USS Massachusetts: History and Archaeology of the Nation’s Oldest Battleship

Just outside Pensacola Pass lie the remains of our nation’s oldest existing battleship, USS Massachusetts (BB2). Launched in 1896 as part of the New Steel Navy, the powerful warship soon was rendered obsolete by naval technological advances. Nevertheless, Massachusetts had an exciting career of combat, training, and target practice, and now is a massive artificial reef. This presentation describes the ship and her long life of service to the nation and to Pensacola.

Presented by:
The Staff of the Northwest Region
Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN)
Submit a Speaker Request Form:
http://fpan.us/nwrc/presentations.php

Falling Soldiers

This presentation looks at the current debate surrounding the removal or retention of Confederate monuments. The goal is to encourage productive discussion of the issue and to help communities make informed decisions regarding their monuments. We are not providing answers, only valuable information. This presentation is appropriate for all opinions on the matter.

Presented by:
The Staff of the North Central Region
Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN)
Submit a Speaker Request Form:
http://fpan.us/ncrc/presentations.php

“Dear Friends at Home”: Becoming Acquainted with a Civil War Soldier Through His Letters Home

Melvan Tibbetts was a Union soldier occupying Pensacola for a portion of the Civil War. We are very lucky to have the 20 letters that he wrote home to his family in Maine. These letters supply a wealth of information about West Florida during the Civil War, but they also provide a strong sense of familiarity with Melvan himself. This presentation demonstrates how much of an author’s personality is contained in historical documents and how this results in a more personal understanding of the past for the reader.

Presented by:
The Staff of the North Central Region
Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN)
Submit a Speaker Request Form:
http://fpan.us/ncrc/presentations.php

Films of 1939

1939 is considered by movie historians as the greatest year for films. Some of the films that premiered that year include Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Wuthering Heights.

Presented by:
Judy DeBolt
judy.debolt@gmail.com
850-477-3294

Suffragettes in Pensacola?

This presentation celebrates the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. The history of the Nineteenth Amendment will be discussed, and stories about Suffragettes in Pensacola and the local reaction to giving women the right to vote will be shared.

Presented by:
Dean DeBolt
University Librarian (Professor)/University Archivist
UWF Archives and West Florida History Center
University of West Florida Library
ddebolt@uwf.edu
850-474-2213

Post Office Murals and New Deal Art

There is a new stamp from the United States Post Office that celebrates post office murals. The presentation discusses these, and a few examples from West Florida post offices will be shown. The murals were created throughout the United States as part of a New Deal program to provide work for artists in the late 1930s.

Presented by:
Dean DeBolt
University Librarian (Professor)/University Archivist
UWF Archives and West Florida History Center
University of West Florida Library
ddebolt@uwf.edu
850-474-2213