A $3 Million Grant Applicant in Tallahassee seeks to put OURISM in TOURISM
By Deborah Desilets
“OURISM” in TOURISM: The Old Spanish Trail, The Old Dixie Highway and Proposal for Ashmore’s
There is “OURISM” in TOURISM and for Tallahassee, Florida, (Taloofa, or Old Fields), our roads are as authentic as you get.
The old Spanish Trail, the subject of a conference last year sponsored by CONEXION, brought car enthusiasts and history buffs together for some wonderful festive performances by Latin Dancing troupes, T.W.A.M. (Theater with a Mission) and musicians who entertained guests for a weekend full of multi-cultural fun. How could this multi-cultural edutainment be extended into the next five years? How could we begin a countdown to the purchase of Florida from Spain in 1819 and to the making of OUR State Capital in 1824? With the call for an arts proposal from the Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), an ARTS GRANT for $3 Million it seemed a possible answer and CONEXION and Teatro De Las Artes would become involved. We all agreed that I should attend the public meeting and sign in for Teatro de las Artes, whose mission it is be “the arts organization that responds to a community’s express need for main-stream multi-cultural arts, entertainment, education and recognition”. Also, I would once again represent the Explorer MOSAICS (see CONEXION Jan 2106).
The public meeting was held at the public library located just a few miles down the hill from the State Capitol at the Southern edge of the Southside Redevelopment District, south of Orange Avenue and on South Adams Street. In a white room approximately 50′ x 50′ sat 50 local art group representatives vetting questions to Tallahassee’s CRA in regards to their $3Million grant. One of the first up, Max Epstein asked if he had to be an existing not-for -profit before applying for his Glass Hot-Shop, called Tallahassee Glass. Jessica, Max’s partner and a recent graduate from FSU in children art education, sat next to Tom Lewis. Tom Lewis, attended to represent the Big Bend Development Corporation, founded by Regina Davis ten years prior when she with two young daughters stepped out on faith and created the Frenchtown
Redevelopment Association. Mr. Lewis wondered then about his children’s arts museum and glass hot shop as he is an excellent stained-glass artist: would that be a good fit? would they have the matching funds? There at the meeting I asked if our city streets could be considered a stage– could we share on YOUTUBE a filmstrip of Florida’s roads in the Arts? Like the Chitlin ‘Circuit and the Red Bird Cafe on the Old Spanish Trail/Macomb Street where the musical in roads to rock and roll were paved? After a lengthy public discussion, I met Max, Jessica and we went up S. Adams to look at a building and a vision; it was not a good fit. Three weeks passed so I called Max, who suggested we meet as he had a few options. Max. Jessica and Martie Epstein and I discussed our hopes for the project. They invited me to continue our discussions with Tom Lewis at Ashmore’s in Frenchtown on the corner of Macomb and Brevard Streets.
Some things are magical, some things defy definition other than to say: it was fate. This seemed as one of those events. In a flash we were measuring Ashmore’s and creating a proposal for a Frenchtown Revitalization Arts/Glass Hot shop/Arts/Interactive/Learning/And Events: F.R.A.G.I.L.E. we called it. This would be a community-driven Arts, Culture, Heritage & Educational catalyst at Ashmore’s — an original section of the Old Spanish Trail– and the oldest African American Community in Tallahassee. Everyone in the group seemed to know Ashmore’s. For me, the man who founded ASHMORE’S, Rob Roy Ashmore, was bigger than life: “Color blind and Human kind at the same time, in a time when such men were rare” my father would say as he’d walk me into Ashmore’s a child no higher than his knee. There he would buy us a soda from the fountain. We’d stop by Ashmore’s after bringing Zorro P. Baker to her home at 444 Dent Street in the heart of Frenchtown after she finished a day helping my mother in our house. What a thrill it was just to ride in Dad’s old ’57 two-toned Chevy– a powder blue and an aquamarine hand painted affair– his BelAir cruiser that rode us into the neighborhood of Frenchtown. After dropping off Zorro, dad would go slow as he liked to have his shoes shined and he might see a chance, or just to see what was up on the Street. We bummed around those blocks in and in and out of FSU or the Downtown Post Office, or the Lewis State Bank. I knew the area well. Years later I would bring my toddlers to Lincoln Center for pre-school; or stroll in the Cemetery. Years later S.A.I.L, School for Applied Individual, Learning, moved into the community and I followed with interest what was happening in the arts. This is my childhood history and my children’s.
Now as the architect on the F.R.A.G.I.L.E. proposal, we are all working to restore the store and soda shop. This is gratifying as it will allow a part of my history a place in the present. Coming home in 2014, I started INKDOT, a place old objects lost in the technological age could be viewed and explored. My shop seemed to me to be a lot like Old Ashmore’s store. I could remember naming my old red Volkswagen “Red Rooster” in honor of his famous Red Rooster Pills. To top it off, even gave away samples of Johnnie’s Home-Made Ice-cream. For me INKDOT at 1517 South Adams Street was me giving back to my community. A community I could see rolling forward with the past in our hands. Ashmore, now gives me even a bigger opportunity.
PLEASE ENJOY INKDOT TALLY YOUTUBE Videos. https://tinyurl.com/y8ulz5f2
