George A. Smathers Libraries celebrate Florida’s Quincentennial with exhibit

January 24-March 15, 2013
Smathers Library (East) Gallery, 2nd floor

The expeditions of Juan Ponce de León in 1513 and 1521 opened Spanish exploration of what became the southeastern United States and started efforts to bring Florida into Spain’s colonial empire. As counties and cities all over the state of Florida commemorate the first voyage of Ponce de León that resulted in the naming of our state, it is important for us to not only celebrate the landing but also think about the changes it wrought. When Ponce de León came ashore on April 3, 1513, he set in motion a series of traumatic changes that changed Florida forever and created modern-day Florida.

To celebrate 500 years of this great state, the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida will present the exhibit Florida 1513 – 2013: A Quincentennial Commemoration. On view from January 24 through March 15, 2013, Florida 1513 – 2013 features a series of vignettes highlighting some of the changes wrought in Florida over half a millennium. The exhibit showcases items from the collections of the P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History at the University of Florida, including antique maps and historic photographs.

Florida 1513 – 2013 is curated by Jim Cusick, curator of the P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History.

The Smathers Library Gallery is located on the second floor of the Smathers Library (East) on the University of Florida campus. Hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., unless otherwise specified and with occasional exceptions for maintenance. All exhibits are open to the public and free of charge.

Source: Lourdes Santamaría-Wheeler, (352) 273-2564, l.s.wheeler@ufl.edu