FLORIDA PLACES AND DESTINATIONS - MONTICELLO

Monticello Florida

Monticello, a city in Jefferson County just 23 miles east of Tallahassee, is named after Monticello, the estate of the county's namesake, Thomas Jefferson.

Many of Monticello's stately turn-of-the-century homes and public buildings are listed on the National Historic Register. The First Presbyterian Church, rebuilt in 1868 following a fire, is an example of typical American style with a distinctly Southern flavor. The restoration of other local landmarks like the Monticello Opera House (1890) and Florida's oldest brick school building (1852) further attest to the community's continuing appreciation of its rich past.




Ponds and lakes of all sizes liberally dot this pastoral landscape. Lake Miccosukee sprawls over 6200 acres offering bountiful fishing and recreational opportunities. Three major rivers, the Wacissa, Aucilla and St. Marks cover hundreds more acres,

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is one of the Northern Hemisphere's final stops for the magnificent Monarch butterflies which migrate to South America by the millions each October.

The Jefferson County Kennel Club offers pari-mutuel dog racing from mid-January through mid-December.


Photo: Visit Florida