With Florida Heritage Month just around the corner (March 15 – April 15), it seems an appropriate time to bring up the role of local history in the classroom.
Local history can be fun, intriguing, and motivating for our students. One of the secrets, however, is to include local color in the local history.
For example: History: In 1891 a local election was held to determine the permanent location of the Citrus County seat. As a result of that election, the county seat was moved from the Mannfield to Inverness.
Sort of dry, not really inspiring. But it is factual. What would some local color and story telling do for this historic event?
BACKGROUND to the story:
When Citrus County was established in 1887, the state Legislature chose Mannfield to be the temporary county seat for two years or, as the bill read, until “removed by a vote of the registered voters of the county”.
Mannfield, located near the center of the county, south of what is today Lecanto, felt secure in its position as the county seat. It had a growing and industrious population of 250, making it the county’s largest town. It was at the geographic center of the county, and other sites for the county seat were limited.
There was a real possibility of a railroad line running through Mannfield, depended upon that town becoming the permanent political center of the new county. Finally, as the local newspaper, the Citrus County Star stated, by the time an election was held, “the county will have to become accustomed to it, as the county seat of business.”
However, when the election was held, the votes were not as expected.
THE ELECTION
There were several elections held in 1889 and 1890, each failing to pick a clear-cut winner for the permanent county seat because of the lack of a majority vote for one location. Powerful factions had developed in a one-party county. Each faction sought to sway the votes of the 2,394 people who resided in Citrus County.
One faction centered around State Senator Austin S. Mann, an early promoter of Citrus County, and a man instrumental in the foundation of Citrus as a separate county. Senator Mann had extensive property interests in the county, including a large orange grove near Crystal River.
Mann was influential with the railroad interests of the state and had promoted a railroad line to Mannfield, a city named in his honor.
The other major faction was centered in a city that had recently changed its name from Tompkinsville to Inverness. The local business leaders of the Inverness area were determined to see their city grow and prosper and to do so they promoted the city as the future county seat.
By 1891, Mannfield was forced to take the threat of Inverness seriously. Phosphate had been
discovered in the eastern portion of the county and the railroad, which had been laying track toward Mannfield, changed its course near Holder. The tracks were now pointing toward Inverness. Inverness also had a more organized leadership, led by businessmen like Frank Dampier. Jim Priest, the county’s sheriff, became the official spokesman for the Inverness faction.
Early politics in Citrus County were a rough and tumble affair. Verbal blasts, political wrangling, and occasional fistfights marked the election in 1891. The future of two cities was at stake. The election for a county seat and courthouse site was held with 526 men voting.
Inverness received 267 votes; Mannfield received 258; and Gulf Junction received one vote.
Immediately, charges and countercharges of ballot stuffing arose, and no one would admit that the election was lost. The controversy over the close election continued as Mannfield vowed to keep the courthouse while Inverness claimed the county seat rights.
The election for the county seat and the site of the courthouse was over, but the battle had just begun.
MOVING THE COURTHOUSE
The leaders of Mannfield decided to try to retain the courthouse by getting an injunction forbidding Inverness from taking the county records.
They hired an attorney named Colonel Dupre to get the injunction.
The nearest judge was holding court at Dade City. The attorney packed his mule and rode to Dade City over the sand trails that made up the highways of the region.
He arrived about 4 p.m., after court had recessed and the judge was boarding a train that was bound for Tampa. The attorney made it to the train, but before he could get the injunction, the train left the station on its way to Tampa.
The case was argued as the train jolted down the tracks to Tampa. The judge listened to the petition. There was disagreement as to his decision, with some historians stating that the petition was not granted, with others saying that it was. Either way, by the time the train reached Tampa it was too late to return, so the lawyer stayed overnight.
The Inverness faction heard of the attempt to get the injunction. They held a meeting and decided to take action before an injunction could be issued.
Two teams of mules and wagons were gathered and – a night descended on Citrus County – they were in Mannfield. Court records, furniture, and other government equipment were loaded from
the Gaffney House, site of the Mannfield courthouse, onto the wagons.
