Panhandle Archaeological Society At Tallahassee Monthly Meeting

Washington Hall: Reconstructing the History of a Tallahassee Frontier Hotel
By Paulette S. McFadden, Ph.D.

Washington Hall was central to the early development of the City of Tallahassee and the State of Florida. Constructed between 1825 and 1828 by Joseph R. Betton, it was one of only four hotels in the frontier town. Located on the southeast corner of South Monroe and East Lafayette Streets (now Apalachee Parkway), the hotel faced the newly constructed log capitol building and served as a place for civic and religious activities in addition to providing room and board for guests. Throughout its life, the hotel was owned by several prominent early Tallahasseans, individuals who were instrumental in the development of the early frontier town, including Joseph R. Betton, Richard Keith Call, and David Shelby Walker. Ironically, Washington Hall was the origin of one of the most devastating disasters ever to occur in Tallahassee. Paulette McFadden, an archaeologist with the Bureau of Archaeological Research, will present the results of a recent archaeological investigation at the site of the hotel and extensive archival research to reveal the history and eventual demise of Washington Hall.