LAKE CITY, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis appeared in Lake City on Thursday to unveil a statue of “Lady Columbia” and announce nearly $15.6 million in grants for small and rural counties. According to the governor’s office, the statue is part of the state’s “America250FL” initiative, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. The event combined the symbolic monument unveiling with the allocation of state-administered funds for infrastructure and planning projects across 23 communities.
The statue of Lady Columbia, described in the press release as a 19th-century personification of America, joins a series of monuments the DeSantis administration has commissioned across the state. Previous statues unveiled under the program have depicted historical figures including Founding Fathers, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan. The governor’s office stated the placement in Columbia County was intended to honor Florida’s “pioneer spirit.”
Alongside the ceremony, the governor’s office detailed the distribution of state and federal funds. The awards are from two programs: the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program, which is federally funded by HUD, and the state’s Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant Program. The administration claims the funds will support infrastructure improvements and economic development.
Among the largest awards announced were $3 million to the Town of Horseshoe Beach for drainage improvements and another $3 million to the City of Coleman for its water treatment facility. Hamilton County was allocated over $2.7 million for roadway improvements, while the host city of Lake City will receive $211,000 to repave a portion of a local road, according to the release.
