If you have ever been to the always-busy and versatile Florida Museum of History in the State Department Building on a Wednesday or Friday, then youve met Peter Jefferson.
Jefferson is one of the smiling, volunteer meet-and-greeters and, when necessary, tour guides at the museum. He has been working twice a week there for the past two and a half years.
What Jefferson likes to do best is show things in the museum that arent apparent to the guests. Things like the paintings of the Highwaymen -- a group of men and one woman who traveled the state selling their art along Florida's roadsides for a near pittance during the time of segregation. Today, he explains, Highwaymen art is prized and rare.
Before retiring five years ago, Jefferson was an architect. In fact, he was an architect of some renown in Miami, other parts of South Florida and beyond. He and his wife Joan spent many years on the Treasure Coast in Stuart, where she was mayor and he maintained his architectural practice. For a time after that, the couple lived in North Carolina.
Im very satisfied with the architecture I've done, Jefferson said, but claims he also enjoys what life presents now -- the joy of the museum and spending his free time doing carpentry work and collecting American antiques such as pottery, metalwork and furniture. His interest in architecture, of course, continues.
Jefferson moved to Tallahassee six years ago, when Joan was appointed coordinator of the Florida Main Street program, which operates under the State Department's Division of Historic Preservation.
The couple have four children. Their great joy? Each other. Confesses Jefferson, "It's been a tradition for me to take my wife out on a date every Friday night. We've done that faithfully for all 43 years we've been married."
Nancy Smith contributed to this story.
Reach reporter-intern Jolisa Canty at jolisa@sunshinestatenews.com, or at (850) 727-0859.
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