WHITE SPRINGS, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday unveiled a statue honoring Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton County as part of Florida’s preparations for the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
The statue, located in the town of White Springs on the Suwannee River, is part of a statewide effort to place monuments in Florida counties honoring founding fathers.
During the unveiling, DeSantis emphasized Hamilton’s role in the nation’s founding, including his work in the American Revolutionary War, his work as the lead author of the Federalist Papers, and his tenure as the first U.S. Treasury Secretary under George Washington.
Hamilton played an important role during the Revolutionary War, first serving in the New York Militia in 1775 before becoming an artillery officer. Washington then appointed Hamilton his aide-de-camp in 1777, and he became one of the general’s aides during the conflict. Hamilton later led American troops in the decisive 1781 Battle of Yorktown, helping to secure American independence.
After the war, Hamilton emerged as a leading advocate of a stronger federal government. He wrote 51 of the 85 essays in the Federalist Papers, a series of works advocating ratification of the U.S. Constitution. As Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton established key elements of the nascent American financial system, including stabilization of national credit and plans to create a national banking structure. He also founded the Revenue Cutter Bureau, the predecessor of today’s U.S. Coast Guard.
State officials also noted Hamilton’s historic ties to Florida. As a Congressional representative from New York, Hamilton advocated American access to the Mississippi River and supported the acquisition of Florida from Spain. His diplomatic influence was instrumental in shaping the Treaty of Pinckney, which established the border between Spanish Florida and the United States along the present-day Florida-Georgia line.
Florida later became a U.S. territory under the Adams-Onis Treaty. Over the next few years, President James Monroe appointed Hamilton’s son, Alexander Hamilton, Jr., as the district attorney for East Florida. Hamilton County was officially established in 1827 and named after its founding father.
The statue unveiling is part of Florida’s broader participation in the nation’s quincentennial celebrations, which will mark the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. The program will include events, exhibits and historic commemorations across Florida through an initiative known as “America 250 Florida,” state officials said.
