Fun Facts about Greater Gainesville
1791
British writer William Bartram published his book “Bartram’s Travels,” based on his journey
through the Southeast including in Greater Gainesville. Bartram visited the Seminole tribe in
Tuscawilla near present-day Micanopy, explored the Alachua Savannah and toured Kanapaha,
Manatee Springs and the Suwannee River.
1824
Alachua County was created and stretched from the Georgia border to the Gulf of Mexico and as far south as Port Charlotte. The name came from the area’s first settlers, the Timucuan Indians. Sinkholes were called “chua” so mapmakers named the area “a la chua” or “Lachua.”
1859
The first railroad arrived in Gainesville, and downtown became a center of agriculture and industry.
1867
The Matheson House, one of the three oldest residences in Gainesville, was completed by James Douglas Matheson, an emigrant from South Carolina and a prominent merchant.
1869
Gainesville became chartered as a city, named after Edmund Pendleton Gaines, a general in the Second Seminole War.
1870
Alachua’s Josiah T. Walls was elected Florida’s first Black congressman
and served from 1870 to 1876. He also held roles as Mayor of Gainesville
and member of the Alachua County Commission.
1891
Professor of natural science at Florida Agricultural College in Lake City, Frank Pickel, started the Florida Museum of Natural History. At that time, it was known as the Florida State Museum. It began with Pickel’s collections of minerals, fossils and human anatomy models and grew with donations from other professors.
1906
Thomas Hall, the oldest building on the University of Florida campus, was built and named for William R. Thomas. He was instrumental in bringing the university to Gainesville. The building was designed to be multipurpose, containing administrative offices, classrooms and a temporary dining hall.
1939
University of Florida’s Fletcher Hall opened. It was named for an early supporter of the university, Senator Duncan Fletcher. This dormitory linked Sledd Hall and Thomas Hall to form the initials “UF.”
1946
The first annual Watermelon Festival was held in Newberry. The demand for phosphate ended abruptly in 1914 when war was declared against Germany, the principal customer for Newberry’s phosphate. The community turned to agriculture and was particularly successful at producing watermelons — and still is today.
1957
Ross Allen, a reptilian entrepreneur and benefactor to the University of Florida, donated the first large alligator to the University. This animal became known as “Albert” and was brought to the field during football games and other events.
1965
Gatorade was formulated by a team of scientists
including Robert Cade at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
1970
The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo opened and today attracts nearly 30,000 visitors per year.
It is the only nationally accredited zoo on a college campus.
1978
Roberta “Bobbie” Lisle Kline, the city’s first female commissioner became Gainesville’s first female mayor. As a member of Gainesville Women for Equal Rights, she worked hard for women’s and civil rights.
1986
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens opened to the public. “Kanapaha” originates from
two Timucua words for “palmetto leaves” and “house”.
Today, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens boasts the state’s largest public display of
bamboo and the largest herb garden in the Southeast.
1990
The Harn Museum of Art opened. Today, the museum is known for developing high-quality exhibitions
— drawn from its collection of 13,300 artworks — many of which have toured across the United States.
2004
The $12 million facility for Lepidoptera research and public exhibits opened at the Florida Museum of Natural History. It houses one of the world’s largest collections of butterflies and moths and features a 6,400-square-foot Butterfly Rainforest exhibit.
2015
Santa Fe College was named the No. 1 community college in the nation by winning the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The college has been in the top 10 U.S. community colleges since 2012.
2018
US News and World Report ranked the University of Florida No. 9 for Best Public Universities. UF was the first school in Florida to finally break into the top 10.
2021
The City Commission Meeting unanimously voted to approve a new, annual Full Moon Fever Festival honoring one of Gainesville’s favorite Rock-n-Roll Hall of Famers, Tom Petty. The inaugural event, organized by the Petty family, was set to take place during the musician’s birthday weekend in 2022, but was postponed.
2023
The Wall Street Journal ranked the University of Florida the Number 1 Public University in the Country.
(Fact boxes)
If You’re Not a Gator… Then You’re Gator Bait!
Orange Lake, located near Micanopy and Hawthorne, is Florida’s second most alligator infested lake. The 12,550-acre lake had a recent count of 2,732 alligators.
The skull of one of the last living alligator mascots for UF is on display in the Florida Museum of Natural History.
The Florida Gator’s were ranked number 18 for College Football’s 30 Best Uniforms going into the 2023 season.
Come Rain or Shine
Despite the nickname “Rainesville,” Gainesville is cited as having some of the best year-round weather in Florida.
Nice Melons
Florida is famous for its oranges, but North Florida is known for its watermelon.
Alachua County is among some of the highest watermelon producing counties in the state.
The Newberry Watermelon Festival is one of the oldest watermelon festivals in Florida, beginning in 1946.