This is a participatory oral history learning course that will involve interactive conversations with historians and residents from the Jefferson County community who have long-held historical knowledge of the county. It also includes visits to picturesque grand homes and varied sites of historical interest of North Florida. Exclusive tours of these beautiful homes will be given (which are usually closed to the public), providing a unique look at classic Southern neo-classical and Victorian architecture and local lore. The course will engage learners and provide the opportunity for a richer knowledge of Florida’s heritage emphasizing a conversational nature where questions can lead to deeper understanding of the past and what it was like to live in this unique transitional period in history. As part of the course a living history field guide kept by participants will be turned into a conversational history discussion book that will be provided to all attendees. Topics of study include the history of schools, medicine, hospitals, living quarters and the effect of the Civil War on Jefferson County. Suggested Reading: "Discovery Points to Earlier Arrival of First Americans" Glenn Hodges, National Geographic. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/05/160513-first-americans-clovis-mastodon-florida-page-ladson/)
"Jefferson County" Florida Photographic Collection, Florida Memory, State Library & Archives.
Transcript "History of Jefferson County" State Library of Florida, WPA (https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/321121)
Maximum Class Size: 30.
