Albert W. Gilchrist

Template:Short description Template:Infobox officeholder Albert Waller Gilchrist (January 15, 1858 – May 15, 1926) was an American politician who served as the 20th governor of Florida. Gilchrist was born in South Carolina before moving to Punta Gorda, Florida. A Democrat, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1893 and served as speaker in 1905. Gilchrist is the namesake for Gilchrist County, Florida.

Early life and education

Born in Greenwood, South Carolina,<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Gilchrist first attended Carolina Military Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity before attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. He would have graduated in 1882, but he did not because he was deficient in experimental philosophy after three years.<ref name="gilchrist">Template:Cite book</ref>

Early career

Gilchrist became a civil engineer and real estate dealer before settling in Punta Gorda, Florida, to become an orange grower. He served in the Florida state militia until 1898, reaching the rank of brigadier general. Gilchrist went on to join the Company C, of the 3rd U.S. Volunteer Infantry, and served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish–American War in Cuba.<ref name=":1" /> He reached the rank of captain in the regular army, before being discharged in 1899.<ref name="gilchrist"/>

File:Speaker Albert Gilchrist.jpg

Gilchrist as the Speaker of the Florida House in April 1905.

Political career

In 1893, Gilchrist was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. He served in it until 1897. He represented DeSoto County, Florida. He returned in 1903, and in 1905 he became Speaker of the Florida House and left the legislature.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":1" />

Gilchrist was elected governor on November 3, 1908, taking the oath of office on January 5, 1909.<ref name=":1" /> As governor, Gilchrist prioritized public health.<ref name="gilchrist" /> For instance, he promoted legislation for a pure food law, improved health conditions for state prisoners, a tuberculosis sanitarium, and a "hospital for impoverished crippled children."<ref name=":1" />

Also during his tenure as governor, the Montverde Industrial School was established, new counties were formed, and, following eight years of work, mainland Florida was finally connected to the Florida Keys via an overseas railroad.<ref name=":1" /> He left office on January 7, 1913.<ref name="gilchrist" /> He ran for U.S. Senate in 1916 and served as a delegate to the 1924 Democratic National Convention.<ref name=":1" />

Death

Gilchrist died on May 15, 1926, in New York, New York. Upon his death, the bachelor governor left a large portion of his estate to local orphans. He is buried at Indian Springs Cemetery on Indian Springs Road in Punta Gorda, Florida.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":1" />

Legacy

After hearing that the former Governor was dying in a New York hospital, the Florida Legislature quickly introduced and passed a bill naming Gilchrist County after him. The Gilchrist Bridge, which carries U.S. Route 41 south over the Peace River from Port Charlotte to Punta Gorda, is named after Gilchrist.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Controversy

In 2020, Teddy Ehmann, president of the Charlotte County Historical Society, urged the Punta Gorda City Council to rename Gilchrist Park, of which Gilchrist was the namesake for. In his letter to the council, Ehmann said Gilchrist was a "Southern racist" and asked the council to recognize the indigenous Calusa tribe.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Theresa Murtha, director of the Punta Gorda History Center, said the proposal was "outrageous". She said that Gilchrist was the only Governor of Florida from Punta Gorda, and had a role in the foundation of the city.<ref name=":0" /> Former cataloger Lynn Harrell said Gilchrist hired a crew of seven to eight black railroad employees and that "he wouldn't have had a Black crew" if he was a racist.<ref name=":0" />

External links

• Template:Find a Grave