MARIANNA, Fla. (WWSB) – Florida officials gathered Thursday morning at Madison Street Park in Marianna to celebrate a new statue of Andrew Jackson, describing the monument as a recognition of the former president’s role in territorial Florida history.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said the statue will give residents and students a place to learn about Jackson, who briefly served as the first governor of the Florida Territory after Spain transferred Florida to the United States in 1821.
“Now for, you know, forever when people come to Marianna, they’re going to be able to see, you know, this amazing statue here commemorating a really pivotal person in the history of Florida,” DeSantis said.
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DeSantis said Jackson accepted the ceremonial transfer of Florida from Spain in Pensacola in 1821 before helping organize the territorial government. Jackson later became the nation’s seventh president.
Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd thanked Jackson County officials, the Florida Department of Transportation and the Department of State for their work on the project.
“Things like this don’t just happen by accident,” Byrd said. “There’s a lot of people behind the scenes that do a lot of hard work.”
The event was part of Florida’s broader America 250 effort, marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. Byrd said the state has promoted history-focused educational materials and activities for students during the yearlong observance.
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