Page 89 - lake-city-florida-a-sesquicentennial-tribute-(h-morris-williams-kevin-mccarthy)-2009

Lake City, Florida: A Sesquicentennial Tribute (2009) H. Morris Williams, Dr. Kevin M. McCarthy

Chapter Ten: 1900 - 1909

The Buckman Act also located the State Normal School, which
would train teachers, at UF, but the Board of Education refused to
implement that plan and effectively created two teacher-training schools,
one for white men at UF and one for white women at the school in
Tallahassee. Thus began the long period of separate colleges for white
men and white women in Florida. Where UF would be located be-
came a burning issue in north Florida. Both Lake City and Gainesville
wanted the school, which would be called the University of the State
of Florida until it changed its name again to the University of Florida.
Lake City already had a higher-education school on a well-laid-out
campus, but Gainesville offered, not only a large plot of land, but a
cash incentive and free water. In 1905, state officials chose Gainesville.
In July of 1906, the staff moved equipment and property to the new
site in Gainesville.

1905 class at FAC

After the University of Florida moved to Gainesville in 1906,
its Lake City property became Forest Hills, which bordered Lake
Alligator. Lake City had regular mail delivery by 1902. Three years
later, the residents had sewer service. More and more streets were
paved, including Circle Street around Lake Desoto.

85

www.LakeCityHistory.com LCH-UUID: 7C3282B3-DDE1-49C3-985A-3A9C9467368D