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Historic Attraction:
Brokaw-McDougal House (1856) Contact: Phone (850) 891-3900; Fax (850) 891-3902 Hours of Operation: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Monday-Friday; Closed State Holidays, Open on weekends only on events Tours: Self-guided Admission: Free |
One of the finest remaining antebellum homes in Tallahassee is the Brokaw-McDougall House. It may be rented for weddings, receptions and other events, and the public may tour the home free of charge during the work week. When first built around 1856, the Brokaw-McDougall House was on the outskirts of town. Its original owner, Peres Bonney Brokaw, ran a prosperous livery stable business downtown, and also found time to serve in city government, the state legislature and in the Confederate cavalry. His daughter married Alexander McDougall, a recent immigrant from Scotland, and members of the Brokaw and McDougall families lived in the house until it was sold to the State of Florida in 1973. The house served as the headquarters for the Historic Tallahassee Preservation Board until June 1997. It is currently under the management of the City of Tallahassee. The Board serves as an advocate for historic preservation in Florida's capital city. Architecturally, the house is an outstanding Classical Revival building with a strong Italianate influence. The formal gardens were laid out in the early 1850s, prior to the construction of the main house. They were restored as a Bicentennial project of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs. The public is welcome to tour this gracious old landmark.
Through archaeological investigation, the earliest inhabitants on the property are believed to have been Apalachee Indians who had a settlement in the area between around 1650 and 1750. In 1825, the property was part of a grant of land given to the Marquise de Lafayette by the U.S. Congress in appreciation for his assistance during the Revolutionary War. Peres Bonney Brokaw came to Tallahassee in 1840 at the age of twenty-six. A native of New Jersey, he acquired a business partner and established a livery stable business in Tallahassee. He went on to serve both city and state government, and during the Civil War served in the Confederate cavalry. In 1850 Brokaw married Cornelia Tatum, the same year that he and his business partner acquired the land on which the Brokaw-McDougall House sits. It is believed that shortly after acquiring the land, Brokaw began planting the live oak trees for the formal garden. Rumors abound that the garden was designed by a landscape artist from New York, but no evidence has ever been found. Construction began on the house around 1856, and it took about four years to build. The building is Classical Revival in its form, with its emphasis on symmetry and its Corinthian columns at the front porch. It also has a strong Italianate influence, as shown in the brackets under the eaves and the picturesque cupola atop the landmark. The architect, if any, and builder are unknown. Cornelia died during the Civil War, and Peres married her sister, Elizabeth. Peres died in 1875 and three years later his daughter, Phebe, married Alexander McDougall of Scotland. In a twist of fate, upon Phebe's death, Alexander married her sister, Eliza, in 1884. Their son, Peres Brokaw McDougall, married Emma Trammel in 1914. Members of the Brokaw-McDougall family lived in the house until it was sold to the State of Florida in 1973. Very few alterations had been made to the building over the years, and it remains a fine example of antebellum architecture.
Interesting features inside include the 14 foot ceilings, plaster molding and medallions on the ceilings, ornate gas light fixtures that were converted to electricity around the turn of the century, immense pocket doors between the rooms, and classical symmetry of the layout of the building. A trip up in the cupola reveals the massive lumber used to construct the house, as well as a picturesque view of the formal garden and surrounding area. The formal gardens feature massive live oak trees and many varieties of camellias which bloom in January through March. In the rear yard is the smoke house which is believed to pre-date the Brokaw-McDougall House.
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