipline course are renowned by visitors of all ages. The Museum encourages guests to discover and learn about North Florida’s natural environment, rich history and diverse cultural communities. https://tallahasseemuseum.org/