The Plaza of the Americas is a major center of student activity on the campus of the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

in Gainesville,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. It is located in the quad between Library West, Peabody Hall, the University Auditorium, and the Chemistry Building. In 2008, the Plaza of the Americas became a contributing property in the

University of Florida Campus Historic District The University of Florida Campus Historic District is a historic district on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. The district, bounded by West University Avenue, Southwest 13th Street, Stadium Road and Gale Lemeran ...

, which had been added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

on April 20, 1989.

History

In 1925, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. developed the plans to improve the plaza. In 1931, the space was officially designated the Plaza of the Americas at the first meeting of the Institute of Inter-American Affairs. The students planted 21 trees around the plaza. They dedicated the newly planted trees to the 21 countries that were invited to the meeting. Today, the quad is the unofficial forum for the

where students and organizations present their ideals. A $2.2 million renovation of the Plaza of the Americas, which included additional landscaping, benches, and sidewalks, was begun in November 2016. The project was completed a year later, and a dedication ceremony for the renovated plaza was held on November 17, 2017.

References

External links

* from the

Physical Plant Division
Additional info about the Plaza
from the University of Florida Interactive Media Lab
''Alligator'' does story on the Plaza
from alligator.org * 1925 establishments in Florida Buildings at the University of Florida Historic American Landscapes Survey in Florida Historic district contributing properties in Florida National Register of Historic Places in Gainesville, Florida Parks in Alachua County, Florida Tourist attractions in Gainesville, Florida University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida University and college buildings completed in 1925

History

See also

References

External links