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Florida's "First" Capitol

 

You may have heard that Tallahassee is celebrating its bicentennial this year. Two hundred years ago, Tallahassee was established as the capital city of the then Florida Territory. To celebrate this anniversary, various parts of the community have come together to contribute something to the festivities.  One way the Department of State has joined in, is via the creation of a scale-model replica of Florida’s first capitol.

Conrad Brayman, and artisan with the Museum of Florida History designed and built the cabin.  Which was a challenge in itself, as no one actually knows what the first capitol actually looked like.  Photography was in its infancy at the times, so there no photographs of the original structure. A full-sized replica cabin was built for the Centennial celebration, but it is unclear what information that design was based upon. The decision was to create a model that is typical of a structure from that time and place. But what the actual first capitol building looked like does remain a bit of a mystery and is lost to time.

Learn more about Conrad and the process of building the replica cabin here

Unsealed

Using a draw knife, Conrad carved all of the logs for the cabin. He used a wood burner to create knots and all the graining and splitting, accents, end grain, and rings you would see on these kind of logs. Then the logs were stacked up, assembled—allowing for door and window frames and a fireplace mantle—right up through the roof frame. 

The roof shingles are made from cypress blocks which were hand shaped and then trimmed down. After installation, coloration was added with a mixture of vinegar and steel wool. Coral stone gravel made up the chimney. A dirt floor for the cabin and ground treatments for the exterior completed the setting, and exterior details like a barrel, bucket, ax, stump, and broom outside gave the scene some versimillitude.

All of the furniture and other accoutrements were made from materials in the Museum's studio shop. No pre-made miniature items were used. Conrad found a lot of creative was to create the necessary elements. The leather chair seat was made from a coffee filter and wood glue. The quill pin uses a teabag and a piece of bamboo. The the letter pouch on the table is actually made from a seed cover from magnolia bud, which looks a lot like leather. The grasses are bristles from a hog hair paintbrush. The spittoon is carved clay. The fireplace tools were made with tie wire and the embers in the fire are some colored foil pressed into burnt wood. The chinking and the ground, and floor covers are all made from drywall compound, plaster, and acrylic paint mixed with sand and rock.

The figures were made by molding “sculptamold” (a modelling clay-like compound) onto a wire armature. They were then painting and added to the model. Conrad consulted with members of the Museum of Florida History staff to decide what type of clothing would be appropriate to the period.

     

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