Historic Preservation in Tallahassee, FL

After World War II, the United States rushed to update its old cities and towns with modern buildings connected along speedy highways. Urban revitalization meant many historic structures were in peril of demolition, as they were seen as old, irrelevant, and often eyesores due to lack of upkeep.

The spark for historic preservation in Tallahassee began in the 1950s as many older buildings from the nineteenth century were removed to make way for multistory office buildings and more modern structures. Clifton Van Brunt Lewis, a local homemaker and social justice activist, bought the Randall-Lewis House in order to preserve it from the wrecking ball. She then created a space to foster local artists and enhance the community. 

The Randall-Lewis House was originally built in 1843 by free the Spanish/African American builder George Proctor. The house is a Greek Revival example with stucco and brick. The first resident was Henry L. Rutgers, a banker-entrepreneur from New York. Later, Judge Thomas Randall occupied the home, then the Lewises owned the structure until 1887. The house would belong again to a Lewis, Clifton in this case, in 1959.