Conference Location
History
Gainesville is the largest city and county seat of Alachua County, Florida. Gainesville is primarily known for being home to the University of Florida, the flagship university of the State University System of Florida and the third-largest university in the United States. Santa Fe Community College, one of the nation's largest community colleges, is also located in Gainesville. The city is also an important way station for automobile travelers, as it is located nearly midway between Atlanta and Miami, five hours from Miami, and five from Atlanta.
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Gainesville's original inhabitants were the Timucua Indians. Spanish colonists began cattle ranching in the Payne's Prairie area using Timucua labor and the largest ranch became known as LaChua. Though the ranch was eventually destroyed by British raiders, it nevertheless gave its name to the Alachua band of the Seminole tribe who settled in the region in the 1700s under the leadership of the great chief Ahaya the Cowkeeper. Gainesville was originally formed along the Florida Railroad Company's line stretching from Cedar Key to Fernandina Beach as part of a route eventually carrying cargo from New Orleans to New York. In 1854 Gainesville became the new Alachua County seat (moving from the more populated but inconveniently located Newnansville). The city is named for General Edmund P. Gaines, commander of U.S. Army troops in Florida during the Second Seminole War. |
The Gainesville Clocktower |
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Gainesville was the scene of small-scale fighting in the Civil War. On February 15, 1864, a skirmish erupted when about 50 Union troops entered the city intending to capture two trains. The Second Florida Cavalry successfully repulsed this raid. The raiding party was eventually defeated at the Battle of Olustee five days later. Later that year, the Battle of Gainesville took place on August 17, 1864. Three-hundred Union troops occupying the city were attacked by the Florida Cavalry. The Federals were driven out of town and suffered significant casualties. |
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Following the civil war, the city prospered as a major citrus growing center, with direct rail access to ports on the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. However, this prosperity ended when the great freezes of 1894 and 1899 destroyed the entire crops, and citrus growing moved permanently south to the Orlando area. Other attempts to replace this lost industry included phosphate mining, turpentine production and tung oil had only moderate success. |
Gainesville around 1900 |
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Gainesville's fortunes took a major turn for the better, however, when the University of Florida was created by the Florida Legislature in 1905. Gainesville was chosen, beating out other cities who saw their colleges close, such as Lake City and Bartow. Fortunately, the city had the foresight to construct a modern municipal water, sewer and electric system and was able to offer these services to a new university location for free. A site was selected at a location then considered about a mile west of town. The first classes were held at Buckman Hall in the fall of 1906. |
Geography
Gainesville is one of the southernmost cities in the United States where deciduous trees predominate, and has been recognized every year since 1982 as a "Tree City, USA". There are deciduous trees farther south, but they are not as abundant as they are from Alachua County northward. The city is also an important way station for automobile travelers, as it is located nearly midway between Atlanta and Miami, five hours from Miami, and five from Atlanta.
 
Downtown Gainesville |
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The North Florida area in which Gainesville is located is known to natives as the "end of the South." This is most likely due to the fact that south of Alachua County or Marion County, starting somewhere north of Orlando, there are fewer native Floridians (and effectively native Southerners) and the sprawling development that defines South and Central Florida begins. However, it should be noted that due to large levels of migration, much of it related to the University of Florida, the western sector of the city as well as areas around the university hold more in common culturally and visually with Central and Southern Florida, whereas the eastern sector of the city holds more in common culturally and visually with the South.
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Conference Venue
The GAMEON-NA 2007 conference is organised in cooperation with the University of Florida at:
Hilton University of Florida |
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Telephone: 352-371-3600 or 1-800-HILTONS
Fax: 352-384-3455
E-mail: How to get to Gainesville
By Plane |
When arriving in Gainesville, you will arrive at Gainesville Regional Airport, either by flying Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines or US Airways, either coming from Miami or Atlanta. At the airport you can take a taxi to the hotel, rent a car (see further below) or you can call the hotel directly at 352-371-3600, tell the operator that you wish to schedule an airport shuttle pick up; the operator will then transfer you directly to the airport shuttle reservation. |
By Bus |
Once you are in Gainesville, you can use the different bus lines to get about. Information about the buses can be found by using the following link:Gainesville Regional Transit Systems. |
By Taxi |
AAA Taxi (352) 214-2113 |
By Car |
Rental Car companies at the airport: Alamo:(352) 377-7005 Avis: (352) 376-8115 Budget: (352) 373-3959 Enterprise: (352) 372-8779 Hertz: (352) 373-8444 National: (352) 377-7005 |
BEWARE
When you bring your PC or other equipment to the US be aware that different plugs are needed.
- That your VISA requirements are OK. See the Fees Page for more information.
