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ASR 11 X989 P00K 76 pAGE 559 copy of an article that appeared in the January/February, 1989 issue of the Florida Preservation News, as she wanted the Board to realize that the Historical Society's conceptual plan for an historic site is not a pie in the sky thing. It would be a financially sound venture that many, many years to come. could realize great gains for Statewide Happenings Boca Raton On November 20, 1988, the Boca Raton Historical Society formally opened the restored 1930 railroad station, also known as the Count de Hoemle Pavilion Gainesville Frostproofs Ben Hill Griffin, Jr. gave $2 million for the renovation of the.Uni- versity of Florida's historic Floyd Hall. The gift for restoration, along with the state matching funds it secures, is one of the largest single gifts to the University of Honda Campaign. Floyd Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Built m 1912, it served as home to the Univer- sity of Honda's College of Agriculture for 44 years. The University presently has 11 buildings listed on the National Register. Under new state legislation, Mr. Grif- fin's gift is eligible for a dollar -for -dollar match from Honda's Capital Facilities Matching Trust Fund. Matching grants from this state trust are designed to assist the state's universities in the build- ing of instructional and research -related facilities. The resulting $4 million will enable the University of Florida to res- tore Floyd Hall to full use. Key West An article titled "Quirky Little Key De Soto Update Though temporarily out of the head- lines, the DeSoto-Apalachee Project in Tallahassee is alive and well. The pres- ent state of the site and the project represents a true triumph for the pres- ervationist. Here is how things stand at the mom- ent. The state of Florida has purchased the site from the Trust for Public Land. The Department of Natural Resources manages the property and is currently working on a development plan for the site. These plans call for the restoration of the Martin mansion for use as an interpretive center. Meanwhile, the arch- aeologists are finishing the analysis of what was found in 1987 and have laun- ched a new phase of the project. The excavations at the Martin site raised as many questions as they ans- wered. There were reputed to be 250 structures in the Apalachee village that de Soto occupied. The 1987 excava- tions uncovered only two of them. With the help of grants from' the National Endowment fo the Humanities and the Institute for Early Contact Period Studies, archaeologists are attempting to answer these questions. A larger sur- vey is presently underway on proper- ties surrounding the Martin site to locate the rest of de Soto's winter encamp- ment. West" appeared in the City Walk Sec- tion of the November/December issue of Preservation News published by the National Trust for Historic Preserva- tion. The article focussed on preserva- tion efforts in the island city. Miami Beach In October, The Senator Hotel on Collins Avenue was demolished amidst much controversy. Built in 1939, the hotel was part of the nations only 20th century tropical deco district listed on the National Regiser of Historic Places. Sarasota The Frances -Carlton Arms Apart- ment Building, constructed in 1924, has been acquired by Executive National Companies (ENCO) of Lakeland. ENCO is a real estate company specializing in the development of Florida's historic properties. The property has been beautifully restored and received a 1987 Preservaton Award from the Florida Trust. Is there a newsworthy item about your area missing from this section? If so, make sure the Trust is on your mailing list so we can receive your newsletter, or other publications. Also, please send the Trust your press releases. Study Reveals : ti Rat of Visitation at Historic Sites Secretary of State Jim Smith an- nounced recently that a survey con- ducted for the state shows 70 percent of vacationers to Florida visit a historic site. This 70 percent either plan their trip specifically for historic sites or include such destinations as part of the overall journey, Smith said. "We learned a lot from this study, not only about the economic impact of his- toric sites but also why people visit pla- ces steeped in history," Smith said. Those interviewed said that knowing something about the history of a place added to the enjoyment of a trip. They also felt that visiting historic sites with their children was an important way for children to team values. • The Department of State jointly financed the survey with the Depart- ment of Commerce and the Depart- ment of Natural Resources, assisted by a grant from the National Trust for His- toric Preservation. The survey, demonstrates that there is a competitive economic advantage in preserving the state's historic buildings and sites, Smith said. Not only do vaca- tioners value authentic old sites, they also enjoy simulated historical exper- iences that are genuine and true to the past, Smith said. History and natural settings also ap- pear to be an appealing link for many visitors. "This may show the need," Smith said, "for joint promotions by the various Florida agencies to encourage tourism at sites rich in both natural beauty and historic content:' History -flavored tourism contributes significantly to the state's economy. For every million trips in Florida by out-of- state travelers that include a visit to a historic site, the economy realizes 45,618 Florida jobs, generating $538.9 million in payrolls. That in turn provides state and Secretary of State, Jim Smith local governments with $86.2 million in revenues. St. Augustine, nationally recognized as the "oldest city", was named most often in the survey as a place considered historic by visitors. But reflecting a great diversity in their Florida experiences, those surveyed listed more than 95 lesser publicized sites as contributing historical elements to their vacation travels. For a copy of the report or executive summary, please contact the Bureau of Historic Preservation at (904) 487-2333. Florida Preseruation News, January -February 1989-9 113