They also loaded Captain W. C. Zimmerman, the clerk of the circuit court, onto a wagon.
Zimmerman, refusing to go along with anything that was irregular, remained in his official chair and at his official desk during the proceedings. Sheriff Priest asked the attorneys for Inverness what to do about Zimmerman.
“By God, move him!” was the reply. The sheriff ordered two men to pick up Zimmerman in his chair and place him on one of the wagons.
Zimmerman is said to have sat in his chair the entire trip.
Men and boys helped move the loaded wagons by pushing them up the hills between Mannfield and Inverness, then riding down the hill as the mules hauling the wagons broke into a gallop.
By 8 a.m. the next day the records and furniture had been unloaded into the offices of the rented building that was Inverness’ temporary courthouse.
Capt. Zimmerman was moved into his new office. He and his chair were carefully placed behind his desk by the tired workers, and once this was done, Zimmerman walked to the door of the new courthouse and declared it open for business.
The 'pro-injunction' historians relate this story: About this time the lawyer for Mannfield began his return train ride from Tampa. He picked up his mule in Dade City and rode furiously back to Mannfield, injunction in hand.
As he came within sight of the Mannfield courthouse, his mule stumbled, throwing the lawyer onto the sandy road. The lawyer got up and ran to the courthouse, only to find it empty.
Because of ‘the night they stole the courthouse’, Inverness became the official county seat in
1891.
SOURCES, ANALYSIS, and DISCUSSION
This story leaves room for additional historical research – which interested students might do – and it weave in a variety of story telling techniques. It also allows for analysis, such as a map of the era showing towns and railroads; research into primary and secondary resources; finding what happened to Mannfield; photo interpretation; and a host of other strategies. While it does take more time to present than the simple two sentence factual statement, it is something the students are far more likely to remember – and what is the purpose of educating them if not that?
Local history can be fun, intriguing, and motivating for our students. One of the secrets, however, is to include local color in the local history.
For example: History: In 1891 a local election was held to determine the permanent location of the Citrus County seat. As a result of that election, the county seat was moved from the Mannfield to Inverness.
Sort of dry, not really inspiring. But it is factual. What would some local color and story telling do for this historic event?
BACKGROUND to the story:
When Citrus County was established in 1887, the state Legislature chose Mannfield to be the temporary county seat for two years or, as the bill read, until “removed by a vote of the registered voters of the county”.
Mannfield, located near the center of the county, south of what is today Lecanto, felt secure in its position as the county seat. It had a growing and industrious population of 250, making it the county’s largest town. It was at the geographic center of the county, and other sites for the county seat were limited.
There was a real possibility of a railroad line running through Mannfield, depended upon that town becoming the permanent political center of the new county. Finally, as the local newspaper, the Citrus County Star stated, by the time an election was held, “the county will have to become accustomed to it, as the county seat of business.”
However, when the election was held, the votes were not as expected.
THE ELECTION
There were several elections held in 1889 and 1890, each failing to pick a clear-cut winner for the permanent county seat because of the lack of a majority vote for one location. Powerful factions had developed in a one-party county. Each faction sought to sway the votes of the 2,394 people who resided in Citrus County.One faction centered around State Senator Austin S. Mann, an early promoter of Citrus County, and a man instrumental in the foundation of Citrus as a separate county. Senator Mann had extensive property interests in the county, including a large orange grove near Crystal River.
Mann was influential with the railroad interests of the state and had promoted a railroad line to Mannfield, a city named in his honor.
The other major faction was centered in a city that had recently changed its name from Tompkinsville to Inverness. The local business leaders of the Inverness area were determined to see their city grow and prosper and to do so they promoted the city as the future county seat.
By 1891, Mannfield was forced to take the threat of Inverness seriously. Phosphate had been
discovered in the eastern portion of the county and the railroad, which had been laying track toward Mannfield, changed its course near Holder. The tracks were now pointing toward Inverness. Inverness also had a more organized leadership, led by businessmen like Frank Dampier. Jim Priest, the county’s sheriff, became the official spokesman for the Inverness faction.Early politics in Citrus County were a rough and tumble affair. Verbal blasts, political wrangling, and occasional fistfights marked the election in 1891. The future of two cities was at stake. The election for a county seat and courthouse site was held with 526 men voting.
