Our team got to explore the UWF Historic Trust through the eyes of Pensacola’s Historic Home Restoration expert, Nannette Chandler. Nannette is the owner and visionary behind Chandler & Co. Construction and Property Management.
For over 20 years, Nannette has pursued her passion to restore and preserve Pensacola’s oldest homes. Her work in construction is rooted in a deep appreciation for history, the salvaging of precious materials, and designing beautiful homes built to last.
The UWF Historic Trust Archives have played an essential role in the work that Nannette does by providing access to Pensacola archives, property details, and maps dating back to the 19th century.
The Trust, supported by the University of West Florida, is designed to acquire, preserve, and share historic artifacts with the public. The organization began in 1967 and was initially known as the Pensacola Preservation and Restoration Commission.
Over the years, exchange happened between legislation and local government, resulting in the Trust landing in the hands of the University. The continuation of the Trust’s mission has allowed for more programming, education, and development of the public information center.
In Nannette’s case, the information provided by the Trusts’ Archives allow her to dig into the history of the homes she restores. Case by case, she’ll find newspaper clippings, time-appropriate design ideas, and artifacts that contribute to the overall knowledge she has of each property.
We toured the facility with Nannette, learning that the UWF Historic Trust is not just a bank of knowledge for the public. The Trust offers tours, exhibits, programs, community events, and space available to rent.
Upon entering the space, you notice the exposed brick of the walls and wooden floors. The smell of archives activates a curiosity to learn more while you are there. We walked upstairs to the entrance of the Hilton-Green Research Room where we would be conducting our own research.
We made an appointment ahead of time so the Trust could compile findings related to the properties we were interested in learning about. As soon as we walked in, we noticed a long table with two large map books open to display an aerial view of the homes we were there for.
The map pages were thick and slightly weathered, though noticeably preserved with care considering they were over 100 years old. We traced our finger down Cervantes until we had to flip the page, then turned left onto Spring St. There, we noticed the original buildings were no longer visible on the property today, and we dreamed of the treasure we would find when we went to dig later.
The staff proved to be well-informed and helpful every step of the way, offering to pull more information, and seemed equally excited about the stories we were uncovering. Findings are available for download, and you are welcome to purchase photocopies of documents for a small fee.
We thoroughly enjoyed getting the opportunity to explore the UWF Historic Trust with Nannette and are looking forward to what we will discover on our next visit. In Nannette’s case, she’s a regular at the Trust and gets excited about any chance she gets to dive into the archives!
If you want to be involved in historic preservation and home restoration here in Pensacola, you can learn more about Nannette’s mission by following her here. For more information on the UWF Historic Trust and their offerings, you can visit their center or set up a time to meet with the staff here.
A big thank you to all the work that the UWF Historic Trust and community partners like Nannette Chandler are doing to preserve the history of Pensacola and keep the curiosity about our city alive!
Makenna Curtis
Local Pulse Pensacola
