Our Neighborhood

The Pensacola Historic District, also known as the Seville Historic District, was designated a U.S. historic neighborhood in 1970. Located in Pensacola, Florida, it’s bounded by Bayfront Parkway, Tarragona, Romana, and Cevallos Streets.

Seville Square dates back to a 1752 outpost called San Miguel. In 1764, after the British took control of Pensacola, Elias Dunford established it as a public square. Originally extending from Palafox to Alcaniz Streets and from the bay to Intendencia Street, it was renamed after Seville, Spain, when the Spanish regained control in 1813.

Pensacola Bay, the district’s southern border, is the site of North America's earliest known European settlement from 1559. Join us to explore the historical treasures of this vibrant community!

The Preservation of Seville Square: A Legacy of Community Effort

In the early 1960s, a dedicated group of local preservationists, led by Pensacolian Mary Turner Rule (née Reed) and supported by her friend and fellow preservation advocate Imogene Kennedy, formed the Pensacola Heritage Foundation. Together, they recognized the importance of preserving Pensacola's history, focusing their efforts on the Seville Square Historic District. Rule, Imogene, and the Foundation conducted extensive research, successfully listing the Pensacola Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. Their efforts led to the restoration of the Dorr House, igniting the preservation movement in Pensacola, and convincing the city to restore Seville Square.

Imogene Kennedy played a key role in documenting these efforts and spreading awareness, ensuring that the significance of these preservation achievements was well known. Alongside Rule, she contributed to creating the beloved festival, "An Evening in Old Seville Square," and helped secure the listing of the lighthouse at the Navy Air Station on the National Register. Through their collaborative work, Rule and Imogene helped establish the N.W. Florida Preservation Board and the Architecture Review Board, safeguarding Pensacola’s history for generations to come. Resources on preservation can be found here.