| Former Senator Lee Weissenborn died May 7th in Palmetto Bay at the age of 88. Weissenborn, who represented Miami-Dade in the Florida House from 1963 to 1967 and Florida Senate from 1967 to 1972, is most notable for sponsoring legislation to move the State Capitol from Tallahassee to Orlando. A champion of civil rights, Weissenborn was disappointed in the City of Tallahassee’s reluctance to embrace integration, specifically the practice of segregating city pools. While the move to Orlando was unsuccessful, it did nudge Tallahassee progressively forward in opening public pool access to all residents, and ending prohibition. It also paved the way for the new capitol complex to be built. A satirical tribute to Weissenborn for his inadvertent role in encouraging the construction of the new building can still be seen in the lobby and reads: This plaque is dedicated to Senator Lee Weissenborn, whose valiant effort to move the Capitol to Orlando was the prime motivation for construction of this building. |