Inverness received 267 votes; Mannfield received 258; and Gulf Junction received one vote.
Immediately, charges and countercharges of ballot stuffing arose, and no one would admit that the election was lost. The controversy over the close election continued as Mannfield vowed to keep the courthouse while Inverness claimed the county seat rights.
The election for the county seat and the site of the courthouse was over, but the battle had just begun.
MOVING THE COURTHOUSE
The leaders of Mannfield decided to try to retain the courthouse by getting an injunction forbidding Inverness from taking the county records.
They hired an attorney named Colonel Dupre to get the injunction.
The nearest judge was holding court at Dade City. The attorney packed his mule and rode to Dade City over the sand trails that made up the highways of the region.
He arrived about 4 p.m., after court had recessed and the judge was boarding a train that was bound for Tampa. The attorney made it to the train, but before he could get the injunction, the train left the station on its way to Tampa.
The case was argued as the train jolted down the tracks to Tampa. The judge listened to the petition. There was disagreement as to his decision, with some historians stating that the petition was not granted, with others saying that it was. Either way, by the time the train reached Tampa it was too late to return, so the lawyer stayed overnight.
The Inverness faction heard of the attempt to get the injunction. They held a meeting and decided to take action before an injunction could be issued.
Two teams of mules and wagons were gathered and – a night descended on Citrus County – they were in Mannfield. Court records, furniture, and other government equipment were loaded from
the Gaffney House, site of the Mannfield courthouse, onto the wagons.They also loaded Captain W. C. Zimmerman, the clerk of the circuit court, onto a wagon.
Zimmerman, refusing to go along with anything that was irregular, remained in his official chair and at his official desk during the proceedings. Sheriff Priest asked the attorneys for Inverness what to do about Zimmerman.
“By God, move him!” was the reply. The sheriff ordered two men to pick up Zimmerman in his chair and place him on one of the wagons.
Zimmerman is said to have sat in his chair the entire trip.
Men and boys helped move the loaded wagons by pushing them up the hills between Mannfield and Inverness, then riding down the hill as the mules hauling the wagons broke into a gallop.
By 8 a.m. the next day the records and furniture had been unloaded into the offices of the rented building that was Inverness’ temporary courthouse.
Capt. Zimmerman was moved into his new office. He and his chair were carefully placed behind his desk by the tired workers, and once this was done, Zimmerman walked to the door of the new courthouse and declared it open for business.
The 'pro-injunction' historians relate this story: About this time the lawyer for Mannfield began his return train ride from Tampa. He picked up his mule in Dade City and rode furiously back to Mannfield, injunction in hand.
As he came within sight of the Mannfield courthouse, his mule stumbled, throwing the lawyer onto the sandy road. The lawyer got up and ran to the courthouse, only to find it empty.
Because of ‘the night they stole the courthouse’, Inverness became the official county seat in
1891.SOURCES, ANALYSIS, and DISCUSSION
This story leaves room for additional historical research – which interested students might do – and it weave in a variety of story telling techniques. It also allows for analysis, such as a map of the era showing towns and railroads; research into primary and secondary resources; finding what happened to Mannfield; photo interpretation; and a host of other strategies. While it does take more time to present than the simple two sentence factual statement, it is something the students are far more likely to remember – and what is the purpose of educating them if not that?
A special thanks to Laurie Diestler, Historical Resources Coordinator, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Citrus County for assistance in gathering photo resources.Essential Question: How can we effectively incorporate local history into our various Social Studies courses in order to acclimate our students to the history of the area they are currently living in?
Photo Resources:
1890 George Cram Co. Citrus County Map: Exploring Florida, USF
Senator Austin S. Mann: Citrus County Historical Society
Senator Austin S. Mann: Citrus County Historical Society
Mannfield Court House: Citrus County Historical Society
Captain Zimmerman: Citrus County Historical Society
Citrus County 1890 Rand McNally Map: Exploring Florida, USF
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